Leading and free e-commerce platform, Ecwid has joined a range of digital product suppliers to participate in the Victorian’s government $20 million Small Business Digital Adaption Program.

When the program first opened in November 2019, the Victorian government partnered with Mr Yum, MYOB, Shopify, Square, Squarespace and Xero, with new providers added in January 2021 including Ecwid Inc and Intuit Australia, among others.

Ecwid said the announcement is part of the company’s commitment to democratise access to ecommerce tools to help small business thrive during and post-pandemic. With the right tools and support, Ecwid believes Victoria’s 600,000 small businesses can navigate the road ahead.

The Small Business Digital Adaption Program is designed to help Victorian sole traders and small businesses adapt to a digital operating environment, allowing them to trial and then receive access to digital products, tools, and training to build into their day-to-day operations.

Businesses can start using a new product, like point-of-sale payment, or restore access to a lapsed product under this program. Upgrades to existing digital tools, like adding a shop to a current website, are also included.

Businesses will be able to register, and trial selected digital products from suppliers who have partnered with the Victorian government, then choose one of these products to purchase. Once proof of purchase is submitted, they can apply for a rebate of $1,200 to access the product for 12 months. Businesses will need to pay the ongoing costs of access after the first 12 months.

The program also offers free digital adaptation training and workshops to help registered businesses adopt and implement online tools in their business.

To be eligible for the program, an applicant must operate a business located in Victoria, hold an Australian Business Number (ABN) since at least 13 September 2019 and be registered for GST on 13 September 2020.

The program is open until 31 March 2021 and registrations for digital product trials and workshops will remain open until 28 February 2021.