The Business Case

Helping Independent retailers on the high street and increasing footfall to town centres - It is well documented that footfall and spend on the high street is down - the worst for 25years (since records began!) These economic challenges and closure of many household retailing names have seriously damaged many of our high streets.

But many of the multiple retailers on the high street are making up for their losses via the massive growth of on-line sales via the Internet. Shoppers are turning to the internet during the credit crunch and research via the web is showing massive growth. It is vital that independent businesses take advantage of this opportunity. Take a look at the figures...

IMRG/Cap Gemini Sales Index: July 2010

The IMRG Cap Gemini Index grew 20% year-on-year in June, resulting in an Index figure of 5713. This is the highest annual growth in the Index for almost 2 years for the second consecutive month. UK online shoppers spent an estimated £4.4 billion during June; this compares to an estimated £3.7 billion spent online in the same month last year.

All the Little Shops is the ideal platform to help independent businesses build a professional on-line presence.

Town Centre News

Footfall has reduced by up to 30% in some town centres, which has translated into reduced sales and profitability for town centre based businesses.
"Shop Local" campaigns are gathering momentum to help independents and reduce the carbon footprint of consumers travelling further afield.
Regional "Save our small shops" campaigns are being created as trading conditions favour the larger national chains, which results in the cloning of High Streets.
A Commission into Small Shops on the High Street initiated by The Conservative Parliamentary Enterprise Group published its findings in July 2008. "...restoring small shops to our town centres can be as iconic as restoring salmon to the Thames." says Brian Binley, MP in the foreword of the document. Fortunately many town centres still have a good base of independent retailers - we must maintain the soul of our town centres before it is too late.
The Retail Markets Alliance has signed a constitution on behalf of NMTF, NABMA, ATCM, and the farmers' organisation FARMA to support the APPMG (All Party Parliamentary Markets Group) to help make town centres successful and allow independent retailers and markets part of that success.
Reduced high street spend and lack of specific skills means many independent retailers are not in a financial position to design and build a quality e-commerce website for themselves, to access Internet sales opportunities and take advantage of the change in consumer purchasing trends.
There is a need for Town Centre Managers and Councils to help independent retailers and for the independent sector to help itself.
Many town centres are visibly in a down ward spiral of decline with increasing numbers of empty units, a growth in charity shops and the like, being all too common. This militates against attracting additional retail property investment from the private sector who are nervous in the extreme to embark on new investment projects.

There is a real need to act now!

If you are an Independent Retailer click below to register your shop.