Is High Street Shopping a Thing of the Past ?
With the combination of the credit crunch and the rise in online shopping will 2009 be the year we bury the high street ?
Retail outlets and chains are closing at an alarming rate here in the UK and it looks as though many more are set to follow in the new year.
I have a theory that we are close to a tipping point - one that will change the shape of our shopping habits forever.
Online shopping is getting ever more popular - this christmas shows record statistical highs but there is also a lot of anecdotal evidence.
I’m hearing more and more people say they are buying more and more on the internet.
Most still do not of course - much like myself who buys everything locally and little or nothing via mail order.
However, I believe once people start buying online they don’t stop and indeed they expand it.
Take now the closure of shops and large retail chains - availability of certain items is actually going to be a problem - so online shopping may become necessary rather than an option !
I’m thinking DVDs as an example. I see a very real chance that, unless you live in a big city, the only real source of DVDs, and CDs for that matter, will be large supermarkets and that selection will be extremely limited to the Top 10 et al.
So you have to go online - further exacerbating the problem for bricks and mortar retailers in other areas.
I really do believe the high street will change beyond all recognition soon - possibly returning to how it used to be - a smaller area of local shops that can once again return to a town centre now that rent and rates have fallen due to lack of demand.
I can also see the collapse of specific ’shopping centres’ and ‘retail parks’
I know that sounds a bit far-fetched but my logic is thus:
I have heard locally of a large modern building owned by a company and let into 3 large retail units making up a specific retail park. One of those businesses, a long established national chain, has gone under. This leaves one third of the building unoccupied with little chance of anybody taking over such a huge space.
That 33% loss of income is probably the profit margin of the developers who own the site - that whole retail park could now be making a loss and if run on finance may go under !
It’s an area of analysis I find very interesting, as well as depressing, sorry to have rambled on - I tried to keep it short but it really needs a much bigger article but sadly I know it’s of little interest to most.
All the best
Rod
Witches of Eastwick said,
December 23, 2008 @ 11:07 am
Rod,
We’re told there are too many cars in town centres, too much fuel used in getting there and too much pollution because of it. That’s a good reason to shop online, the authorities must be delighted that less cars will be on the road. Another thing….. haven’t you noticed that the average town/city centre has lots of the same type of shop… frankly it’s not surprising some of these stores might fold, it was bound to happen. We asked the owner of a small business near the Cathedral of our local city, how things were going in general and while she admitted profits were not as quite as good as last year, the rent of such a prime location was only marginally more than a similar sized unit on the other side of town well off the beaten track, so she wasn’t complaining.
For those of us lucky enough to live within reasonable distance from cities with wonderful gothic quarters then it’s one of life’s joys to go there just to sit and take in the full character of the place. Nothing will replace that so we must support the little shops, cafes and restaurants.
WoE
Rod said,
December 23, 2008 @ 12:21 pm
WoE
we must indeed support specialist shops - we all like to see them but they can only stay open if we go in and spend money.
I think some of these shops do stand a chance, as I mentioned, because rent and rates will have to come down due to supply and demand.
The real danger is big stores closing though as who will be able to fill those spaces - I’m seeing it now were I live and I’m minded to recall the post I wrote over a year ago which shows the costs involved !
Best
Rod
Witches of Eastwick said,
December 23, 2008 @ 7:14 pm
Rod,
The whole issue of the so called big stores is a difficult one…. on the one hand we witches have been known to pop in from time to time and buy the same stuff as lots of other mortals. When we think of the rise of high street giants that supply very cheap clothes we wonder to ourselves … is this necessarily a good thing? For a start what are the wages like for the people who make the goods and after three washes will they last? The smaller outlets have to cover their costs and make a decent living so can’t compete. As a buyer, buy the best you can afford, stuff that will last. As a business aim to be sufficiently different and price accordingly for the market you serve…. and what ever business you run please make sure the staff are courteous and helpful, so many are not and that after all costs nothing. This is perhaps the time for us to admit that while we were hovering around our favourite supermarket just the other day, a nice young man, well almost a boy to be exact, came across and asked us if we required any help…. with that he was off to search for an obscure item that only we had ever asked for in the history of the store quite likely
and after a couple of minutes came back with sad tidings that they were fresh out of Unicorn pate (well that sort of thing) and beamed a fabulous smile. What a joy he was to be sure and how rare these days.
WoE
Rod said,
December 24, 2008 @ 8:34 am
WoE
good service is rare nowadays as are knowlegable and helpful staff.
I suspect some of the difficulty is pay, it is now not possible to live (unless you’re already set up or live with parents etc) on the money they pay - especially as most are now also part-time as well.
The sky is falling in and we’re all doomed
Rod
Femme Fatale said,
December 24, 2008 @ 8:55 am
Merry Christmas and A Happy New Year to Everyone
FF
xx
Rod said,
December 24, 2008 @ 9:58 am
FF
Merry Christmas to you as well and indeed to everyone.
Regards
Rod
Witches of Eastwick said,
December 24, 2008 @ 10:19 am
Rod,
We’re still waiting for the cheery Christmas post….. just in case it’s still in the freezer
we’ll wish everyone a happy Christmas… may all your cups overfloweth with festive joy!
WoE
the dinosaur said,
December 24, 2008 @ 8:15 pm
WoE, Unicorn pate? Do you have horseradish with that?
Happy Christmas to you all!
Rod said,
December 25, 2008 @ 9:25 am
WoE
no cheery xmas posts this year I’m afraid
Xmas Day 2007
Bacon sandwiches for christmas dinner 2006 and last will and testament
I suspect the day will run just as those above did, apart from the fact I’ve got no bacon
To console myself from that I may well redo my will again - after all it is a xmas tradition here at Goldeneye Lodge
Merry Christmas
Rod
Rod said,
December 25, 2008 @ 9:27 am
Dino
Merry Mithrasmas
Pop down to your local Woolworths if you want to try Unicorn Pate !
Best
Rod