Impartial. Expertly judged. Open to all retailers.

The Online Retail Awards are international, impartial, independent business awards that can be won by online retailers of any size anywhere in the world.

The aim of the Online Retail Awards is to seek out examples of retailers' websites that offer great online shopping experiences for customers and to reward them publicly online, in print and through PR.

If you sell products or services direct to consumers online, then you are eligible to enter the Online Retail Awards. Please make a note in your calendars: the Online Retail Awards 2012 will be open for entries from January 1 until April 30, 2012. The more entries there are, the better the barometer of quality the Awards will become. So keep the Awards in mind and make a note of the projects you'd like to enter for 2012.

Some recognition of the growing status of the ORAs is represented by the unstinting support of the Media Partners: Retail in Asia and Internet Retailing (Australia) and UK Media Partner, Retail Focus, the print and online magazine and retail events organiser for the retail design community. The additional support from Intelligent Data Services, Mobilosoft, feefo, gloople and, most recently, packshot has been invaluable and has added to the strength of these exciting Awards.

The winner of an Online Retail Award is in the top flight of the world's internet retailers, with sites that are the embodiment of excellence for their customers. It has been proven over and over again that the companies that win awards are the companies that win new business and, in such turbulent economic times being named an international awards' finalist or winner is extremely valuable promotion for any business.

The Online Retail Awards do not simply celebrate website design. Rather, they celebrate a retailer's presence online in an retail sector, through a great website experience for their customers. Entrants are expected to validate their claims with evidence from established sources as well as their own information.

Judging takes place online, allowing judges from around the world to take part without travelling. Currently, only websites in their English versions will be accepted for judging but, as entries to the Awards doubled again in 2011 and the Online Retail Awards continue to grow, plans are in place to create continental region heats with multi-lingual judges, who will be able to examine sites in their original language, as well as in English.

ORA Winners receive designed certificates to display and the ultimate Prix d'OR champion will receive an impressive trophy to mark their achievement. Finalists, category winners and the Prix d'OR champion all receive full publicity through the ORA website, PR activity, media partners and supporting partners.