PCR Tech and IT retail, distribution and vendor news
While speaking to PCR, retail expert Clare Rayner pointed out that UK retailers have seen footfall between 9am and 5pm drop 20 to 30 per cent in the last five years.
This statistic poses the question: When should indie retailers actually be open?
It’s no secret that High Streets and shopping centres are quiet during weekday mornings. Rayner suggested that perhaps the solution to these quiet times could be to not open up at all.
Time may be better spent being open longer in the evenings, once normal working hours are over.
With the ever-constant threat of the big etailers looming over their backs, the last thing indie retailers need is customers rushing to get to their store only to find it closed at 5.30pm – and wishing they’d just ordered the product from Amazon.
We recently we asked the PCR Retail Advisory Board if shops should stay open for longer on Sundays. While some were cautious about increasing their opening hours, others welcomed the idea, believing extended hours could help give them another edge over etailers.
It’s not just online that poses a threat to indies. As supermarkets continue to increase their technology offerings, shoppers may head towards them, believing they’ll be open longer.
Now may be the time to see if your store can be the one to offer alternative shopping hours to your local community.
