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With online spending increasing rapidly, there is a big opportunity for Irish businesses to grow and access a wider market.
Today, on International Internet Day, Local Enterprise Offices are highlighting the benefits of an online presence for small businesses.
Research has shown that a business which is active online sees a 21% increase in sales and an 84% increase in customer enquiries, on average.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland programme, Oisín Geoghegan, Chair of the Network of Local Enterprise Offices, shared some details on the services and funding available to small businesses in Ireland.
Mr Geoghegan revealed that almost 6,000 small companies in Ireland have been able to grow their business online through the Trading Online Voucher Scheme, since it began in 2014.
"The scheme provides a voucher to the value of €2,500 for a small business who wants to develop an online trading platform," Mr Geoghegan said.
"In addition to that, very importantly, the businesses need to know how best to use that money and how best to use their e-commerce platforms, so we provide training and mentoring services for businesses that are looking to expand online," he added.
The Local Enterprise Offices have advised over 22,000 small Irish businesses how to effectively use e-commerce to grow their business.
Mr Geoghegan said that micro-enterprises are now starting to see the potential of trading online.
"84% of Irish consumers are buying from online suppliers, so there is a real opportunity there for Irish businesses to exploit this," he explained.
He also said the Government's Trading Online Voucher Scheme is just one of the supports available through the Local Enterprise Offices.
