The state of retailing in Britain’s town centres has been grim for some years and the recent Portas Review, spearheaded by Mary Portas, highlighted just how difficult it has been to sell from the high streets.
Many retailers face dire struggles to remain in business.
The Decline of the UK High Street
The numbers are stark. Between 2000 and 2009 15,000 town centre shops closed, and one in six of our high street shops were vacant by 2011.
Out of town shopping centres, major supermarkets and the growth in online retailers have all conspired to bring about the downfall of the traditional town centre and the high street shopping experience.
One solution to the problems has been to reinvent the role of UK high streets and city centres using strategies designed to lure back 21st century shoppers by giving them what they need.
Reinventing the Town Centre Role in the UK
It’s not all bad news for traditional city centre retailers, however. Deloitte
reviewed the high street sector in 2013 and found more optimistic results.
Some town centre high streets are thriving, with increased footfall and new retailers opening on a regular basis.
Reinventing the role of the town centre is likely to mean creating individual high streets that are more reflective of local cultural and lifestyle interests.
The homogenised high street that can be found in any town up and down the country, with barely any difference from post code to post code, will become a thing of the past as towns start to change.
Digitally enabled retailers are already offering click and collect facilities and promoting themselves via iBeacon technology to meet consumer’s needs.
How Small to Medium-Sized High Street Retailers Benefit from the Digital Revolution
iBeacon technology is the new affordable advertising to hit the high streets and it works for retailers of all sizes.
It utilises mobile technology and has a range of compelling benefits for retailers and smartphone carrying consumers alike.
Smartphones have become essential devices for most of us.
iBeacon marketing techniques allow retailers to take advantage of the widespread availability of WiFi hotspots and gateways in town centres.
Savvy local retailers are already using the simple technology.
It gives them the opportunity to deliver money off coupons, time sensitive offers and promotional alerts direct to the phones of nearby consumers who are within a short distance of their shop.
Local Mobile Marketer can provide you with all the tools you need to launch proximity marketing campaigns in your own shop, within your local town centre.
This 21st century marketing technique can revolutionise the way you market your products to your local shoppers and is the future of targeted, efficient promotion.
