Home > Technology > SMEs with a website make an additional €24,000 a year

SMEs with a website make an additional €24,000 a year

Written by Robert McHugh, on 27th Apr 2017. Posted in Technology

article headline

Irish SMEs with a website receive an average of 22 additional jobs a year with each job worth an average of almost €1,100, according to new IEDR research. 
 
The research, conducted by Ignite Research in March, also showed that nearly three-quarters (71%) of Irish shoppers are more likely to purchase goods and services from a business that has a website.
 
Despite this, only a little over half of consumers (51%) believe that their local shops and businesses are equipped for the digital age (i.e. have a basic website, have e-commerce capability). Indeed, three-quarters (74%) said they find it frustrating when a company has no website. 
 
Nearly two-thirds (65%) of consumers want the ability to browse and research their local business’s products and services online. Eighty three percent believe SMEs should have a basic website with contact details and opening hours and 68% believe a business is ‘outdated’ if it doesn’t have a website.

Crucially, 60% say they would shop with a competitor if they couldn’t find their preferred retailer online
 
Commenting on the findings, Chief Executive of IEDR, David Curtin said, "Nowadays, selling online is a straightforward process thanks to a myriad of inexpensive, easy-to-use tools. With e-commerce, Ireland’s SMEs have access to their chosen market of potential customers 24/7, 365 days a week. This trade is worth billions to our economy and is set to grow substantially as more people and businesses go online for the first time."

He added, "If you’re not online, your business is effectively invisible. Our research has shown that 80 percent of Irish consumers go online to search for information about businesses. If you don’t have a presence on the web, you’re missing out on a huge number of potential customers."

Source: www.businessworld.ie

More articles from Technology

image Description

Generative AI adoption rates on the increase in Irish workplaces

Read more
image Description

63% of businesses in Ireland to increase AI spend in 2024

Read more
image Description

New AI Accelerator Programme for Start-Ups at UCD

Read more
image Description

Invert Robotics secures €2.5m investment

Read more
image Description

Google expands its Local Employment Task Force in Ireland

Read more