High Street Retailer Support

 

With the increasing threats facing our high streets, our businesses and communities, Hampshire County Council has moved to try and help.

 

A new survey from eBay has found that four-fifths of sellers who also have a bricks and mortar presence believe the rise of internet retailing is saving, rather than harming, their business.

The findings from the third Online Business Index “demolish claims that online retail is responsible for the decline of the traditional high street business,” says eBay. In fact, the company says, the majority (79%) of bricks and mortar firms believe the introduction of online trade has saved their business. Furthermore four fifths (80%) of online-onlySMEs believe that bricks and mortar businesses are rendered more sustainable by having an online offering as well.

The Index challenges perceptions of the online economy by showing a significant proportion (44%) of online retailers are based in rural areas, eBay continues. “These businesses are providing a much needed boost to rural economies and generating income in a way that would have been impossible without the internet.”

“We began selling online because we wanted to sell our products to a wider market,” says Shaun Redhead, manager of a family-run shop selling musical instruments. “In the short time we have been trading online, the income of the business has doubled. As a result, we’ve been able to invest more into our business and grow at an exciting pace. Most importantly, it has allowed us to expand our bricks and mortar shop; in fact we have now bought the store next door and doubled the shop in size.”

Hampshire County Council has teamed up with local experts in the Online Retail Sector to develop a series of workshops and training sessions aimed at showing retailers how they can take advantage of the internet too.

 

Please use the menu on the left to view the workshop content and course details.  If you know which course you would like to attend then please complete the form below to book your place now.  All courses are FREE to retailers in Hampshire.