The New Jersey Economic Development Authority outlined a program to facilitate transition of economic activity to an e-commerce platform to mitigate the impact of compliance with current health mandates related to COVID-19 virus mitigation.  A press release with additional information can be found HERE

The below information is from the FAQ section related to the program:

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) launched a pilot E-Commerce Technical Assistance Program on June 29, which will help New Jersey restaurants, retail stores, and personal care businesses continue to operate safely during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Authority has engaged the services of Hudson Integrated, Positive Solutions, and Suasion Communications Group to help businesses that normally rely on foot traffic and in-person transactions identify and implement the website and ecommerce capabilities they need to stay in business while complying with current health guidelines and changing customer preferences. Businesses in need of assistance can sign up for the program at: surveymonkey.com/r/njedaecommerce

The Ecommerce Technical Assistance Program will provide a variety of services for businesses, including:

  • from designing and implementing electronic systems for placing orders
  • processing payments
  • booking appointments to train business owners and staff to effectively use these new tools.

The providers are committed to making a good faith effort to ensure one-third of the clients they serve are located within approved Opportunity Zone-eligible census tracts and to focus on serving small, women-, minority-, veteran- and disabled veteran-owned businesses. A map showing the targeted census tracts is available here.

Technical Assistance Providers

  • Morristown-based Hudson Integrated offers brand and design, web development, digital strategy, and e-commerce solutions for businesses. In March, the agency launched its new, customizable “Resilience Digital Packages,” specifically designed to help traditionally offline businesses harness the power of digital technology to adapt and thrive during the COVID-19 pandemic.
  • Located in Robbinsville, Positive Solutions is a full-service marketing and public relations agency committed to providing clients with a solutions-driven approach to solving their business objectives. For more than 13 years, the woman-owned firm has worked closely with clients in a variety of sectors to help them expand their businesses through marketing, social media, website development and management, and digital advertising. The firm also has experience creating materials in multiple languages that accommodate New Jersey’s diverse population.
  • Suasion Communications Group is a woman-owned, full-service marketing and public relations agency with offices in Somers Point and Haddonfield. For the past 13 years, Suasion has executed award-winning branding, public relations, digital and marketing campaigns to clients in a broad range of industries. Suasion offers a complete suite of communications services that drive traffic, improve brand awareness and increase sales through customer acquisition and retention. Suasion’s services include brand strategy, public relations, digital marketing, creative design, and crisis management.

Eligibility

During the pilot phase, the Ecommerce Technical Assistance Program is open only to:

  • Restaurants
  • Retail stores
  • Personal care businesses that are registered and have a physical storefront in the State of New Jersey.

Interested business owners should sign up via the intake form or contact ecommerceta@njeda.com.

Updated: July 29, 2020

Source: NJEDA