In a study of shopping habits, MyHigh.St surveyed 2000 UK adults and uncovered that 60% of them prefer to shop online.
67% of those preferring online shopping cited saving time as the reason behind avoiding the high street. However, if time was not a factor, 29% said they would prefer to shop at physical shops. Other reasons behind the preference for online shopping include expensive parking, lack of choice, limited opening hours and better online deals. With busier schedules, UK shoppers prefer the convenience of shopping online without the hassle that shopping on the high street brings. However, one in six people surveyed said they actually missed visiting physical shops.
With the growth of online retailing and changes in customers’ schedules, physical shops need to adapt to tailor their shops for customers’ needs. Some retailers like supermarkets and banks are already doing this with extended opening hours and complementary mobile and online applications. Myhigh.St and Openhighstreet.com are helping struggling local retailers by integrating them into virtual high streets online and allowing customers to shop online and on their mobile locally with the possibility of having their goods delivered or to collect them at the shops. Could this be the future of British high streets?
Read more here.
