Greater Manchester Combined Authority has announced it has partnered with The Hut Group’s ‘Ingenuity’ business to help businesses ‘diversify’ into e-commerce.
The Manchester-headquartered e-commerce giant launched THG Ingenuity to take brands direct to consumers and it recently announced a partnership with high street chain Hotel Chocolat.
The partnership between GMCA, Business Growth Hub and THG Ingenuity, launches the GM Digital Drive, which provides businesses with free access to “off the shelf” tools to help it get online or improve its digital offer.
The initiative will give businesses access to THG Ingenuity’s Dotable platform which will enable them to create and host a website for free for up to 12 months.
Meanwhile, businesses that require a more ‘sophisticated’ offering can gain free access to THG Ingenuity’s Imagination platform for six months, which offers additional e-commerce features, GMCA said.
After the free period, businesses have the option to continue with a paid subscription, or leave the contract.
Matthew Moulding, founder, chairman and chief executive of THG, said the initiative could be a “game changer” for people across the city region.
He said: “The Covid-19 pandemic has left many businesses unable to trade normally.
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“For some businesses, an online presence has meant the difference between survival and collapse.
“This initiative will remove the financial and skills barriers that have, until now, prevented businesses from going digital.
“It means that entrepreneurs who are currently relying on word-of-mouth or social media can now create a professional, scalable website and diversify the way that they do business.”
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GM Digital Drive was announced by the combined authority at its Digital Leaders Week, an event held to combat digital exclusion.
Digital inclusion and enablement are key objectives in Greater Manchester’s Living with Covid Resilience Plan and Digital Blueprint.
Councillor Sean Fielding, GMCA lead for employment, skills and digital, said: “The Greater Manchester Digital Drive supports the regions ambitions, outlined in our Greater Manchester Digital Blueprint, to digitally enable all businesses and empower and enable people and businesses through innovation, integration, infrastructure, industry and inclusion – to ensure that no-one is left behind.
“It’s great to see this offer added to existing support, to ensure our businesses feel supported.”