Online vs. High Street The Retail Battle

By Friday, August 15, 2014 0 No tags Permalink

With the amount of money spent by consumers shopping online increasing year upon year, some observers think this change in shopping habits could spell the end of traditional high street shops. This article takes a look at the key areas of battle and whether the high street can survive.

The Luxury of Shopping from Home

Of all the inventions and innovations of the past thirty years, the one that has undoubtedly had the most impact on the way we live our lives is the internet. Particularly this century, the internet now dominates almost every aspect of the daily routines of people the world over. As well as being a new way of staying in touch with long-lost friends, the internet has created new industries and many jobs now would not exist without its presence.

One of the key areas where the habits of the population have changed, due to the new technology, is shopping. The sheer convenience of sitting at home and being able to browse thousands of products in all manner of stores is too tempting to pass up for many people. Who would want to fight their way through hordes of shoppers on a busy Saturday afternoon when you could have just about whatever you need sent straight to your door? That is, of course, the main advantage online stores have over their bricks and mortar counterparts   convenience. Price is also another key plus point for internet retailers; without the overheads associated with a physical store, they can afford to sell their products at a lesser price.

Enjoying a Day Out with Friends and Family

Despite these advantages that the internet has, the high street is certainly not defeated. Value stores are currently a mighty presence in towns and cities across the country. With the quality of the goods sold in the majority of these discount outlets at a much higher level than in days gone by, shoppers are flocking to these stores in great numbers. Indeed, this is one area where online shops cannot compete. Having to pay extra postage on an item that retails at just  1 is not an attractive proposition for consumers. Another plus point for the high street is the social aspect of shopping. Many treat the act of shopping as a full day out and a chance to enjoy time with friends and family. Browsing in attractively merchandised stores fitted out with sleek shop display equipment is an experience that many shoppers would rather not give up.

The Battle Continues to Rage

In conclusion, the battle for the hearts of the nation’s shoppers is one that the internet will probably never win outright. Despite championing convenience and generally better prices, the tradition of browsing local high street stores and shopping centres is one that will never fully die out. Shop managers, retail assistants and fitters of shop display equipment can rest easy for a while to come. The days of crowded shopping precincts are not over yet.

No Comments Yet.

Leave a Reply