Trading Online Voucher Scheme:
Scheme Overview
The Trading Online Voucher offers small businesses the opportunity to develop their website or digital marketing strategy by availing of vouchers of up 50% of eligible expenditure (excluding VAT) up to a maximum amount of €2,500. Previous voucher recipients may apply for a second voucher once they have submitted their final claim for their first voucher.
Eligibility Criteria
- Vouchers will be available at 50% of eligible expenditure (excluding VAT) up to a maximum amount of €2,500
- Voucher approval must be gained prior to incurring any expense
- 'Own Labour' is not an eligible expense
- Only 'third-party' costs will be considered
- All 'third party'/supplier Invoices must contain comprehensive business details, incl. Tax & Business registration information or proof that the supplier is a registered business in the territory in which the supplier is located
Eligible Projects
- The vouchers are targeted at businesses with the following profile:
- Limited Online Trading presence;
- 10 or less employees;
- Turnover less than €2m;
- Applicant business must be trading for at least 6 months;
- Business must be located in the area covered by this phase of the scheme i.e. within the remit of the participating LEOs.
Ineligible Projects
- Companies with charitable status, commercial semi-state companies, trade associations and company representation bodies such as Chambers of Commerce are not eligible to participate in the scheme;
- “Not for profit” and social entrepreneurship applicants unless they operate in a commercial domain;
- Professional services specialising in IT type services who are already capable of trading online using existing in-house systems;
- Conferences and Seminars;
- Projects which are contrary to public policy;
- Duplication of support for projects which would be eligible for assistance from other State Agencies of EU funded Operational Programmes;
- Projects with employees in excess of 10 people;
- Projects deemed to be capable of proceeding in any event without scheme assistance i.e. deadweight;
- Projects essentially comprising importation and distribution.
What the Vouchers can be used for
- IT consultation;
- Development or upgrade of an e-commerce website;
- Implementing Online payments or interactive booking systems eg Appointy, Acuity, Setmore, Calendly, Doodle;
- Purchase of Internet related software;
- Developing an app (or multiplatform webpages);
- Development of a digital marketing strategy;
- Implementing a digital marketing strategy;
- Training/skills development specifically to establish and manage an online trading activity.
- Subscriptions (excluding transaction costs) to low cost online retail platform solutions, which would allow applicants to quickly establish a retailing presence online.
- Purchase of online advertising (this purchase cannot make up any more than 30% of all other approved Voucher costs and can only be drawn down in one payment phase);
- Purchase of Professional Photography (this expenditure cannot make up any more than 80% of all other approved voucher costs and can only be drawn down in one payment phase)
What the Vouchers cannot be used for
- Development of brochure websites*
- Purchase of non-internet related software
- Anything other than online trading related activity
*A brochure website is digital version of a printed
brochure. They show the products or services your
business provides. However, unlike an e-commerce
website, they do not sell the product or service
online or have an interactive booking function. With
a brochure website, the goods and services are only
displayed, so customers will have to contact the
business to place an order.
How to apply
Contact us for an application form.
