By Andy McCue, 26 August 2003 12:27
NEWS Britain's budding retail entrepreneurs aspire to emulate the online success of Martha Lane-Fox rather than the supermarket savvy of Reg Holdsworth, according to a new survey. Over two-thirds of would be retailers said they would sell online because of the risks of a bricks and mortar operation on the high-street. The survey of 1,000 people over the age of 25 by Ipsos, which was commissioned by ecommerce software company Actinic, claims there is a "trinity of fear" pushing the next generation of retailers from the high-street to the web. The three main issues cited by respondents were fear of robbery, assault and other crime (61 per cent), Lack of funds (51 per cent) and not attracting enough customers (31 per cent). Chris Barling, CEO of Actinic, said in a statement that entrepreneurs still see the web as a quick way of building a successful business. "Britons are more than ready to make a success of online retail, as Martha Lane-Fox has proven with lastminute.com. Compare the growth of that company to, say, Thomas Cook which had no choice but to take decades growing a high-street presence," he said. The most popular goods that people would sell online included gifts, clothes and food.
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1. anonymous
With regard to the demise of the High Street, and my 20 yrs experience running a large family DIY Business. Until the general public realise theres more to life than the multiples the High Street especially the smaller local ones will continue to fade away. The Internet [web] does offer opportunities for more specialist operations to sell outside 'Their own shop window'. This could potentially help save many specialist high street stores.
The mulitples have undoubtedly been needed to supply further demand and have brought greater consumer choice and developed their own specific retail areas. However, in many retail fields the independant can compete on price. The problem is convincing the public you are value for money.
Generally I feel the public are not too price conscious though and what they try or indeed save occasionally many fritter away on petrol driving to the out of town sites, cigarettes, and take aways or eating out.
It always strook me that, with the principle exception of Food shopping, where people have a much better daily idea of prices between competitors that in areas such as DIY and Motor spares for example people are totally unaware of what a fair price should be.
The mulitples needed to happen to supply the growing affluent population who now have much more disposable income. What a shame the public can not be told of the bargains and fun of shopping at your independant high streets stores!