We’re pleased to announce today the launch of a brand new event: the Northern eCommerce Awards, in association with UKFast.
The Northern eCommerce Awards – (The NECAs) – are delivered by Don’t Panic Events and Prolific North and will celebrate the very best in e-commerce from across the North.
Entries are now open across 23 categories celebrating exceptional websites, platforms, suppliers, in house teams and agencies. The first closing date is Friday 17th June.
The NECAs will take place on September 21st at The Point, Emirates Old Trafford, and will be the North’s biggest celebration of e-commerce success and talent.
The region is now recognised as a hotbed both of emerging companies and agencies at the cutting edge of e-commerce technology, but also several multi-million-pound turnover e-tailers with an increasingly global footprint.
UKFast has agreed a three-year deal to be the headline sponsor of the NECAs.
CEO Lawrence Jones MBE said: “With arguably the largest network of eCommerce clients in the North it makes perfect sense for UKFast to get behind this celebration of Northern British online talent.
“I have said openly that it’s my aim to make Manchester the number one Tech City in the UK in my lifetime and the eCommerce entrepreneurs play a huge part in the success of this quest.
“There is an extraordinary amount of tech talent in the North. We are very proud of this fact and the Northern eCommerce Awards is an annual celebration of this that I am proud to be associated with it.”
Judging
We have brought together an esteemed panel of industry leaders and experts to help us ensure the whole process is managed and ultimately decided upon with the greatest possible degree of digital expertise and professionalism. The judging is a rigorous two stage process including pre-scoring to determine shortlists and a judging meeting where entries are discussed and evaluated in detail to decide the winning entries.
We will be announcing the full list of judges shortly but in advance of disclosing the full list, some of the outstanding judges we have brought together for this unique initiative include:
- Tony Wood, Head of Digital and eCommerce at Manchester Airports Group
- Matthew Quinn, head of Media Technology and Future Development at Liverpool FC
- eCommerce consultant Liliana Ashton
- Stefan Casey, Head of Retail, Food and Drink at The Retail Institute
- Vikas Shad, Managing Director, Swiscot Group
- Richard Gregory, Industry Expert
Categories
The categories in full are:
Food & Drink E-Commerce Website of the Year
Financial Services E-Commerce Website of the Year
Fashion / Apparel or Footwear E-Commerce Website of the Year – sponsored by Endless Gain
Music / DVD / Games E-commerce Website of the Year
Electrical Appliances and Electronics E-Commerce Website of the Year
Beauty, Health & Well Being E-Commerce Website of the Year
DIY, Home, Furniture & Interior Design E-Commerce Website of the Year
Sports, Leisure, Toys E-Commerce Website of the Year
Travel & Tourism E-Commerce Website of the Year
B2B E-Commerce Website of the Year – sponsored by Maginus
B2C E-Commerce Website of the Year
Best online experience
E-Commerce Start up of the Year Awards
Delivery / Logistics Provider of the Year
Innovation Award
E-Commerce App
Best Omni-Channel Operation
Best E-Commerce Platform
E-Commerce Company of the Year – Large – sponsored by Endless Gain
E-Commerce Company of the Year – Small
E-Commerce Agency of the Year – Large
E-Commerce Agency of the Year – Small
Conversion Optimisation Agency of the Year
