Image: "Credit Cards" (CC BY 2.0) by Sean MacEntee

The Tech Driving Exeter’s Emergence into eCommerce and Digital Marketing

Exeter was recently named as an ambitious ‘cluster’ in the annual Tech City report.

The report deconstructs and analyses the landscape of the UK’s digital and technological industries - with the South West performing extremely well. It even goes as far as to highlight the region’s success within the digital marketing and ecommerce industries.

In fact, the report has stated that 5.2% within the region are in the digital tech economy. So, what is driving Exeter’s success within this area - and why is it proving so popular?

The digital industry is booming - but why?

Between 2011 and 2014, the UK’s digital sector grew 32% faster than the wider economy. This is a staggering amount and showcases the success of the sector nationally. But what exactly does it mean when people discuss the ‘digital economy’?

Well, it means any business that operates primarily through digital, whether that be developing software, marketing, video production, graphic design, or a multitude of other related careers.

The same term could also apply to businesses who produce tech hardware, such as computers, mobile phones, tablets, or the individual modules and components that are used in the assembly of such devices.

A particular facet that has been highlighted is ecommerce. Ecommerce is a lucrative channel to conquer for businesses, with it being forecast to account for around 20% of all retail transactions by 2019.

With the rise of mobile internet, mobile transactions are also rising. They are becoming more important, as are software-based microtransactions, and all are fuelled by online payment technology, such as Braintree, Stripe, or PayPal.

These are the technologies which power our favourites apps and websites, and make purchasing a seamless experience. Examples of services which utilise these technologies out in the wild include the Google Play Store, eBay, and some of the internet’s top retailers, such as ASOS. These payment methods are favoured for their speed and ease of use.

They are also extremely important within the igaming community. This is a rapidly emerging player within the tech and software economy, where money shifts through accounts at great speed through processes like depositing funds or withdrawing winnings.

These services rely on a solid payment gateway to deliver the best service. In light of this, online casinos use PayPal to allow players to access their money with minimal fuss. These payment gateways, on the whole, make it far easier for app and website developers to monetise their work, or to increase in-app or on-site conversions.

But why Exeter?

The University of Exeter does a great job at encouraging leading blue chip companies, such as big hitters like IBM, to collaborate with students at the university’s Business School. This encourages diversity within the South West’s tech sector by giving young talent the opportunity to rub shoulders with already embedded industry leaders.

Digital marketing is also surging within the area, which provides an extremely valuable service to the region’s ambitious SME businesses by delivering profitable marketing campaigns which drive sales and increase online visibility. Again, this is another sector in which Exeter has performed extremely well.

Exeter also presents a viable alternative to setting up and trading in London, where running costs and overheads are much greater. In the digital sector, it is possible to work with clients remotely and work any place, at any time.

Exeter has tapped into a prevalent business current and is currently riding high on its success, which looks set to continue within the area, as well as nationally, into the future.