Ecommerce Taking the Moral Highground on Productivity, Sustainability and Equality

Ann-Maree Morrison MBE responded with a panel for Ecommerce Club Question Time addressing questions raised in the previous question time with Scottish MSPs.

Women in Ecommerce

The all female panel of productivity and growth specialists highlighted the growth potential of ecommerce and the high street, ecommerce productivity, and ecommerce sustainability. Many women work in ecommerce with varying stages and sizes of business. Some women are ecommerce or omnichannel business owners, however there are an almost even number working as employees in the industry, as compared to men. Likewise ecommerce is a great vehicle to market and for scaling for women in business in a gender neutral sector.

Ecommerce Funding

Ecommerce funding is an issue given that ecommerce is powering fulfilment and delivery changes with data analysis driving the improvements. Ecommerce is highly productive and sustainable and growing in almost all countries. Also, ecommerce is a high productivity sector driven by data and analysis, yet receives no specific funding, and is not tracked by the ONS or other government mechanisms. An economic area that is not tracked cannot be funded to full potential. Ecommerce is superb for being able to track performance and growth and return on investment. Not only that, ecommerce stores are at the forefront of changes to delivery, sustainability, and economic growth because faster and cheaper deliveries lead to hgher and faster growth. However, to the surprise of those not in the industry, Amazon is not the typical ecommerce model. There are many other businesses doing well both in ecommerce and in omnichannel (high street and online) and following great ethical customer models.

Ecommerce Skills

Investment is required in ecommerce skills for experts to deliver the right specific skills to all ages and stages. Likewise, as women are known to receive less overall funding from government grants and loans, funding for women to start and scale in ecommerce is vital.  Without additional government targetted funding in ecommerce and related business skills, it is difficult to optimise the potential of the industry to boost performance of businesses at an earlier and faster stage.

Conclusion

Finally, ecommerce should be taken seriously as a way of powering Scotland, and indeed the UK, towards faster sustainable and productive growth. Duplicate the Chinese model of investing in specific ecommerce skills and growth to grow economies faster. 

Please share with your network.  Many thanks for our panelists, one of whom even rearranged a board meeting to attend this important event highlighting the moral highground:

• Carolyn Currie, CEO of Women Enterprise Scotland
• Wendy Hamilton, Founder and MD of Curious Minds
• Jo Bradley, Business Development Manager, UK of Sparck Technologies
• Claire Prance, Commercial Director for SEKO Logistics in Glasgow.Please share and tell me what you think about the topic of ecommerce productivity – do you feel the points raised are valid ones?