Is On-line shopping killing the High Street?

[Parafox]

With the closure of Jessops following Comet and many other smaller retailers, the blame is being partially laid at the door of the likes of Amazon etc.

With the rise in on-line shopping, what will become of our city centres? Feedback suggests that people use shops as facilitators to check out products (such as cameras) and then go on-line to buy.

iTunes similarly is undermining the physical music stores and (for me) is less of an enjoyable experience. It happens to be more convenient.

Is it time to give up and re-think the shopping experience or is it all going to come right eventually?

I note that The High Cross was packed after Christmas but before then I had no problem with crowded shops as there weren't any.

[Rocket-Ron]

Hell yeah

Perhaps the high street will become a distribution centre.

[Webbo]

It's obviously a huge contributor to the problem. That's progress for you, some things get better others get worse but you'll never stop it.

[Rincewind]

From what I heard Comet never offered on-line shopping to its customers so they committed suicide. Jessops had competition from stores like Asda Currys/PC World who were a lot cheaper.

[Parafox]

It's obviously a huge contributor to the problem. That's progress for you, some things get better others get worse but you'll never stop it.

Maybe so, but what will become of the towns? There must be a survival strategy of some sort.

[leicsmac]

Did you read my recent contribution to the Job Losses thread then Para?

I'll stick it here too because I think it's relevant.

Good companies that provide good service should be rewarded with customers and income. However often there then comes the point where that good company dominates the market and has the money (and therefore political power) to influence government policy to continue that domination. Amazon, for instance have killed off a lot of smaller business by undercutting them through economies of scale (oh and using every tax loophole they could find, perhaps even with government aid). It's legitimate business practice, but it puts people out of work. And who cares about them eh? Not when you can get that book/DVD/electronic product for cheaper, and with reliable service. For now,

Monopoly is often the natural result of free market economics nowadays - often not from one company, but several working in a cabal. Take the energy supplier situation in this country as an example. Cosy little cabal, toothless regulator, charge what they like.

I'll always believe that too much power (be it monetary, corporate or political) should not be concentrated in the hands of one or just a few people/companies.

[kingfox]

I think it's partly to blame, but with Jessops and Comet especially, it's all these gadgets and phones what are coming out, who needs to go to Jessops and buy a camcorder or cameras, when you have all this gear on your phones nowadays.

And like Rince said, there is always the case of battling against other shops, which can affect as well.

[Guest MattP]

A big effect obviously. Amazon only has to have storage and far less employees hence they can buy in bulk and shift things out cheap as anything.

This is a reason why I try to shop in as many local stores as possible rather than on the internet. That said looking at the state of some areas of most city centres I visit, they also need to do more to intice people to shop there.

[stix]

Everyone shopping online & the big chain supermarkets going into selling electrical goods at knockdown prices are killing the high street.

Like you said, if i want to buy something, electrical or clothing, then i will have a mooch around town so i can physically look and feel the product but unless its the same price as online i wont be buying it from there.

Its a shame though.

Soon enough people won't need to leave their house for anything. Actually, thats pretty much the case now-apart from going to & from work.

[leicsmac]

Maybe so, but what will become of the towns? There must be a survival strategy of some sort.

It may well end up going to same way as most of the county towns in the US - all the retail stuff is in big out-of-town retail parks, the centres are practically dead. Of course the really big cities are an exception, but many of the medium-sized towns are like this.

[Parafox]

From what I heard Comet never offered on-line shopping to its customers so they committed suicide. Jessops had competition from stores like Asda Currys/PC World who were a lot cheaper.

I get your point there, (I was thinking more of high-end equipment as I was looking for a camera that isn't a simple digital one but has through lens focusing with exchangeable lenses and they are more expensive) But Jessops had a bigger range so I guess they went under more due to on-line competition than competition from Asda.

[lcfcsnow]

From what I heard Comet never offered on-line shopping to its customers so they committed suicide. Jessops had competition from stores like Asda Currys/PC World who were a lot cheaper.

I'm certain they did, I bought a Macbook from them a few years ago and it was delivered by their own Comet driver/lorry.

[Parafox]

Did you read my recent contribution to the Job Losses thread then Para?

