Quickstart Online supports German retailers starting in e-commerce

Quickstart Online starts September 15 in Germany, acting as a contact point for all questions regarding e-commerce. The knowledge portal provides free content in the shape of live online courses and videos at quickstart-online.de, including topics such as online marketing, legal requirements and international sales.

MUNICH, September 14, 2020 - Quickstart Online, the knowledge portal for digital starters, launches on September 15 in Germany. A joint initiative of partners from retail and associations, the contributors include Germany's largest retail trade association HDE, the network “Händler helfen Händlern” [Retailers helping Retailers] and Amazon. The knowledge portal was founded in order to provide support to small and medium-sized companies in their digitization efforts, and to help them future-proof their businesses. The knowledge portal offers access to digital expertise in the shape of courses that cover all relevant topics in the area of commerce.

For Amazon the knowledge portal is the logical continuation of initiatives like "Entrepreneurs of the Future", the support program for small and medium-sized enterprises initiated in 2017. Ralf Kleber, Country Manager Amazon.de, explains: “Due to the Corona pandemic, many online and offline sellers have got into great difficulties through no fault of their own. However, the diversity of retail is important in order to support a wide range of products and a good quality of life of everyone.

The Federal Minister of Economics, Peter Altmaier, recently appealed to the industry players to develop concepts for sustainable retail. Together with our partners, we have created Quickstart Online, a format that allows retailers to learn the most important things about e-commerce. The service is provided free of charge in online seminars, and allows access to leading experts and a wide range of seminars and training courses which helps them set up their own online business.”

Quickstart Online also aims to support retailers who want to build e-commerce as an additional mainstay alongside their offline business. Start-up founders at the beginning of their journey can also access expert knowledge to base their own e-commerce strategy on.

HDE’s deputy managing director, Stephan Tromp, adds: “Every retailer has to deal with digitization in order to future-proof their business. Especially with a view to the current Corona crisis, which has resulted in declining customer footfall and sales, medium-sized retailers in particular are currently unable to make the necessary investments.

This is why it is now a matter of providing support in the shape of initiatives and funding programs to help get the key businesses in our city centers through the crisis. In that respect policy makers, business and associations have to work together, and cooperation is required."

On Quickstart Online, experienced experts from the DIHK (Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce), the German Book Trade Association and Trusted Shops, among others, pass on their know-how: from basic knowledge of e-commerce to online marketing to legal requirements. Experienced digital professionals talk about their own experiences on the way to the online world - starting with Marcus Diekmann of the online-first omni-channel company Rose Bikes and initiator of “Händler helfen Händlern”: “No matter how small or large, I believe that every retailer can take advantage of e-commerce for their own business. I have been successful in online and omni-channel retail for 17 years. But before that, I learned my craft very traditionally in stationary retail. I am familiar with both offline and digital retail. My passion is joint development, and I look forward to sharing my know-how with others."

The knowledge portal Quickstart Online launches on September 15 and is open to other e-commerce companies and mentors to join the initiative. More information and contact details can be found at quickstart-online.de.

About the German Retail Federation (HDE) For 100 years, the German Retail Federation (Handelverband Deutschland - HDE) has been the overarching organisation of the German retail sector, which consists of about 300,000 independent companies with a total of 3 million employees and a yearly turnover of more than 500 billion Euros. Retail trade is the third biggest economic sector in Germany, after industry and crafts.

The HDE head office is located in Berlin. It represents the needs and interests of the whole retail sector of all sectors, locations and sizes. HDE is the legitimate voice of the sector vis-à-vis national and EU-level politics, as well as vis-à-vis other business sectors, the media and the public. HDE is an active member of more than 60 national and international organisations. In its role as leading retail umbrella organisation, HDE supports individual companies in all professional subject matters. It provides and safeguards the voice and place, which the retail sector deserves due to its economic significance.

For 100 years, the German Retail Federation (Handelverband Deutschland - HDE) has been the overarching organisation of the German retail sector, which consists of about 300,000 independent companies with a total of 3 million employees and a yearly turnover of more than 500 billion Euros. Retail trade is the third biggest economic sector in Germany, after industry and crafts.

The HDE head office is located in Berlin. It represents the needs and interests of the whole retail sector of all sectors, locations and sizes. HDE is the legitimate voice of the sector vis-à-vis national and EU-level politics, as well as vis-à-vis other business sectors, the media and the public. HDE is an active member of more than 60 national and international organisations. In its role as leading retail umbrella organisation, HDE supports individual companies in all professional subject matters. It provides and safeguards the voice and place, which the retail sector deserves due to its economic significance.

The pro bono initiative "Händler helfen Händlern" launched on March 19, 2020 as a reaction to the shut- down of non-essential brick-and-mortar stores across Germany due to the Corona pandemic. Leading medium-sized retail companies have set up a group on the LinkedIn career platform that informs and networks the entrepreneurs concerned.

The group now has over 2,600 members, including sellers, trade and business associations, journalists and trade experts. Retailers such as Rose Bikes, BabyOne, MediaMarkt, Saturn, TomTailor and Intersport are supporters of the initiative.

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