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 [email protected]
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 the platform inJanuary to help small rural and regional businesses affected by the bushfires. Now it is extending the service to those affected by the coronavirus.
The platform is free for businesses, and there are no transaction fees.
Practicology: Free e-commerce workshops
Practicology is a multichannel consultancy specialising in e-commerce and multichannel retail.
The business is offering free workshops to any retailer that needs assistance with planning or accelerating their e-commerce growth quickly.
Contact Merline McGregor at [email protected]
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 is offering free access to its technology to small retailers and food operators looking to ramp up their delivery capabilities due to the coronavirus without sacrificing margin to third-party platforms.
Interested businesses can apply here for details or contact [email protected] directly.
Levity: Discounted rates for product videos
Levity produces video content for retailers to increase their online conversion rates. They believe businesses can counteract the drop in foot traffic by providing more stimulating experiences online through videos.
Michael Langdon, the director of Levity, is offering discounted rates, extended payment terms and other support for businesses that are struggling with diminished sales.
Businesses can mail their products to the Levity office, where they can be filmed in a studio. Video assets can be delivered electronically.
Here is a video from Langdon describing the offer.
CitrusAd: Free set-up for ad platform
CitrusAd is helping retailers generate ad revenue from their e-commerce site by offering free set-up and training on its platform, a free account manager for one month and no hosting or infrastructure fees.
The platform enables businesses to sells 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.
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.