I'll stick it here too because I think it's relevant.

Good companies that provide good service should be rewarded with customers and income. However often there then comes the point where that good company dominates the market and has the money (and therefore political power) to influence government policy to continue that domination. Amazon, for instance have killed off a lot of smaller business by undercutting them through economies of scale (oh and using every tax loophole they could find, perhaps even with government aid). It's legitimate business practice, but it puts people out of work. And who cares about them eh? Not when you can get that book/DVD/electronic product for cheaper, and with reliable service. For now,

Monopoly is often the natural result of free market economics nowadays - often not from one company, but several working in a cabal. Take the energy supplier situation in this country as an example. Cosy little cabal, toothless regulator, charge what they like.

I'll always believe that too much power (be it monetary, corporate or political) should not be concentrated in the hands of one or just a few people/companies.

Yes and it got me thinking.

[Parafox]

A big effect obviously. Amazon only has to have storage and far less employees hence they can buy in bulk and shift things out cheap as anything.

This is a reason why I try to shop in as many local stores as possible rather than on the internet. That said looking at the state of some areas of most city centres I visit, they also need to do more to intice people to shop there.

Ain't that the truth. (entice.. sorry)

[Rincewind]

You can get a video camero with a USB connection. I have used one. Size of a phone. When you are done you download the film straight onto your PC.

[Webbo]

Maybe so, but what will become of the towns? There must be a survival strategy of some sort.

Well you can't drink coffee or eat food over the internet so going up town to do a bit of retail therapy will always exist. The council could also use a bit of brains and stick attractions like theatres and galleries in the town instead of pointless cultural quarters.

[leicsmac]

Well you can't drink coffee or eat food over the internet so going up town to do a bit of retail therapy will always exist. The council could also use a bit of brains and stick attractions like theatres and galleries in the town instead of pointless cultural quarters.

Truth. You need some kind of draw.

[Parafox]

I like the plan that the Silver Arcade will be made up of small independent retailers as St Martins is. It's a nicer place to shop but couldn't sustain a whole town centre.

[Guest MattP]

Ain't that the truth. (entice.. sorry)

Archaic

[Mike the Metal Ed]

Well you can't drink coffee or eat food over the internet so going up town to do a bit of retail therapy will always exist. The council could also use a bit of brains and stick attractions like theatres and galleries in the town instead of pointless cultural quarters.

What makes De Mont so different then? It's hardly central. If you can find your way to there, Filbo or Welford Road, you can find your way to Curve or the new Phoenix. They could be better signposted though.

[ScouseFox]

Yes. Why would you go out to town, pay for the bus (or parking), have to put up with all the other ****** in town and probably find they don't have what you're looking for when you can just click a few times and know it'll arrive the next morning (if you want) without you even getting dressed?

[mrsizzett]

Comet did sell online....... at a far cheaper price then in store!!??? so as soon as i had researched online, i would nip in to store check it out live for large white goods, then return home ( have even ordered online stood in the store from my phone!!) and save myself between £50 - £100 sometimes !!!

so they shot themselves in the foot with the price as they have to pay rent and wages etc for all store staff too

[Webbo]

What makes De Mont so different then? It's hardly central. If you can find your way to there, Filbo or Welford Road, you can find your way to Curve or the new Phoenix. They could be better signposted though.

The DeMont has been there over 100 years so it wouldn't be fair to blame the current council. The KP and the rugby ground are not owned by the council so that irrelevant, although they wouldn't really be suitable for the city centre.

You can visit the Curve without passing through town on the way in or out so the shops in town are not going to benefit from the footfall. The council were on about building a gallery a few years ago, wouldn't it be a good idea to put it in some of the empty shop space in the town?

Leicester isn't as big as Birmingham or Manchester. A cultural quarter is a ridiculous idea.

[Rincewind]

I just heard different from people who found it difficult to shop with them online and have things delivered. They may have done it a little then but it was not great.

[davieG]

We had similar situation with the cinemas, and pubs banks will be the next thing to go missing. I rarely go up town and if I do I rarely spend anything I usually end up feeling depressed as to how it's deteriorated.