Online marketplace Carousell is offering 1,000 packages to heartland retailers and service merchants to take their businesses online.

Eligible merchants will receive one-time funding support of 90 per cent from Enterprise Singapore (ESG), under its enhanced Enterprise Development Grant, when they sign up for the CarouBiz Booster Package.

Each package is valued at $720 before ESG funding.

The package comprises a six-month Carousell for Business (CarouBiz) subscription - which gives sellers access to tools such as video listings, custom collections for product categorisation and profile cover photo for branding - and $480 in Carousell coins, which are credits to purchase additional advertisements and promotional tools on the site. Merchants can sign up for the CarouBiz Booster Package until Dec 31, Carousell said in a statement on Monday.

Carousell said it also has a website with tips and guides on maximising its tools, and organises weekly webinars to introduce the tools and best practices. Merchants who need more help can use a live support chat or request a sales consultant. It said these resources allow businesses to showcase their products like a virtual showroom within their Carousell profile.

"While there are other e-commerce solutions available today, many heartland merchants are still struggling due to their lack of e-commerce experience," said Carousell Singapore managing director Ng Chee Soon.

He said Carousell is well positioned to help heartland merchants reach out to a sizeable portion of its highly engaged community, as its platform is easy for anyone or any business to use.

Mr Lee Yee Fung, director of infocomm and media and digitalisation at ESG, said: "The current situation has highlighted the importance of having alternative channels for businesses to generate leads and sales. We expect that online shopping will continue to be an important channel even after the resumption of all physical retail activities."