Information Technology notes January 2008

You have been getting up to speed with your new PC and ventured onto the internet. Now that your are online, what can you do with the internet? In a few words, almost anything. The World Wide Web can offer the farm business many services:

A primary use of the internet for any small business is the ability to buy and sell. On the approach to Christmas, shoppers were spending over £700k per minute, with a total bill of over £40 Billion in 2007.  Clearly online business is taking off big time. So how can this form of retail be of benefit to the farming industry?

The internet gives the purchaser a quick and convenient method to compare products in terms of specification and importantly price. Websites such as www.pricerunner.co.uk or www.froogle.co.uk are often referred to as price comparison sites (there are many more). These web sites remove the hard work by regularly checking hundreds of online retailers and giving you a list of places to buy your product listed by the best price.

Use secure Websites: Make sure you are on a "secure" site. Look for a padlock or a key symbol, which are usually in the bottom corner of your screen. On a secure site, your information is scrambled into code, (encrypted)

Know your seller: Use retailers with which you are familiar. If you are making contact for the first time, it is better to phone them. All reputable sellers will have a telephone service.

Protect your private data: Make sure you know what the retailer is doing with your data. Are they passing your information on to other sellers, resulting in lots of spam mail? Check their policy.

Avoid Hidden costs: Make sure you are aware of any additional costs such as import taxes or postage and packaging. This can be substantial, especially when delivering to Northern Ireland.

Stock levels and Delivery: Are your products in stock? How long will the delivery take? If your purchase is not in stock it may take weeks or even months to receive your product.

Returns & Refund Policy: Read the companies policy on refunds and returns. You will need to know how you can deal with a faulty product. Can you send it back and, if so, how much will this cost you?

Keep good records: You should keep hard copies (printouts) of your transactions and any email correspondence sent by the retailer.

Use a credit card: Protect your online payments. The Consumer Credit Act 1974 and the European E-commerce Directive 2002 ensure that all consumers are protected from fraud whenever they use their credit cards.

You'll also be covered when you buy goods from a company that goes into receivership before the goods can be delivered.

An online sales room can be a cheap and effective way to generate business. There are many options available to an Online retailer, from auction sites such as Ebay (www.ebay.co.uk) to your own web page. There are many things which you should consider before selling online, these include:

Do your research. When selling online, before you list a particular product, spend some time researching other similar products.

A picture is worth 1000 words - people like to see things before they buy them.

Learn all about postage. You want to find the best method of shipping for your product in terms of expense and reliability. (And don’t forget to include posting costs in your shipping information for potential buyers.)

Offer a full slate of payment options, including credit cards. The more payment options you, as an Online seller, offer prospective bidders, the more bidders your product will attract.

Farming today, like any other business, involves keeping lots of records. Thankfully DARD have developed online applications which can make this work easier.

The Ruralni website contains the latest information for various farming enterprises in Northern Ireland. It is arranged in a convenient manner, making it quickly accessible to all users.

Here you can also find useful online systems such as APHIS Online, Benchmarking, E-Single farm payment, and various calculators which will help you manage your business so it complies with the new nitrates and phosphates regulations.

These tools have been designed for farmers and will result in less visits Department offices, less errors in your paperwork and gives you the opportunity of doing the work in a place and at a time that is convenient to you.