eBay offers support to small businesses during pandemic

eBay is providing small Irish businesses with support during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Its new 'Up and Running Initiative' will give them virtual workshops, training and mentoring to get their businesses up and running online.

The programme "will help any local Irish business that wants to quick start or increase its online selling capabilities, but doesn’t have the resources, budget or knowhow to do so."

The new service allows them to set up online for free.

"This is a difficult time for businesses of all sizes, but I hope that the launch of Up & Running initiative will help alleviate some of the challenges that Irish SMEs are facing, and help them to stay open for business,” said Hazel Mitchell, site lead for eBay Ireland.

“The initiative isn’t just a way to help businesses to stay afloat, it is also an opportunity for them to grow and reach new markets. The Covid-19 restrictions have shrunk our physical world but there is still huge potential in e-commerce.

"At this time, an online marketplace is the only option for companies that have had to shut their doors to sell their products.

"We want to help businesses quickly and remove any barriers that might otherwise prevent them from transitioning to online, so we invite business owners to contact us today to see how we can help them.

"This is a practical solution to a critical and immediate problem.”

The current restrictions started on Friday, March 27. They mandate that everyone should stay at home, only leaving to:
• Shop for essential food and household goods;
• Attend medical appointments, collect medicine or other health products;
• Care for children, older people or other vulnerable people - this excludes social family visits;
• Exercise outdoors - within 2kms of your home and only with members of your own household, keeping 2 metres distance between you and other people
• Travel to work if you provide an essential service - be sure to practice physical distancing