We want to highlight free or discounted resources to help retailers operate safely and effectively during the coronavirus pandemic.

If you have a tool or service for retailers, please share the details with Inside Retail at irnews@octomedia.com.au

In addition to the free and discounted apps, tools and other resources listed below, organisations like the Australian Retailers Association and the National Retail Association provide a wealth of information.

Facebook has also created a resource hub, and NAB, Commonwealth Bank, ANZ Bank and Westpac are all offering support for business customers. And here’s what the Government is doing to assist businesses.

Please note: Inside Retail has not vetted the offers listed below. Businesses should conduct normal due diligence before working with any new suppliers.

6one5 Retail Consulting: Free phone consultation

Specialist retail consultancy is offering a free 40-minute consultation to help retailers grow their sales and margin while reducing cost.

Over Zoom or via phone, the agency will review cashflows, budgets and stock levels to help businesses make decisions on the way forward and answer any other pressing questions. It can also provide information about accessing help from State and Federal Governments.

To arrange an appointment, email bill.rooney@6one5.com or call 02 9135 2946.

Adiona: Free access to last-mile delivery planning tools

Adiona is a technology company that offers route planning and optimisation tools for last-mile delivery. It has made these tools free to small retailers and food operators looking to ramp up their delivery capabilities without sacrificing margin to third-party platforms.

Interested businesses can apply here for details or contact info@adionatech.com directly.

Agroknow: Free access to food safety platform

Food safety intelligence company Agroknow is offering free access to its global food safety platform for companies facing supply chain issues that are looking for alternative suppliers and ingredients and need to perform remote risk assessments.

Companies can also use the platform to monitor whether there are any COVID-19 related incidents affecting their supply chains.

Business Australia: Free advice on how to access government support

Membership organisation Business Australia is providing free advice on how to access government support via a phone hotline that anyone can call.

The service will help businesses understand which Federal, State and Local Government grants, subsidies and benefits they’re eligible for, how and where to apply for support and what is needed to complete applications. The hotline will operate from 9am-8pm AEST.

Visit their website to find out how to access the hotline.

CitrusAd: Free set-up for ad platform

CitrusAd is offering free set-up and training for retailers that want to start using its ad platform, as well as a free account manager for one month and no hosting or infrastructure fees.

The platform enables businesses to sell sponsored products and banner ads on their e-commerce sites, creating an extra revenue stream. It’s used by the likes of Woolworths, Coles, The Iconic, Officeworks and Dan Murphy’s.

Clear Choice Nationwide: Discounted services for clients

Clear Choice Nationwide is a specialised cleaning service that has negotiated significant discounts with a variety of service providers on behalf of its clients.

CCNW client can get 50 per cent off remote IT support services from SymSafe. Contact sales@symsafe.com.au and use discount code TOOLKIT.CCNW.

Origin Lawyers are offering reduced fixed rates on their legal services to CCNW’s clients. Contact admin@originlawyers.com or call 02 9917 7022, and use discount code LEGAL.CCNW.

CCNW is offering free consultations to retailers interested in decontamination services for offices, physical stores, distribution centres and delivery work environments. Contact generalcleaning@ccnw.com.au and use discount code CONTINGENCY.CCNW.

Collective Productivity: Free productivity workshops

Productivity expert Ishan Galapathy is offering five free online master classes for the month of April. Classes cover Business Response Planning, Prioritisation, Effective Team Huddles and Team Problem Solving.

Individuals get the choice of either attending Wednesday or Thursday from 12 – 1pm each week.

If interested, register here, call 0400 820 780 or e-mail
ishan@ishangalapathy.com.

Dashing: Reduced prices on social distancing decals

Dashing is offering a 15 per cent discount on decals to remind customers to practice social distancing in stores.

The company offers a range of designs, including for kids, and can either install the decals itself, or send them to retailers for self-installation.

If interested, please contact Sales@dashinggroup.com.au.

Dynamic Creative: Free guide to Google Shopping Ads

Dynamic Creative is offering a free 37-page guide to Google Shopping Ads to help businesses boost their sales online.

