[Shopify]ニューヨーク州と提携。中小企業支援を目的とした新たな取り組み

Recently, on July 15, 2020, Shopify partnered with the Canadian government to launch an initiative called "Go Digital Canada" to support small businesses.

Following that announcement, on October 1, 2020, Shopify announced a similar initiative called "Empire State Digital" with the State of New York. Following the Canadian government's announcement, the partnership with New York State, a very influential state, is attracting attention from around the world.

Empire State Digital and

Empire State Digital," led by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, is an initiative to help small businesses that have been hit hard by the Corona disaster.

I was under the impression that the program was focused on increasing sales by expanding the sales channels of small businesses to include not only brick-and-mortar stores but also online stores and social networking sites.

According to New York State's official statement, "Small businesses, such as coffee shops and apparel stores in town, account for 98% of all businesses in New York State and are a keystone of the state. They also create more than half of the jobs in the civil sector working in the state." and the importance of small business.

He argued that by taking that small business digital, it can engage with existing customers and open up new markets.

Companies that have partnered with Empire State Digital

Four companies, including Shopify, have become partners in New York State's Empire State Digital initiative. (Description from NY State's official website)

1. Shopify
   
   It is an all-in-one e-commerce platform with everything you need to grow your business: create an e-commerce site, sell on social networking sites, and even sell in physical stores using Shopify POS.
   
   
2. Square
   
   You can easily create an online store or order page and start selling online immediately. Regardless of the type of business, you can ship products to customers, pick them up at a physical store, or use local delivery.
   
   
3. Etsy
   
   Etsy connects creative entrepreneurs with buyers from around the world. It also offers educational resources on how to operate, payments, shipping, advertising, and more.
   
   
4. Clearbanc
   
   It calculates the value of the company and provides funding and advice on how to grow the company's value. Clearbanc has already invested more than $1 billion in the company.

Shopify's specific support measures

Similar to Go Digital Canada, Shopify has launched a special page dedicated to "Empire State Digital" and has announced the following support measures

• 90-day free trial
• Free Tap & Chip Card Reader
• 500 Shopify App Store credit
• Free Shopify POS Pro
• 24-hour support
• Investment from Shopify Capital (subject to criteria)

https://www.shopify.com/newyork

I personally feel that the support is quite generous, especially since the $500 for the Shopify App Store seems like a good deal, and the 90-day free trial seems like a lot to try.

Shopify Product Director Arpan Podduturi also noted that the coronavirus has made offline and online connections more important, suggesting that online connections cannot be ignored for small businesses.

New York State Partners to Support Small Businesses Conclusion

Thus, Shopify is now a company recognized by the State of New York, following in the footsteps of the Canadian government. And this initiative will no doubt encourage more businesses to use Shopify.

I can't help but think that it would be great if Japan could do something to support businesses using Shopify as a prefectural or national government.

We hope that EC Penguin will continue to cover not only Shopify's usage, but also news articles about Shopify itself.

Thank you for reading to the end!
Have a great day!