Retail in the UK has faced one of the toughest years to date, with even huge well known retailers such as ASOS, Debenhams and Sports Direct struggling. It has also been a year where House of Fraser, Toys R Us, HMV and Poundworld went into administration, following falling sales figures and online competition.
We have taken a look at some of the things that could help bring more customers to the UK’s high streets in an attempt to breathe fresh life into UK shops
As part of the Budget in November 2018, the government announced that they would be investing £650 million into the Future High Streets Fund and also implementing a tax on digital services to help make large online companies pay their fair share of tax. By getting in touch with your local MP, you will be able to have your voice heard about further measures to help level the playing field for high street businesses who may be struggling to compete against the threats of online shopping.
Research from Virgin showed that people are spending their money on experiences rather than things, showing a 12% rise between 2016 and 2017. This has been attributed to the Millennial generation looking for more value for money when shopping, and looking for a better digital experience.
By offering your customers an experience at your business, you could increase your chances of bringing in more customers who are looking for those different types of shopping experiences. Why not offer free samples or trials of your products to encourage people to try things at your business.
An article from YouGov examined peoples’ attitudes to the high street and found that people were looking for more value for money whilst doing their shopping, which is why clothing retailers such as Primark and Asda’s George are thriving. Changes to perceptions of quality have also led to better attitudes to companies such as Wilko, Argos and Ikea, ranked in the top 10 most highly thought of homeware companies.
It was also found that the younger age demographic were less likely to have a positive perception of department stores such as John Lewis or Debenhams, perhaps showing a trend of younger shoppers choosing more cost effective places to shop.
Taking a look at your own price structure may help when trying to attract more customers looking for a more cost effective way of spending their money.
Last year, RSM International, a multi-national network of accountancy firms, conducted a piece of research that showed that 81% of people will read reviews before they make a purchase. 72% will change their mind if they hear or read a bad review, but more interestingly, 51% of people surveyed would actually not go somewhere, buy or do something if there were no reviews at all.
By collecting good reviews, whether this is via your Facebook page, via Google Reviews, Feefo, Trustpilot or your Trip Advisor page, you will be able to attract people to your business. You could prompt customers to leave a quick review, however if you offer an amazing service, people may write a review off their own back.
Whether you are a high street shop requiring shop insurance or an online retailer requiring ecommerce insurance, we can compare retail insurance quotes to suit your business.
Premierline Business Insurance Broker understands that each business has individual needs when it comes to business insurance, which is why our insurance experts are trained to find the perfect insurance covers for your business.
It is important to make sure that you have the right insurance in place to protect the business that you have built. Every business is different and has its own business insurance needs, which is why we work with some of the UK’s most well-known insurers to ensure that you are getting the right insurance cover for your business.
The safety net of business insurance is only as strong as the figures it’s built on. In today’s volatile economic landscape, many UK business owners are discovering too late that…
In the current economic landscape, it is easy for a UK business owner to view international conflict as a distant tragedy played out on the evening news. However, as we…
We’ve surveyed 2,000 Brits* to reveal the fictional businesses that Brits would most like to work for. We hope all these famous companies have comprehensive business insurance in place, given…
Premierline, one of the UK’s leading commercial insurance brokers, is proud to announce its new mutual relationship with the Scaffolding Association. With decades of experience supporting businesses in the construction…