Limerick City and County Council has today given local retailers a timely boost in the face of the Covid-19 crisis with the official launch of a FREE unique online platform to help them trade while their doors are closed, and connecting Limerick consumers with local suppliers for their shopping needs.
Limerick.ie/Shop to give lifeline and sales support to local retailers under pressure from Covid-19 fall-out
Virtual marketplace developed by local authority in partnership with Limerick Local Enterprise Office and Limerick Chamber
Shop Limerick – Limerick.ie/Shop - has provided an opportunity for hundreds of retailers across the city and county to showcase their online offering with the development of the one-stop platform on the local authority’s website, Limerick.ie.
Together with a promotional ‘Shop Limerick, Save Livelihoods’ campaign, the initiative has gone live today just three weeks after the decision to create the online platform was made.
On Limerick.ie/Shop, the public can browse and buy from homegrown Limerick businesses, buy a local business voucher, find out about local neighbourhood food deliveries or where they can order a take-out from a favourite restaurant.
Since the initiative was announced in mid-April, more than 130 business across the city and county have already signed up and many more are now expected to enlist, with the marketing campaign also aimed at growing awareness among those businesses of the benefits of joining the free platform.
Limerick.ie/Shop has been developed by the local authority in partnership with the Limerick Local Enterprise Office and Limerick Chamber on the back of conversations with a number of local and individual stakeholders, and born from a desire to support Limerick’s business community.
Mayor of the City and County of Limerick Cllr Michael Sheahan said it is another example of the purpose and unity on show locally that will see Limerick through this challenging time.
“There is a brilliant sense of collaboration in Limerick and it has stood us very well in the recent past and Limerick.ie/Shop is an example of how it is going to help us through the current crisis. So many in retail are impacted by the Coronavirus and the smaller, independent ones are hit the hardest.
They typically don’t have the e-commerce capabilities that larger retailers possess to weather this storm and this initiative will address that by helping them showcase that they are still open for business. This is a one-stop destination where you can connect with local stores across the whole of Limerick and find out how to support them.
For the sake of your community and for local jobs, please do as much as you can to buy from local stores either in person or by using Limerick.ie/Shop. We know that times are tough and money is tight. But if we all do our bit, we’ll have the best chance possible of protecting the local economy - and supporting one another.”
Said Dee Ryan, CEO of Limerick Chamber: “Retailers and our thriving Limerick food community are the heartbeat of our economy. They lend personality to our city, county towns and villages, critically also, they support other local suppliers and producers -it’s a virtuous circle, so it was only right that this initiative would be put in place to support them through the Coronavirus which is having a huge impact on our economy, as well, of course, as on public health.
Limerick Chamber is delighted to partner with Limerick City and County Council and the Limerick Local Enterprise Office with this initiative which exemplifies the spirit of collaboration and support that underpin our work in the Chamber, and that exists all across Limerick today.
We will be beating the drum loudly to rally support for these businesses, continuing to do what we can to spread the word, across our membership network and beyond. It’s a time for standing together and this is a great example of Limerick doing exactly that,” she concluded.
The Limerick.ie/Shop platform complements existing Covid-19 business supports including digital marketing training and mentoring and help and support on how to sell through established e-commerce platforms such as Shopify. Local businesses who want to go online or to improve their online offering will be connected with local specialists and service providers who can provide that assistance.
Bernie Moloney, Head of Enterprise, Limerick Local Enterprise Office said: “LEO is committed to supporting all small businesses through this crisis and will be providing specialised training as part of this initiative. The free training includes how to create short marketing videos, as well as social media boot camps and webinars for local business owners about cash flow management and how to get their business through Covid-19. We are delighted to be able to support small independent retailers and sustain them into the future.”
Companies who are interested in taking up the offer are asked to register their interest online at www.Limerick.ie/Business, email marketing@limerick.ie or telephone 061 556000.
Those wishing to browse SHOP LIMERICK should visit Limerick.ie/Shop or search Limerick.ie on social media.
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