New Zealand’s third week in lockdown was it's most deadly, but as new case numbers continue to fall, NZ remains optimistic that Level 4 restrictions may be lifted on schedule.
A Tauranga restaurant owner and two friends have launched a website to help struggling businesses keep afloat by moving more of their business online.
Craft Bar and Kitchen (CBK) owner Billy Emeny, Mount Maunganui firefighter and Activate Events NZ owner Greg Cato and Christchurch-based website developer Brock Moore launched Paysies.com.
Emeny said the trio came up with the concept as a way of not only keeping their own businesses afloat but to also help other small and medium-sized business owners.
CBK owner Billy Emeny and two friends have launched an online platform for self-employed people. Photo / File
"Whether it was selling goods or services, or someone teaching a skill, the Paysies.com online platform is a great opportunity to take advantage of your dedicated followers," Emeny said.
"For instance, CBK has nearly 5000 followers on our Facebook page. While our bar is closed at the moment and we can't serve food, we can help ourselves and other businesses to get some money still flowing through the door."
Emeny said the Paysies.com model was perfect for personal trainers, teachers, therapists, entertainers and anyone wanting to "monetise" their activities online.
"This is a simple solution to move students' lessons online and for the merchant to charge their students for their time, knowledge and expertise."
Emeny said the website allowed people to charge for hosting online meetings or selling goods or services. Customers were connected to a merchant link on the website.
Paysies.com has the ability for anyone with skills they wanted to pass on to customers through MS Teams, Zoom in or WebEx calls and charge for their expertise, he said.
Emeny said it was free to join the website but merchants who signed up were charged a $1 processing fee per transaction along with 3.5 per cent for all transactions.
The website was also ideal for charities wanting to collect donations, he said.
Emeny, who was forced to temporarily close his three-year business last month, said it was one of the hardest things he had done. He has managed to retain his staff for now but needed something to generate cash.
"We need to keep our economy turning over as we all work towards coming out of the lockdown. Every dollar counts when it comes to businesses not just being able to survive and pay bills but also to thrive."
The website has been launched in New Zealand and Australia, and he and his business partners were also eyeing the United States or United Kingdom.
Downtown Tauranga manager Brian Berry. Photo / File
Downtown Tauranga chairman Brian Berry said businesses have had to review how they marketed and sold their products or services in these "challenging and interesting times".
"The current lack of the ability to deal physically face-to-face necessitates the need to use digital marketing and social media. I applaud anyone showing the initiative of setting up a new business and income channels," Berry said.
"Greater use of digital marketing is likely to be the 'new normal' following the Covid-19 crisis, so this may initiate a sea-change moment for how many businesses operate.
"Saying that, there will always be a place for streetfront retail businesses as a large segment of retail trade is based on 'touch and feel' and the ... advice that face-to-face retailers can provide," he said.
Tauranga Chamber of Commerce chief executive Matt Cowley said the chamber had seen a number of opportunities for businesses to set themselves up with e-commerce facility after the lockdown.
"The chamber encourages all businesses to think about how their business would operate once the lockdown restrictions are lifted. It is likely that businesses will be operating under tight restrictions to minimise the spread of Covid for many months.
"It will be very important for locals to support their favourite local businesses to keep cash moving through our communities."
What is Paysies.com:
- An online platform to charge customers for goods, services, lessons - A simple and user-friendly sign-up process for merchants - Ideal to promote events/lessons/classes and host online via Zoom, WebEx, MS Teams - Customers follow the merchant link to a sign-up page to pay - Merchants charged a $1 processing fee per transaction and 3.5 per cent of all transactions.
