.IE Tipping Point Report 2021

About .IE .IE is the national registry for .ie domain names and is the trusted and progressive guardian of Ireland’s unique online .ie address. Our purpose is to enable and empower people, communities and businesses across Ireland to thrive online. u We operate the domain name system ( DNS ) for the .ie namespace, facilitate an independent dispute resolution service , and operate a public WHOIS lookup service for .ie domains. u In cooperation with our Registrars, technical partners and stakeholders, we help advance Ireland’s internet ecosystem. Good governance is evidenced in our policy development process for the .ie namespace, which follows a bottom-up, consensus-driven approach through a multi-stakeholder Policy Advisory Committee. u At .IE we are committed to digital advocacy for SMEs and for local communities. Through stakeholder engagement initiatives such as .IE Digital Town , we work with and support SMEs organisations to improve their members’ online presence and e-commerce capabilities so they can unlock the power of the internet to boost sales to local consumers. u We also produce fact-based research for the business community and policymakers, such as the .IE Domain Profile Report and the .IE Digital Health Index , charting the attitudes to digital of Irish SMEs and consumers. There are over 315,000 .ie domain names registered. Since March 2018, it is easier and faster to register a .ie domain. As part of the domain registration process, every applicant must provide tangible evidence of a connection to Ireland. www.weare.ie Methodology The .IE Tipping Point report was commissioned by .IE, in partnership with Digital Business Ireland, and carried out by Core Research. A total of 1,000 consumers aged 18+ were surveyed via online questionnaire. A total of 500 SMEs in the retail and customer-facing professional services sectors were interviewed via telephone. Research was carried out between 11th and 27th January 2021. SME sample size breakdown „ COMPANY SIZE 1-5 = 69% 6-10 = 15 11-15 = 6% 16-20 = 3% 21-30 = 5% 31+ = 4% „ BUSINESS TYPE 75 Medical 59 Retail 51 Finance (Accountant/Insurance) 40 Legal (Solicitor/Lawyer) 39 Architect/Interior Design 37 Engineering/Manufacturing 29 Garage/Car Repairs 17 Construction (Plumber/Electrician/Carpenter) 17 Auctioneer/Estate Agent 15 Convenience Store/Newsagent 10 Coffee Shop/Pub/Restaurant 9 Beauty Salon/Hairdresser/Barber 6 Horticulture 96 Other „ REGION 35% Dublin 22% Rest of Leinster 23% Munster 20% Connacht-Ulster About Digital Business Ireland ‘Digital Business Ireland (DBI) is the voice of the Irish digital commerce sector. Set up in 2019, DBI counts over 3,400 businesses in its community, with Health Stores Ireland, the Association of Fine Jewellers, County Kildare Chamber of Commerce, Women’s Inspire Network, and IPAV among its affiliate members. It continues to grow its membership footprint across a wide range of online and digital businesses including technology, retail, hospitality, professional services, travel, transport, education, leisure, agri-business and property. DBI provides a range of services to its membership including training and events, networking opportunities, general advisory, insights, advocacy and public policy influence, all of which facilitate digital businesses to grow, thrive and achieve their ambitions.’ About Core Research ‘Core Research is part of Core, Ireland’s largest marketing communications company. Core Research analyses the data from every source to truly understand people and brands. Its insights lead to smarter, more accurate and successful decisions.’ .IE Tipping Point 2021: Irish e-commerce and digital business in the Covid vaccine era | 10