BIG businesses are often criticised for killing off smaller ones – but some of them are actually helping out during the current Covid crisis.
Doug Gurr, Amazon’s UK boss, said: “Many businesses have found their way through the crisis by providing goods and services online.
“We’ve launched our bootcamp to help small businesses thrive, providing support, tools and skills to succeed in the digital world and reach buyers via Amazon or any other service.”
Facebook and Sage, a UK business software firm, are also helping smaller firms.
Here’s how to take advantage . . .
No sign-up fees for online stores
PAYMENTS firm Visa has partnered with companies such as Deliveroo, eBay and ShopAppy to help small businesses get online.
As part of the campaign, Deliveroo has waived the £50 sign-up fee for 1,000 small and medium-sized restaurants, while new eBay users won’t face fees to sell until July 31 or for 90 days after registration, whichever is earlier, and shopappy.com, which lets people shop on their high street from home, is offering free sign-ups until July 31.
Alan Reade, owner of gift shop A Little Decorum, in Wimborne, Dorset, said: “Being unable to open during lockdown was a huge worry and I’ve never faced a challenge like this in eight years. I had to rethink how I sold my products. I then came across the shopappy.com platform and its partnership with Visa.
“I was able to sell my products online right away without the hassle of setting up my own website. We actually sold out of two products immediately. It will remain a permanent part of my business.”
Amanda Allan, of Heavenly Sensations in Kirkcaldy, Fife, said: “We used shopappy to start selling facials in a box and made over £450 in 24 hours.”
See visa.co.uk/where-you-shop-matters/business.html.
£5 reward for cardholders if they spend £10 at local shops
AMEX is encouraging card holders to spend at small shops – by giving them a fiver when they do.
Its 12-week Shop Small Summer promotion rewards them with £5 credit when they spend at least £10 at small businesses that want to take part.
There’s no cost to small firms – but they do have to accept Amex.
Shop Small normally runs at Christmas but the summer version aims to support firms hit by Covid-19.
It can be used up to ten times, though only once in each store, until September 13, meaning up to £50 back for card holders.
Just “save” the offer to your card on the Amex website or app.
Deryane Tadd, owner of The Dressing Room in St Albans, Herts, said: “It sends a great message about the importance of supporting local high street businesses. Many customers are aware of it.
“Opening the doors to the store again after three months was a wonderful feeling and we are just happy to be able to be back to doing what we love best.”
Visit americanexpress.co.uk/shopsmall
Free advertising for 250 small and medium-sized companies
MORE than 1,200 companies applied or were nominated for the opportunity to have a free 30-second advert broadcast across Sky’s channels.
The broadcasting giant offered the chance to win £10,000 worth of airtime to 250 small and medium-sized businesses in response to the Covid crisis as well as creative support in putting the ads together.
One winner, Dr Kaival Patel, from Oxford House Dental Practice, in Fenny Stratford, Bucks, said: “The TV advert has given us a project to work on when everything screeched to a halt – and gives us hope we can bounce back.
“A television advert for a small, family-run, family-orientated business – that just doesn’t happen. Not to us.”
Countryside dating agency, Muddy Matches, is also in line for the free advertising and its spokesman Andrew Mitchell described it as a “welcome opportunity”.
Free bootcamps in website building
AMAZON has free bootcamps to help 1,000 small businesses make the most of trading online.
The aim is to get them set up to go online in a week, with five days of courses over video chat plus a year of support from Amazon and partner Enterprise Nation.
Business will learn how to make a website that helps them now and when things are back to normal.
There are also lessons on social media marketing, HR and how to get a loan.
Perks negotiated with other big firms include 25 months of free business banking with TSB, up to 20 per cent off computers with Dell and a free card reader and no fees with payments provider Square.
Bami Kuteyi runs fitness classes based on twerking, the dance made famous by Miley Cyrus. The 27-year-old from East London has taken her Bam Bam Boogie classes online thanks to Amazon’s help.
She said: “It has allowed me to keep working. When rules on exercise classes are relaxed, I will go back to doing them in person but I think I will keep doing some online as that works well for some people.”
Mum-of-one Nina Nicholson, 36, runs a beauty salon from her home in Wigan.
She has sorted her website and got new software for bookings and payments online as well as for sending out marketing emails to clients.
She said: “Amazon’s bootcamp will be a great help for businesses like me who need more help getting online”
See enterprisenation.com/accelerator.
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