ecomConnect Programme: Empowering businesses through e-commerce

ecomConnect Programme: Empowering businesses through e-commerce
Contact
Title
ecomConnect Programme
Email
ecomconnect@intracen.org
Body

Success stories

The fact that a team of professionals with such dedication helped me make my own website is the best gift that I could have received. I couldn't have done it alone. Having been prepared to sell online in 2020 has made sales possible since the beginning of the pandemic. And it continues to be like that.
Rebeca Zamora
The fact that a team of professionals with such dedication helped me make my own website is the best gift that I could have received. I couldn't have done it alone. Having been prepared to sell online in 2020 has made sales possible since the beginning of the pandemic. And it continues to be like that.
Rebeca Zamora
Founder of Gato Negro, Costa Rica, and beneficiary of our e-commerce project in Central America
The marketing and branding module of the ecomConnect Programme has been a great learning curve for us. It has taught us the value of building and communicating our brand personality with our clients so they can better connect with our products and share the same passion for our brand like we do
Monica Nana
The marketing and branding module of the ecomConnect Programme has been a great learning curve for us. It has taught us the value of building and communicating our brand personality with our clients so they can better connect with our products and share the same passion for our brand like we do
Monica Nana
Founder of Chocoluv, Ghana, and beneficiary of our GreenToCompete e-commerce project in Ghana
This is a great programme for Central Asian producers, which offers comprehensive e-commerce learning and practical insights. We appreciate the significant opportunities the program gives to expand our cross-border sales. Gulnor Art received tailored support from national and international experts and listed successfully on eBay
Dilshod Kodirov
This is a great programme for Central Asian producers, which offers comprehensive e-commerce learning and practical insights. We appreciate the significant opportunities the program gives to expand our cross-border sales. Gulnor Art received tailored support from national and international experts and listed successfully on eBay
Dilshod Kodirov
Founder of Gulnor Art and beneficiary of our e-commerce project in Central Asia

E-learning courses

This course provides participants with an overall introduction to the concept and practice of e-commerce. It also includes an "e-commerce readiness check" which will allow participants to gauge their level of preparation to start selling products or services online through an e-commerce channel.

For more click here.

This course introduces SMEs to the importance of creating quality e-commerce content for their online initiatives, presenting them with useful guidelines for content creation, both for individual products as well as for companies as a whole. It is also available in Spanish.

For more click here.

This course introduces participants to virtual marketplaces (VMPs), which are a type of e-commerce website on which individual businesses can sell their products or services internationally.

For more click here.

This course introduces participants to the opportunities and challenges of becoming involved in B2B e-commerce. Finally, it concludes with a look at digital marketing and website optimization, with the goal of providing participants with tools to make their B2B e-commerce operations as effective as they can be. This course is also available in  Arabic.

For more click here.

This joint course by ITC and Diplo Foundation is designed to help participants better understand the multifaceted concept of e-commerce, the opportunities it offers to SMEs, and the steps necessary to create an enabling environment allowing for a greater uptake of e-commerce by both businesses and consumers.

For more click here.

Resources

The ecomConnect programme aims to develop small business digital capabilities and improve e-commerce accessibility in developing countries for sustainable and inclusive growth. 

 

This ITC e-commerce programme equips business support organizations and partners with private and public organizations to develop small business digital capabilities and improve e-commerce accessibility in developing countries. It offers activities and interactions at the enterprise, ecosystem and policy and institutional levels and:  

 

  • Tailored online and face-to-face training on how to undertake market research, develop an e-commerce pricing strategy, create digital content, handle online payments, manage inventory, prepare for shipment and customs clearance as well as promote products and services through digital channels.  

 

  • Advisory and research services to support small businesses with their e-commerce development and expansion and resolve specific barriers, notably to access payment solutions, logistics services and e-commerce services.  

 

  • Partnerships with private sector firms to provide key support to small businesses and enable them to share costs and other services essential to e-commerce.  

