23 June 2004

NORTH WALES LAUNCH FOR SECOND PHASE OF eCOMMERCE INITIATIVE

The North Wales launch of the second phase of the Opportunity Wales eCommerce initiative, Opportunity Wales Advance, took place at Faenol Hall on the outskirts of Bangor last Wednesday (23 June ’04).

The aim of Opportunity Wales Advance is to provide support to SMEs in the Objective 1 areas of Wales that will build on the Opportunity Wales foundation project and enable them to exploit the benefits of using advanced eCommerce techniques.

Opportunity Wales Advance will be delivered using impartial and skilled advisers who will provide specialist advice and technical support for advanced eCommerce implementation.  Financial aid will also be available to help meet the cost of effective eCommerce implementation.

Findings from the 2003-2004 State of the Nation Welsh SME eCommerce Report were also announced at the event. The main aim of this report, commissioned by Opportunity Wales and compiled by the eCommerce Innovation Centre at Cardiff University, is to measure changes in the use of eCommerce by SMEs since the first report was published in June 2003.

The key findings in this year’s report, delivered by Martin Parfett, eCIC’s Research & Development Director, showed that 57% of SMEs in Wales now have an Internet connection and that over half of these have their own Web site. It reveals too, that 38% of Welsh SMEs with Internet access have won domestic customers via the Internet, that 23% of connected SMEs use the Internet to target overseas markets and that nearly half have won new customers in this way.    

The report also shows that 32% of Welsh SMEs intend to expand their use of eCommerce with this figure rising to 40% of businesses already with an Internet connection and that the top three benefits achieved by Welsh businesses in the past year have been an increased customer base and improved communications with customers and suppliers.

Commenting about the findings of the report at the launch, Susan Geary, Opportunity Wales’ business and customer services director, said: “The State of the Nation reportis significant because it’s the first time we have something to measure results against.  It is clear that Welsh businesses have already made great progress during the last 12 months in the way they use eCommerce."

The Opportunity Wales Advance programme commenced on 1 April this year and will run until 28 February 2007.  During this time it will support 4,564 businesses.

Phase 1 of the Opportunity Wales initiative assisted over 5,500 businesses in the Objective 1 area of Wales helping create more than 1,600 jobs and increasing the combined turnover of these businesses by more than £130m

The State of the Nation Welsh SME eCommerce Report can be found in full on the Opportunity Wales Web site www.opportunitywales.co.uk or in Welsh on www.cyflecymru.co.uk

Further details about Opportunity Wales can also be found on both Web sites or by telephoning 08458-500888.