Opportunity Wales
Who we are

The increasing power of the Internet is radically transforming the way that people and companies do business. Opportunity Wales exists to help make businesses grow through using the Internet, and in particular, eCommerce. The term 'eCommerce' has a variety of meanings, but in this instance we shall assume it to mean a commercial transaction that has taken place through using the Internet - such as contacting a company to purchase goods after discovering them through their Web site.

Welsh businesses are aware of the importance of eCommerce, but research undertaken in April 2000 by NOP signified the low takeup of using it. The research stated that while businesses were aware, they were unsure of how to achieve a business benefit, and how to define what the benefits are in the first place. Low awareness is complimented by low Internet connectivity, as the Department of Trade and Industry found through its own research that Wales has the lowest take up of Internet connectivity in the UK.

These findings provided the catalyst for the creation of a programme to help small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) in Wales to understand what eCommerce is, how it can help businesses to grow, and how key business and technical issues can be managed to ensure that every business receives a tangible benefit. The knowledge and support provided by Opportunity Wales is available to all SMEs - whether you are about to take the first step or have already implemented an eCommerce project.

"In the space of 10 months we went from 10 export customers to 300 and are continuing to locate and supply new customers through the eMarketing campaign we are developing with help from Opportunity Wales."
John Hale, Bartondale Engineering, Hirwaun

Opportunity Wales offers a wide variety of services. Personal advisers are able to visit each business to provide a free eCommerce review, followed up by additional low-cost, high-value consultancy services. We can also provide financial assistance should a business wish to purchase products and services identified through the eCommerce review. Finally, if a business would like to demonstrate best practice and be able to share its success, we can support it at that stage too.

All of this is backed by a rolling series of workshops and seminars across Wales, delivered by our advisers and partners as well as Opportunity Wales directly. For further information on these events and many others, please register in order to access our comprehensive events calendar.

Opportunity Wales will change attitudes towards eCommerce through helping people understand and realise the tangible benefits it brings to their individual business in terms of efficiencies, growth and profit. On a wider scale, the objective of the programme is to recognise the significant contribution small and medium businesses make to the Welsh economy, and through adopting eCommerce to contribute to its prosperity and to Wales becoming a leader in the Information Age.