Client Background
Knowsley Community Tradenet
("Tradenet") provides an e-commerce
environment between local residents,
the council and local businesses to
provide a shopping and information
service for the whole community.
Along with Connect Internet Solutions,
the ISB 4 funded project partners are
Knowsley Council,
Kirkby Unemployed Centre, Huyton
Credit
Union, Peapod UK Ltd, Blackburn and
Darwen Borough Council and the North
West E-government Group.
The Solution
Connect provided its easy-to-use
content management software, SiteMaker,
to facilitate the creation and
maintenance of websites by
non-technical SME and community group
users. SiteMaker enabled the community
organisations and SMEs to deliver
content on both a website and on
interactive
digital television.
In addition, Connect’s e-commerce
software, ShopKeeper, was provided to
allow SMEs to sell their services
online.
As part of the project Connect
developed KnowsleyFinder, an online
directory of products and services
available in the Knowsley area.
KnowsleyFinder allows businesses and
community groups in the borough to
register their organisation free of
charge, provide information about
their
products and services and
create a link to their website
or webstore.
Citizens can search the directory to
find the products and services that
they need within the borough, and
purchase these online.
The Results
- Low cost e-commerce websites for over
100 small businesses and community
groups
- Opportunity for the local community to
gain skills and improve employment
prospects
- Immediate access to current local
information
- Opportunity for local, national and
international trade
- Opportunity to trade skills, goods and
services without the need for money
- Opportunities for communities to
benefit from collective purchasing via
internet access
