IRP Chief Commercial Officer Philip Macartney participated as a panellist on BBC Radio Ulster’s Inside Business programme and discussed the trading advantage now available for ecommerce companies based in Northern Ireland.
In his commentary, Philip was positive about the growth IRP Commerce clients have seen throughout the pandemic but stressed that it has not been without its challenges.
Philip argued that, from the perspective of IRP Commerce, it’s not simply about getting people to a website any more; that’s very much ecommerce 1.0. Rather, Philip believes IRP clients are now looking at their ecommerce operation with the same exactitude as their retail stores and they don’t just want to make trades, they want to make profitable trades – and that’s what IRP is all about.
IRP Insights point to ecommerce growth
When asked about the opportunities available for IRP Commerce and its clients, Philip pointed to the data available on IRP Insights that shows a growth across the board – particularly in the Republic of Ireland. He believes there are definitely green shoots in terms of sales but, as we are still in an uncertain situation globally, he can’t say for definite how things will pan out.
Referring to the ‘lockdown echo effect’, Philip cited an IBM report in August which said that ecommerce as a sector had progressed by five years in the first six months of lockdown 2020. New habits were formed and new data has meant that we are trading with customers we haven’t traded with in the past – and this trend is looking to continue.
Although IRP Commerce cannot give a definite answer about the future, Philip was optimistic about the growth potential for IRP clients as we head out of lockdown.
Ending the discussion on a high, Philip highlighted how IRP Commerce has created an ecosystem that aligns online companies with growth and profit and how clients like Colin Christie (from Christies Direct, an IRP client who was also on the panel) really see the global landscape that’s in front of them by trading to 40+ countries.
Global reach with IRP technology
Philip believes that many retailers, especially in Northern Ireland, don’t understand that it’s possible for them to be global players – that’s their first mistake. With real, genuine ambition, IRP success stories have proved over and over again that there are no limits on where you can go. And it can be achieved from Northern Ireland as it can be achieved from anywhere.
Listen to the full interview
The interview begins 21 minutes into the recording on BBC Sounds