 

  • Innovative tools and customized software solutions to help with the digitization of product catalogues, the assessment of a company's e-commerce readiness and the development of an e-commerce pricing strategy. To access the tools, click here

 

  • Promotional activities to connect e-commerce businesses to international customers through online campaigns, trade fairs and exhibitions.
Type
Project
Projects
Central America: Linking women business enterprises (WBEs) with the global gifts and home decoration market
SheTrades Latin America: Supporting women businesses‘ transition towards the post COVID digital age
Central Asia: Ready4Trade (R4TCA)
Highlighted
Off
E-commerce
Body

Our tools

ecomConnect Market

The market brings together a selection of e-commerce businesses from around the world to promote and showcase best practices. The enterprises showcased have all undergone an extensive ITC ecomConnect support programme and serve as a reference group for the quality of their products and implemented e-commerce strategy. The ecomConnect market serves as a tool to promote the contribution of partners and fund online campaigns that can boost sales for the selected enterprises and demonstrate results.

ecomConnect.org Online Community

The ecomConnect.org online community connects entrepreneurs, enterprises, organizations and business experts to share e-commerce solutions, latest news and success stories, and access free tools and events.

Asia Marketplace Explorer

The Asia Marketplace Explorer is the first tool to analyse the sale of goods on retail e-commerce marketplaces in Asia. This free dashboard explores trends in usage and provides region-wide analysis of almost +1,500 goods-oriented marketplaces across 11 countries, and country-by-country benchmarking. The tool also includes the traffic data of 48 big global online marketplaces that ship to one or more of the 11 countries in scope. 

Latam Marketplace Explorer

The Latin America and the Caribbean Marketplace Explorer is the first tool to analyse the sale of goods on retail e-commerce marketplaces. This free dashboard explores trends in usage, adoption of marketplaces across 33 countries, and country-by-country benchmarking. The tool covers visitor traffic and other main characteristics of almost 900 marketplaces and 2,900 marketplace websites. 

E-commerce Readiness Quiz

This quiz rapidly assesses the readiness of your business to engage in international e-commerce and shows where you need to concentrate your efforts to successfully sell online. It explores five areas: e-commerce planning, online presence, digital marketing, shipping, and inventory and customer service. Users are provided with interactive feedback on the areas that need further work and attention.

E-commerce Cost Calculator

This tool helps enterprises understand the costs of selling on popular e-commerce marketplaces such as Amazon, eBay and Etsy, or their own online stores. It supports enterprises to set up pricing strategies and calculate sales margins.

Online Payment Solution Finder

This tool helps businesses easily find available payment solutions for which they may be eligible in each country and sales channel. The tool also incorporates background information and contacts for the listed solutions.

Africa Marketplace Explorer

This dynamic dashboard explores 630+ business-to-consumer (B2C) marketplaces in 55 countries and territories in Africa. It helps businesses understand how to sell goods online regionally or in neighbouring countries. The tool also allows users to explore marketplace trends, the availability and requirements of each marketplace and a country-by-country benchmarking. Users can filter and download data, and hover over graphs and maps to uncover additional insights.

Click here to get a copy of the accompanying report.

E-commerce Diagnostics Tool

This tool conducts a deep assessment of small and medium enterprises’ (SMEs) e-commerce capabilities before and after projects, covering general business maturity, online presence, payments, logistics, digital marketing, and customer service. Information is gathered via a comprehensive online survey. This tool is only accessible to project SMEs and is not publicly available.

Request more information here: ecomconnect [at] intracen.org (ecomconnect[at]intracen[dot]org)

ecomConnect.org has been an incredible learning platform for me since day one. As a young entrepreneur, I have always been looking to grow my business by increasing my network and enhancing business knowledge. ecomConnect.org is the place to be: it's a hub for entrepreneurs and all business levels to connect, learn and grow their businesses.
ecomConnect.org has been an incredible learning platform for me since day one. As a young entrepreneur, I have always been looking to grow my business by increasing my network and enhancing business knowledge. ecomConnect.org is the place to be: it's a hub for entrepreneurs and all business levels to connect, learn and grow their businesses.
Maheshwar Kannegalla
Founder of Mahini Export Private Limited, India

Video

4 March 2022

Related projects

                                                  ecomConnect

ITC tools (for relations)
Body lead

Access the e-commerce tools developed by our ecomConnect programme to help your business digitalize, grow and scale. We offer a range of services from informative dashboards on marketplace characteristics to cost calculators and sales tracking tools. 

Contextual menu
Show
Topic (for relations)
Contact
Title
ecomConnect Programme
Email
ecomconnect@intracen.org