You can download the guide here. You do not need to provide any personal details.

eBay: No listing fees until June 30

EBay is offering eligible existing sellers the option to defer payment of most of their selling fees for 30 days to help them with cashflow. Listing fees are waived through June 30.

More information for sellers is available here.

Emarsys: Free access to customer spending data

Emarsys has teamed up with GoodData to create a free tool that anyone can use to see how COVID-19 is affecting consumer expenditure online.

The tool draws on activity from more than 1 billion engagements and 400 million transactions in 120 countries, and users can drill down into specific variables, such as transaction volume and average order value, as well as specific industries and regions.

The tool can be found here.

Franchise Advisory Centre: Free access to weekly webinars

This information hub for franchisors is offering free access to webinars every Wednesday from 11-12 AEST. Click here for more details.

FAC is also offering free and confidential consultations for brands in distress looking to reposition their consumer and franchise offer to survive the pandemic. To request a consultation, email admin@franchiseadvice.com.au.

Google: Free access to videoconferencing tech

Google is offering free access to its video conferencing service, Hangouts Meet, for all G-Suite customers through June.

Humanforce: Free workforce management tool

Humanforce is providing a free tool to help retailers keep track of their workforce, so they can tell people if they have been in contact with someone who has COVID-19.

The Employee Trace Tool can be used in conjunction with any source of timesheet or roster data. It can also be used to help casual workers swap shifts online, if they fall ill or need to care for a loved one.

Humanforce has made the tool available for free to any business, anywhere in the world, to support responsible COVID-19 responses.

Levity: Free product videos to drive online engagement

Levity is offering free product videos to help struggling retailers drive engagement online. They are also offering discounted rates, extended payment terms and other support.

Businesses can mail their products to the Levity office, where they will be filmed in a studio. Video assets will then be delivered electronically.

Here is a video from the company describing the offer.

Email hello@levity.video to get in touch.

LinkedIn: Free job posting for essential businesses

LinkedIn is offering three months of free job posting for essential organisations, including supermarkets, warehousing and freight delivery companies

It’s also holding 16 free learning courses online, such as tips on how to stay productive, build relationships online, virtual meeting tools and balance family and work dynamics.

My Business My Family: Free coaching and mentoring

Anthony Pentleton is the founder of My Business My Family, a specialty coaching and mentoring program for family businesses.

He’s offering his services completely free of charge to any family business that needs them. Due to the resources required to extend this offer, numbers will be limited.

To take up the offer, use the contact form on the My Family My Business website.

Neto: Discounts on a range of software integrations

E-commerce platform Neto has created an online hub full of useful information to help its clients, mostly small and medium businesses, through the COVID-19 crisis.

In addition, Neto is offering 50 per cent off set-up services and its integration partners are offering discounts on email marketing, SEO and other services.

Click here to find out more.

OneMusic Australia: Flexible licensing terms

Music licensing body OneMusic Australia is offering flexible arrangements for retailers affected by COVID-19.

If a business has suspended trade, it will put the account on hold until trade resumes, and licence adjustments will be made retroactively to reflect any period when music was not used. If a business is trading, but their use of music has changed, OneMusic will amend the licence to reflect this immediately.

The organisation is also open to flexible credit arrangements.

For more details, email hello@onemusic.com.au or use live chat on OneMusic.com.au weekdays between 9am-7pm AEDT.

Practicology: Free e-commerce workshops

Practicology is a consultancy specialising in e-commerce and multichannel retail. The company is offering free workshops to any retailer that needs assistance with planning or accelerating their e-commerce growth quickly.

Contact Merline McGregor at merline@practicology.com.

Preezie: Discounted rates for guided product discovery

Preezie is offering free pilots, discounted rates and other support measures for businesses that want help with product discovery, education and conversions online.

Preezie provides brands the tools and education they need to bring the in-store experience online.

Contact michael.tutek@preezie.com.

Retail Doctor Group: Free phone consultations

Retail Doctor Group is offering free phone consultations to retailers via a confidential hotline through May. You can access the hotline at +61 2 9460 2882 or businessfitness@retaildoctor.com.au.

