Handelsverband wants to double number of Austrian webshops

The Austrian trade association Handelsverband has an ambitious goal: in the next two years, it wants to double the share of Austrian retailers that operate an online store. In order to achieve this, the association has put together a toolkit, which enables small and medium-sized businesses to start with ecommerce in a simple and reliable way.

With the launch of the eCommerce Starterkit and the KMU Retail Toolkit, Handelsverband wants to let retailers become an omnichannel retailer in six months. “We know firsthand the challenges our midmarket retailers face every day and often, there is hardly any time left for strategic considerations around omnichannel and digitization”, Rainer Will, managing director of Handelsverband, says. “We want to provide targeted support on this subject, with a flexible toolbox especially for small and medium-sized enterprises.”

Only a quarter of retailers have an online store

The association says it’s high time to prepare the Austrian trade sector for the future. “Only a quarter of Austrian retailers have an online store. By comparison, more than two-thirds of retailers in Germany (also) sell online.”

Ecommerce Starterkit

With the ecommerce starter kit, Handelsverband wants to help retailers succeeding with their entry into the ecommerce industry. At a fixed price, the dealer gets a fully-fledged ERP system, an active webshop with search engine optimization, as well as hosting with high performance and resiliency. “Within three to six months, the stationary retailer becomes an omnichannel retailer, setting the course for growth, expansion into marketplaces and internationalization.”

SME Retail Toolkit

In addition to the ecommerce starterkit, Handelsverband also launches its SME Retail Toolkit: a service package that is further developed from the RETAIL 24/7 platform. This platform provides a comprehensive service package of information, market data, news, communities and useful online tools for which small and medium-sized merchants can now register for free.