State officials have announced the launch of an e-commerce initiative—LASmallBizOnline.com, which aims to give Louisiana’s small businesses a more competitive edge by helping to either establish or improve their online presence, even beyond the pandemic.
Gov. John Bel Edwards and Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Don Pierson today unveiled the initiative, which is being launched with support from Shopify, a global commerce company that totaled more than $61 billion in gross merchandise volume last year.
Small business owners visiting LASmallBizOnline.com will have access to a 14-day free trial with Shopify, where they can receive enhanced one-on-one support through tools, tutorials and live webinars on topics such as creating company websites, bringing more customers to their sites, managing inventory and fulfilling orders.
In a prepared statement, Edwards says the tools “give business owners a playbook for creating their first e-commerce site or for enhancing their existing site,” adding the state is “particularly excited about the potential this initiative holds for building more successful, resilient businesses throughout rural Louisiana.”
Through the initiative, new e-commerce users can learn about such things as email marketing, site security, and setting up taxes and distribution channels. For businesses with some e-commerce background, the site offers advanced tools for online marketing, sales growth, search optimization and customer experience.
All participating businesses will gain access to Shopify customer support. They’ll have the option of building their own Shopify store or engaging a Shopify partner to build an online store for them.
LED anticipates bringing additional resources to the site from other e-commerce providers. It will share training resources with statewide partners in the Louisiana Small Business Development Center Network and with regional economic development organizations, chambers of commerce, and business and government trade associations throughout the state.
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