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Trading Online Voucher Scheme

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.