Information and Resources for Melbourne and Victorian Business Owners

Seamus — Tue, 24 Nov 2020 06:09:33 GMT

This material has been prepared for informational purposes only.

In light of the announcement by Premier Daniel Andrews on Sunday and the further easing of lockdown restrictions in Victoria this week, I wanted to share information and resources for business owners in Melbourne and Victoria in general. I'm also including information about how to accept contactless payments and how to take payments online with Square.

If you'd like to add anything or share any info please do so in the comments below! I’m focusing on Victoria in this post as a state at the tail end of one of the longest COVID-19 lockdowns in the world, but please feel free to share any resources or your experiences in your local areas below.

Staying Informed

For the latest updates from the Victorian government, visit the DHHS Coronavirus Media Hub website and coronavirus.vic.gov.au.

For information about how Square is supporting business owners visit: Support and Response Resources.

How to apply for support or funding

In Victoria, eligible businesses can apply for a range of support funding and relief schemes:

You may qualify for the Business Support Package and the Business Resilience Package
You can get support in dealing with your commercial landlord through the Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme
You may qualify for the JobKeeper supplement for your staff
If you have apprentices, you may qualify for the JobTrainer apprentice supplement
If you need help with energy bills, such a electricity, you may qualify for Energy payment support
You can apply for extended and expanded payroll tax deferral. Eligible businesses with payrolls up to $10 million can defer their liabilities for the full 2020/21 financial year
If you are a small private commercial landlord, you may qualify for the Commercial Landlord Hardship Fund.
If you’re a sole trader operating at a commercial premises, you may qualify for the Sole Traders Support Fund.
If you have a hospitality or night-time business, you can apply for a variety of support at Business Victoria in addition to the above support, including the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund and the Outdoor Eating and Entertainment Package
There is also a range of support available for businesses from the Australian Government, including guaranteed loans, early access to superannuation and support with creditors.(Source: coronavirus.vic.gov.au)

Learn more about small business recovery resources COVID-19 in Victoria.

Accept payments in-person with Square

Review this article with details about Products To Help You Take Payments During COVID-19 including best practices when accepting contactless payment methods with the Square Reader or Square Terminal and information about supported accessories.

Visit the Town Square blog to read 5 Ways Retailers Can Help Front- Line Employees Work Safely.

Accept payments online with Square

Here’s how to continue to accept payments even If you’re connecting with your customers online:

Square Invoices

You can use the Square Invoices app or you can send Invoices online from your online Square Dashboard. You can send an invoice to your customer via email or you can text it to them. Your customer then pays the invoice online.

Checkout links

Create a checkout link to sell an item online without creating an eCommerce site. Share a link with your customer and they can complete their order online.

Virtual Terminal

Accept payments over the phone by ringing up a sale from your online Square Dashboard. Click Virtual Terminal to get started.

Square Online

If you are ready to take your business online visit our Support Centre to build your eCommerce site today. These articles will help you to get started:

Square Gift Cards and eGift cards

Create a free eGift Card site so your customers can purchase Square eGift Cards to support your business. Physical Square Gift Cards are also available but keep in mind it can take up to 14 days for Gift Cards to arrive depending on the production time you select when ordering.

For details about Square’s payment processing fees check out this article: Learn About Square's Fees.

We hope you are safe and well. Reply below with questions or if you’d like to share any other resources.

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