UK Enterprise Awards 2021

222 | UK Enterprise Awards 2021 Best eCommerce Web Design Business - Staffordshire As lockdown eases, OurLocal.uk eases the minds of those small businesses in need of some TLC. A leader in eCommerce Web Design, we find out more about the Staffordshire based company in the light of its recent success at the UK Enterprise Awards 2021. Based in Staffordshire, in the West Midlands, OurLocal.uk has been exploring ways to help businesses needing love and attention. Its aim is to support small, independent businesses by providing an online shop which helps provide customers with a delivery/collection service that is easy to manage. In a service that is perfect for shops, pubs, restaurants, cafes and takeaways. Lockdown has really affected everyone, and it has felt like a lifetime for all of us. Many businesses haven’t survived the storm but whether they believe it or not, many of these businesses in need can turn things around with the help of their consumers. When times are tough, the loyal customers can be the ones that are keeping the business going. But what happens when those customers are dwindling because you don’t have an online presence? How will you reach your customers? How will your business survive? First, don’t despair. Through OurLocal.uk, you can get your own branded website for free with a domain name included. Maintenance and hosting are also included, so you don’t have to worry about the upkeep. If any information changes, you can just get in touch and someone will update the site for you. The website is PCI Compliant, and the Secure Payment Gateway is included so that customers know they can trust the site. Your most treasured customers will know how to reach you and new customers will be flying in with the correct team of people handling your site. Unfortunately, when you’re a small business, it’s easy to get overlooked by customers when they are shopping online – due to the way SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) works, small or less well-known businesses get overlooked due to algorithms and online hits going in the favour of big brand names and sites such as Amazon and eBay. Managing Director Russ James says that “there is absolutely no reason why any small business shouldn’t have their own online shop”. He also talks about the fact that “global businesses have reaped the benefits in the shape of massive profits, with record numbers of people using the lies of Amazon and JustEat, while our small local traders are cast further adrift”. He also says that “the last 12 months has seen a dramatic acceleration in online shopping”. With all being said, we can really see what he means about small businesses utilising the power of online shops and the help of OurLocal.uk. One of the best ways to utilise SEO and online business advertisement is to use businesses like OurLocal.uk. They build “online shops for small businesses for free”. They take care of the technical side of things and get everything ready for you so you don’t have to worry. There’s also no contract so, if you need to, you can cancel at any time. And, perhaps most importantly, there’s no large commission bills to pay. For example, through some large businesses, small businesses can be charged around 14% commission on each order, plus admin fees, whereas OurLocal.uk only charges a small commission fee of 6% on each order. So, why is commission so low? The answer: no hidden fees. In relation to the costs, Russ states that “fortunately, we are in a position where we can recover these over a period of time. This is primarily due to the financial backing we received from a very successful, local entrepreneur, who is passionate about helping as any small businesses as possible”. As lockdown begins to ease, we will see people returning to shops, restaurants, and bars but they will most likely continue to buy online more than before. As humans are creatures of habit, they may continue to purchase more than they used to, and OurLocal.uk will continue to be on hand to support this growth with its expertise and consumer-centric ethos at the fore. Contact: Russ James Company: OurLocal.uk Web Address: www.ourlocal.uk May21743