Innovation

Updated: Free and discounted resources for retailers during COVID-19

We want to highlight free or discounted resources to help retailers operate safely and effectively during the coronavirus pandemic.

If you have a tool or service for retailers, please share the details with Inside Retail at irnews@octomedia.com.au

In addition to the free and discounted apps, tools and other resources listed below, organisations like the Australian Retailers Association and the National Retail Association provide a wealth of information.

Facebook has also created a resource hub, and NAB, Commonwealth Bank, ANZ Bank and Westpac are all offering support for business customers. And here’s what the Government is doing to assist businesses.

Humanforce: Free workforce management tool

Humanforce is providing a free tool to help retailers keep track of their workforce, so they can tell people if they have been in contact with someone who has COVID-19.

The Employee Trace Tool can be used in conjunction with any source of timesheet or roster data. It can also be used to help casual workers swap shifts online, if they fall ill or need to care for a loved one.

Humanforce has made the tool available for free to any business, anywhere in the world, to support responsible COVID-19 responses.

Spend With Us: Free online marketplace for small businesses

Spend With Us is offering small rural and regional businesses access to a free online marketplace, so they can sell online even if they don’t have the time, money or skills to build their own e-commerce site.

Spend With Us started in January to help small rural and regional businesses affected by the bushfires. Now it is opening up the platform to small rural and regional businesses affected by the coronavirus.

The platform is free, and there are no transaction fees. To sign up, click here.

Practicology: Free e-commerce workshops

Practicology is a consultancy specialising in e-commerce and multichannel retail. The company is offering free workshops to any retailer that needs assistance with planning or accelerating their e-commerce growth quickly.

Contact Merline McGregor at merline@practicology.com

Retail Doctor Group: Free phone consultations

Retail Doctor Group is offering free phone consultations to retailers via a confidential hotline through May. You can access the hotline at +61 2 9460 2882 or businessfitness@retaildoctor.com.au.

Retail Doctor Group has consulted both leading senior retail and franchisee teams for 15 years and to over 800 retailers.

Adiona: Free access to last-mile delivery planning tools

Adiona is a technology company that offers route planning and optimisation tools for last-mile delivery. It has made these tools free to small retailers and food operators looking to ramp up their delivery capabilities without sacrificing margin to third-party platforms.

Interested businesses can apply here for details or contact info@adionatech.com directly.

Levity: Discounted rates for product videos

Levity is offering discounted rates, extended payment terms and other support for businesses that want to create video content to help drive sales online.

Businesses can mail their products to the Levity office, where they will be filmed in a studio. Video assets will then be delivered electronically.

Here is a video from the company describing the offer.

CitrusAd: Free set-up for ad platform

CitrusAd is offering free set-up and training for retailers that want to start using its ad platform, as well as a free account manager for one month and no hosting or infrastructure fees.

The platform enables businesses to sell sponsored products and banner ads on their e-commerce sites, creating an extra revenue stream. It’s used by the likes of Woolworths, Coles, The Iconic, Officeworks and Dan Murphy’s.

Preezie: Discounted rates for guided product discovery

Preezie is offering free pilots, discounted rates and other support measures for businesses that want help with product discovery, education and conversions online.

Preezie provides brands the tools and education they need to bring the in-store experience online.

Contact michael.tutek@preezie.com.

Agroknow: Free access to food safety platform

Food safety intelligence company Agroknow is offering free access to its global food safety platform for companies facing supply chain issues that are looking for alternative suppliers and ingredients and need to perform remote risk assessments.

Companies can also use the platform to monitor whether there are any COVID-19 related incidents affecting their supply chains.

Dynamic Creative: Free guide to Google Shopping Ads

Dynamic Creative is offering a free 37-page guide to Google Shopping Ads to help businesses boost their sales online.

You can download the guide here. You do not need to provide any personal details.