Ezyshop:
equipping restaurant owners and other small companies with digital skills for free

Ezyshop: equipping restaurant owners and other small companies with digital skills for free to innovate and expand their webshops

Are you a restaurant owner that has expanded your service to include takeaway? Are you a caterer for events? Whether it be daily, week-end only or just for special occasions, you can simplify the whole process by putting your menu online with an ordering function. You can even include a payment function – but the first step is to save time by automating ordering and taking the pain out of telephone calls, texts and social media app messages, not to mention confirmation orders.

To help small businesses such as restaurants and caterers innovate and thrive in Belgium, BeCommerce and Mastercard® have launched ”Ezyshop” – a free, skill-up, coaching program open to existing small businesses (e.g restaurants with takeaway offers, flowers, gifts, clothes, bakeries, etc.) in need of e-commerce guidance to help expand their services and boost financial resilience.

Mastercard, the leader in global payments and technology, will help reach the 2021 target of 2,021 small businesses to enable them to build their own webshops, in partnership with the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, the company’s philanthropic hub which advances equitable and sustainable economic growth and financial inclusion around the world. To implement the program, BeCommerce has received a grant of $200,000 from the Mastercard Impact Fund.

In collaboration with BeCommerce, every merchant that signs up to the program will receive Shopitag web design support and a subscription waiver to build and host their website for the first two months. BeCommerce will also provide a written practical guide in collaboration with Mastercard and the Center about how to navigate the world of e-commerce: understanding the choices that exist for payment platforms (e.g. in-house or outsourced, checklists and best practices showcasing e-commerce success stories) to support them in making informed decisions. Importantly, merchants will also receive pro bono individualized coaching calls/feedback to help keep them on track to achieve their goals.

BeCommerce Membership for one year will be included for free, which automatically gives business owners access to all market studies, networking events and conflict resolution systems. They will also have the option of a free compliance and security audit, allowing them to belong to a community of trusted webshops. 

Sofie Geeroms, Managing Director, BeCommerce said : “Thousands of families in Belgium depend on these small businesses and they are really struggling in this COVID crisis. In collaboration with such an experienced and reputable partner as Mastercard, we know we can equip these companies with affordable tools and knowledge to give them the confidence they need to prosper.”

“Small businesses are at the heart of our economy and by joining forces with BeCommerce, we hope our shared experiences will help these entrepreneurs deal with some of the challenges they are currently facing, including business unpredictability and loss of income. It’s important to be open to support and have an agile skillset when embracing new technologies and that’s our aim so their customers will grow and follow,” said Henri Dewaerheijd, Mastercard Country Manager BeLux.

To learn more and apply to the free program, visit ezyshop.be. 

Hurry! Offer valid for 2021!