Trading Online Voucher Scheme
What is it?
The voucher is a financial incentive to small businesses to develop or enhance their ability to trade online. Under the scheme a qualifying business may apply for funding to a maximum value of €2,500 or 50% of eligible expenditure (exclusive of VAT), whichever is the lesser.
Following approval of their application, a successful applicant can engage suppliers and upon completion of the work, submit a request for payment to the LEO in line with the terms and conditions of their voucher.
Information seminars will be made available online to prospective applicants to support them in their application process and it will be a condition of applying for the vouchers that applicants participate in one of these seminars. At each seminar attendees will be informed of the purpose of the scheme and how best to use and get value from the application of the voucher.
The application process for the vouchers will be a competitive process and voucher approval must be gained prior to incurring any expense.
What are the eligibility criteria?
The vouchers are targeted at businesses with the following profile:
- Limited or no e-commerce 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 the LEO to whom they make their application i.e. LEOs cannot accept applications from businesses located outside their jurisdiction.
- Categories of business excluded from the TOV Scheme as defined by their NACE code
*Applicant business must provide clear proof of trading for a minimum of 6 months to their Local Enterprise Office
Ineligible Projects
- *Please see Description of NACE code categories under which some sub-categories are excluded from the TOVs here *
- 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 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 booking systems
- Purchase of internet related software
- Purchase of online advertising (this purchase cannot make up any more than 30% of approved Voucher costs and can only be drawn down in one payment phase)
- Developing an app (or multiplatform webpages)
- Implementing a digital marketing strategy i.e. Social media marketing
- Consultation with ICT experts for early-stage adopters of online strategy
- Training/skills development specifically to establish and manage an online trading activity
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 company 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 company to place an order.
How To Apply
In order to apply for a Trading Online Voucher, it is necessary to first attend a TOV information seminar, which will provide all the details as to how to apply and also how to best use and gain value from the voucher to support your trading online proposition.
Information sessions cover various topics, including developing a website, digital marketing, social media for business and search engine optimisation. The information provided is impartial and will help you decide on what trading online options, are right for your business and you can book your place on our next seminar here
Previous voucher recipients may apply for a second voucher. Previous voucher recipients cannot apply for a second voucher before they have submitted their final claim for their first voucher.
