How the federal government and state-wide initiatives are helping brick-and-mortar retailers to enter the digital retail business
Stationary retail must digitize its business models in order to react more quickly to changes in consumption and the market. This is exactly where politics and business see the greatest potential. In order to help retailers get back on their feet after numerous sales losses, initiatives offer extensive support including knowledge transfer to enable purely stationary retailers to make their way into the digital world in the long term. The study "The German retail trade 2020" by the ibi research institute shows that small retailers in particular rate their own digitization skills as weak. ROQQIO, a specialist in software solutions and concepts in omnichannel retail, gives tips on funding opportunities and knowledge portals that make it easier for retailers to get started with digital sales.
"Digital Now" is an investment grant for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi) supports dealers with financial grants who want to invest either in digital technologies or in the qualification of employees on these same topics. Companies that benefit from the BMWi program and want to apply for funding must present a plan that describes the entire digitization project. On request, ROQQIO will support you with the application for funding up to and including 2023 and the development of a corresponding digitization plan. The maximum funding is 50,000 euros. Further information at www.bmwi.de/Redaktion/DE/Dossier/digital-jetzt
The free knowledge portal "Quickstart online" paves the way for stationary retailers towards e-commerce. Within the framework of the initiative of the German Retail Association (HDE), the action alliance “Handler Help Traders”, the Handelsblatt and Amazon, industry experts are making their knowledge freely accessible in online courses. Everything revolves around sales channels, processes, customers, shipping, business optimization, marketing and internationalization. Further information at www.quickstart-online.de
The digitization program "ZukunftHandel" - an initiative of the HDE together with Google - offers SMEs extensive knowledge training and information about possibilities to expand the stationary business with online elements. Google itself supports companies in creating My Business entries, introduces retailers with a web presence to the free analysis tools and provides new retailers with an advertising budget of 120 euros. Through cooperation with IONOS and Jimdo, there is also the option of setting up your own web shop at low cost. Further information at www.grow.google/intl/de/retail-support
The "Mittelstand 4.0-Kompetenzzentrum Handel" acts as a digital knowledge platform and introduces SMEs to the topic of digitization and the trade of the future with free online seminars and practical examples. The network of experts, which is funded by the BMWi, is also available for any questions about the digitization project. The “DigitalMobil” is also on the road throughout Germany, especially in rural areas, to share trade knowledge and application examples. Further information at www.kompetenzzentrumhandel.de
In addition to support from the federal government and the listed state-wide initiatives, some federal states offer additional funding programs that further advance the digitization projects of companies: these include, for example, the digitization premium plus in Baden-Württemberg or the SME guideline - digitization of business processes (e-business) in Saxony.
About ROQQIO
ROQQIO offers software solutions and concepts for the implementation of the customer journey in omnichannel retail. The portfolio includes systems for merchandise control, POS and the enterprise SaaS application ROQQIO Commerce Cloud. This manages different sales channels and controls complex backend processes, including order management, payment and logistics. The combination of these stationary and online technologies enables a seamless omnichannel experience. Processes such as Click & Collect or the exchange of goods bought online in the branch work smoothly. More than 1,500 companies already trust in the services and solutions of the commerce experts from ROQQIO.
