Consumers Advised To Avoid Extra Charges When Shopping Online And ‘Click Green, Buy Nearby’ To Support Irish Businesses
Digital Business Ireland (DBI), the country’s leading representative body for digital, ecommerce and online businesses, has today urged consumers to pay attention to where a retailer is based when shopping online for Christmas gifts, as some shoppers have reportedly been saddled with hundreds of euros in import duties and taxes.
The Association is urging consumers to avoid unnecessary extra costs incurred by purchasing from non-EU countries and is appealing to them to support businesses and jobs in Ireland by making a conscious effort to Click Green and Buy Nearby this festive season.
Digital Business Ireland (DBI) has today launched their annual Click Green, Buy Nearby campaign.
The initiative aims to drive awareness of the importance of supporting businesses in Ireland.
Consumers across the country experienced the benefits and convenience of online shopping during the Covid-19 pandemic, and with a new wave of restrictions, many will now look to continue that trend over the festive season. According to findings in a Tipping Point Report compiled by IE and Digital Business Ireland, 47% of all online spend during the Covid-19 pandemic was fulfilled by businesses operating outside of Ireland with the remaining 53% of consumer spend benefitting Irish SMEs and 67% of those buying from SMEs said they did so out of a sense of solidarity.
In addition, recent figures suggest that every €10 that is spent on Irish products generates more than €40 of benefit to the local community, in terms of employment. While some consumers may be tempted by the lure of big brands, the money spent on goods and services is very much an investment, helping to build resilient regional economies throughout the country.
