E-commerce to boost sales and business growth in Scotland
A new E-commerce Scotland Programme has been launched to help businesses in Scotland take advantage of this large, important and growing channel. Developed by ScotlandIS, in partnership with Scottish Enterprise, the programme aims to improve skills, build community and increase the adoption of E-commerce across Scottish businesses.
Consisting of a series of masterclasses and events, the programme will give companies access to key industry experts who will offer the latest thinking and practical guidance in E-commerce.
David Smith, director of technologiy engineering and creative industries, Scottish Enterprise, said: “By supporting this programme we are highlighting the important role that the online channel plays in increasing exports, and adding to the advice and support that is already on offer to Scottish businesses through programmes like Smart Exporter to help them transact with customers in new and existing markets.
“E-commerce is a significant and growing component of the Scottish economy and companies need to embrace this or risk losing market share. Last year Scottish Enterprise provided advice and support to over 500 businesses, helping them to enhance the use of online channels as an integral part of their strategy to increase revenue. Being part of the online trading community is becoming less of an option and more of a necessity in order for businesses to compete successfully and extend their reach in international markets.”
The UK is one of the world’s leading economies for e-commerce, with a higher proportion of online retail transactions than any other major economy. The "internet economy" was worth £121billion to the UK in 2010 and is predicted to continue to expand at a rate of 11% per year for the next three years, reaching a total value of £221billion by 2016. Scottish Enterprise’s SQW report estimated that Scottish-based businesses generate around £31 billion in e-commerce sales each year.
Smith continued “Scottish Enterprise is committed to working with partners to accelerate the adoption of technology across different sectors to help companies tap into new opportunities, explore overseas markets and realise their ambitious growth plans.”
Polly Purvis, executive director of ScotlandIS, said: “It is clear the online channel offers substantial opportunities for Scotland and for Scottish businesses to grow. Recent research from McKinsey has shown that SME's who adopt internet trading grow twice as fast and export twice as much as other businesses. The E-commerce Scotland Programme provides access to industry experts, experience from case study businesses using E-commerce in smart and successful ways, plus the latest thinking and best practice in this area.”
“The E-commerce Scotland Programme will draw on the expert skills available from ScotlandIS members, providing practical advice to guide business through the E-commerce challenge.”
1. Boston Consutling Group (2012) The $4.2 trillion Opportunity: The Internet Economy in the G-20
1. McKinsey Global Institute: Impact of the Internet on Economic Growth
E-commerce featured as a key theme within the Scottish Government’s recent review of the digital economy, a recommendation of which was to strengthen the breadth and depth of support offered to Scottish companies of all sizes. Scottish Enterprise’s SQW report also highlighted the significant growth opportunity for Scotland through increasing the adoption of online sales and marketing channels if company awareness was increased, networking opportunities developed and supply of skills strengthened
• Click here for the full Scottish Enterprise SQW study.
• Scottish Enterprise ICT support includes specialist advisors, events, workshops and ICT review services.
• Smart Exporter is an international trade skills programme designed to help Scottish companies understand how to do business in international markets. Smart Exporter provides a wide range of tailored support including free training, practical online tools, one-to-one advice from our Export Advisers, local international strategy workshops and market awareness events and much more. The programme is funded and delivered by Scottish Development International in partnership with Highlands & Islands Enterprise (HIE) with funding from the European Social Fund (ESF). Over 3,000 companies have benefitted from the Smart Exporter programme since its launch in 2010.
• The E-commerce Scotland Programme includes a range of events including industry briefings for the tourism and food & drink sectors, masterclasses for E-commerce practitioners, an annual forum, and an awards competition and awards evening, in order to provide something for everyone, from those experienced in E-commerce to the E-commerce novice.
• ScotlandIS is the representative organisation for Scotland’s digital technologies industry.
• ScotlandIS members vary from internationally recognised exporters to very small start-ups and cover a wide range of skills and markets.
• Scotland’s software, IT and communications businesses employ approximately 70,000 people and currently generate approx. £5 billion: around 5% of Scotland’s GDP.
• ScotlandIS promotes the industry and lobbies government and policy makers on issues of importance.
• ScotlandIS stimulates networking and partnerships between member organisations, providing networking, training and best-practice exchange meetings, seminars and workshops.
• ScotlandIS provides practical support to help members trade, for example, by providing access to industry experts and disseminating market intelligence.
• ScotlandIS works in partnership with e-skills UK (the sector skills council for ICT), government and academia to create and retain the skills and infrastructure required to support the knowledge economy.