Monaghan firms to be given online advice

Technology experts in the north-east county of Monaghan will look to help more small businesses showcase their services online in an upcoming workshop.

Around 1,400 businesses are situated in the area, Silicon Republic reports, showing the potential for business growth over the internet to drive the local economy.

However, the free conference is hoping to attract even more firms online after experts suggested that a miniscule figure already has an online precence.

John Harrington, a technology manager at AIB and one of the event's organisers, told the news provider that it is a "no-brainer".

"There are 1,376 businesses registered in Monaghan yet the take-up of ecommerce is minuscule," he noted.

"What firms need to realise is the barriers to entry to opening an online store are substantially less than opening a physical bricks-and-mortar premises and it's free from headaches, like upward-only rent reviews."

It comes after Facebook and eBay both announced that they are to expand their presence in Ireland over the coming months.

Posted by Thomas Fletcher

Date published 21 Feb 2013 | Last updated 21 Feb 2013