Retail Doctor Group has consulted both leading senior retail and franchisee teams for 15 years and to over 800 retailers.

Retail Lease: Online hub for retail leasing advice

Experienced consultants specialising in dispute resolution and offering free legal advice in retail lease disputes if the problems are intractable. Their website retaillease.com.au offers a number of free videos, downloads and tools for tenants. It also provides updates on the national tenant code.

Salesforce: Free CRM, marketing software

Global software provider Salesforce has launched a number of solutions that businesses can use for free for 90 days. They’re available to both new and existing customers.

Salesforce Care for Employee and Customer Support is pre-configured employee help centre, customer service and contact centre application for responding to inquiries fast and keeping customers and employees informed. Salesforce Care for Social Community Engagement enables companies to monitor COVID-19 conversations relevant to their company and engage with their extended communities on social channels to ensure they stay informed and connected. 

The software giant has also launched Salesforce Care for Small Business, an out-of-the-box CRM for small businesses, as well as Tableau for Salesforce Care, which enables small businesses to data-driven decisions.

Sharley Consulting: Free brand, marketing
consultation

Emma Sharley, founder of Sharley Consulting, is offering a free consultation for any retailer looking for brand, marketing, and conversational guidance during COVID-19, or for support in developing three-to-six month roadmap to come out the other side stronger.

Simply email info@sharleyconsulting.com to start the conversation.

SkillUp: Free upskilling sessions for small businesses

Small Business Women Australia is launching 30 weeks of free upskilling sessions to those who join the recently launched networking organisation. It doesn’t cost anything to join.

Upskilling sessions will cover important issues, such as marketing, HR, accounting and finance, recruitment, branding, psychology, self improvement, building confidence, workplace culture.

Small Business Women Australia group can be accessed here.

Spend With Us: Free online marketplace for small businesses

Spend With Us is offering small rural and regional businesses access to a free online marketplace, so they can sell online even if they don’t have the time, money or skills to build their own e-commerce site.

Spend With Us started in January to help small rural and regional businesses affected by the bushfires. Now it is opening up the platform to small rural and regional businesses affected by the coronavirus.

The platform is free, and there are no transaction fees. To sign up, click here.

Square: Free access to delivery, pick-up tools

Payments company Square is offering a refund on subscription fees for all solutions for the month of March. This includes Square Appointments, Restaurants, Loyalty, Team Management and Square Online Store.

The company has also added a local delivery feature and the option for curbside pickup, so businesses can still trade even if stores are closed. It’s waiving curbside pickup and delivery fees for the next three months.

Stenton Leasing and Property Consultants: Free initial consultation

Experienced leasing consultancy is offering a free initial phone consultation on how to deal with landlords throughout the COVID-19 crisis, as well as on the other side of it.

Current clients include Lululemon, Florsheim, Lotte Luxury Duty Free, Max Brenner, Dresden Optics, Oxford, Kikki K and Nespresso. Past clients include Pandora, Witchery, Mimco, Country Road, Blue Illusion, Seafolly, 2XU, Lorna Jane, Sportscraft and R.M Williams.

Contact Sam Hartman on 0403 745 699 or Rob Hartman on 0433 272 966, or email info@stenton.com.au.

Vend

Vend provides retail software specifically aimed at independent retailers. To help them through the crisis, it’s offering free access to its POS software, as well as free e-commerce integrations with Marsello and BigCommerce, for 90 days.

The company has also launched LoveLocalRetail, a coalition of tech companies, including Vend, Google, Xero, Afterpay, Marsello, BigCommerce, Google, Deputy, Timely, Prospa, Tyro, BNZ, offering free services and software to help retailers navigate the coming weeks and months.

Weblium

Weblium is offering a 40 per cent discount for small businesses to create an e-commerce site. Users can upgrade to a PRO account by using the code #StayAtHome at checkout.

If interested, contact +1 855 932 54 86 or email tom.chech@weblium.com.

We’ll be constantly updating this list online as we hear of more products and services.