The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Digital boost for retailers in Dundee
Anew digital sales platform is set to bolster businesses across Dundee. The online service, called Love Dundee Local, has been designed to allow firms to take online orders and offer food, drink and other products for collection or delivery.
Firms are being urged to sign up to the project, which has been developed by Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce, Dundee City Council and key private sector providers.
Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce chief executive Alison Henderson said the service was not just about the city centre, but promoting local businesses across Dundee.
She said: “We’ve worked hard on developing this platform to bring businesses and the public together to ensure a strong local, independent marketplace.
“We’ ve seen from examples elsewhere that this model can work wonders for local businesses and provide customers with their favourite products at the same time.
“The service is also very cost effective and is being marketed locally through our existing network.
“Additionally, participating businesses have the option of either delivery or click and collect to distribute their products to the public.”
Ms Henderson said it had been a very difficult time for people and some retailers have adapted very well, while others just need to take another look at what they do.
She said: “It’s going to be a very important platform and a really good way for people to buy local and find out what is available.
“We all know how much time we spend on our mobile phones, so it ’ s just the right way to give extra focus to local businesses.”
Ms Henderson said the platform presents an opportunity for firms to try out digital retailing and could be a halfway step to developing a full online presence.
“Businesses can find this gives additional income and discover a whole new raft of customers that want to buy from them and take their digital presence to the next level,” she said.
“Other retailers may be content to just use the platform as another route to their customers.
“We know that e-commerce can be very profitable,” she added.
The platform will allow local retailers to be gathered online in one place.
Ms Henderson said the project has already attracted very positive feedback and urged business owners to take part in a Love Dundee Local online event on November 18, starting at 7.30pm.
More information about the event is available on the Dundee and Angus Chamber of Commerce website. The mobile app is already available on the Apple app store and the Google Play store.