Why Protect The High Street?

The UK Xmas news spoke of the crisis impacting retailers.

It has got so bad that even the so called free market UK Government is pumping in taxpayers cash to keep high streets alive.

I doubt it will work.

My experience of trying to spend my money in shops is that they are:

• Noisy
• Designed that people bump into each other
• Often the product is not in stock
• Badly laid out
• Displaying items they don’t have in stocks
• Sales staff who seem more interested in selling a ten euro phone card to a teenager than heaping me buy a 500 euro phone

The idea of mingling with unpleasant,  smelly and rude people is something I stopped doing voluntarily a long time ago. If I wanted that I could go to a nite club. I don’t and won’t.

I am sure there are people who like the whole squalid shopping experience. They have a lot of choice.

There are exceptions. IKEA and Apple come to mind. I can’t think of many others.

There is An Alternative – Go Online

Fortunately, I now do nearly all my shopping on line. Amazon is a salvation.

From the comfort of my own home, I can choose the product I want to buy, and have it delivered to me. The online store offers me a great variety of choice, let’s me know if it is stock, and it is even sometimes cheaper than the brick shop. But, the real benefit is an experience that gives you want you want, without wasting a whole afternoon on a pointless search in shops who don’t seem that bothered in serving me.

 Now, if shops could get back in the business of serving their customers and providing a pleasant experience for the customer, I am sure customers would return.

  If Belgium’s supermarkets could get better online shopping, I’d never have to visit them at all.