In the midst of a global pandemic the UK high street is suffering more than ever
before with many ailing big names, from fashion retailer French Connection warning
it will run out of cash within the next few months unless it secures a cash injection, to
the ongoing struggles of Marks and Spencer, which scrapped this year’s final
dividend, and now considers it unlikely there will be one next year either, citing
“highly uncertain trading in a prolonged exit period”.
This is why the SME club has launched their campaign to #saveourshops and we want you to join the campaign
The world is a different place than it was just a month ago. As companies try to
maintain their business and stay afloat, many are now wondering about the long-
term impact of coronavirus on the retail and ecommerce industry. Indeed, there are
growing signs that the pandemic could impose permanent lasting change on retailers
far beyond the end of the lockdown.
Here, Derek O’Carroll, CEO, Brightpearl, recaps three ways coronavirus will change
British retail forever…
Fewer stores, more ecommerce
A recent report on coronavirus and consumer behavior found that 8% of so-called
baby boomers are shopping online more. That doesn’t tell the whole picture though.
Another study shows that overall, 60% consumers have purchased more goods
since the lockdown began and some 39% of respondents also reported that they had
been encouraged to purchase products online that they had not considered before,
such as pet food, alcohol and shoes.
Online grocery is also now 10 percent of the total, up from 7 percent in the space of
just a few weeks. Mintel expects the market to grow by a third this year. Experts also
expect a chain of business failures among larger retailers, and an escalation in the
decline of the high street after the pandemic.
The changing nature of retail and change in consumer purchasing behaviour is
leading to many retailers using the Covid-19 crisis as an opportunity to re-evaluate
ecommerce operations and pivot quickly to remain competitive, and this will lead to
fewer stores and more ecommerce.
Rapid Technology Adoption
The C19 crisis is forcing retailers to act much more quickly than they normally would.
As the world moves digital, entering into technology partnerships will become
increasingly common. Digital transformation is something we’ve been talking about
for a long time in retail, but many brands are swifty moving online - a quick glance at
Shopifys recent sales surge shows some merchants are quickly adapting operations
to survive the coronavirus. Other retailers are opening up multiple channels online
using Amazon Marketplace and eBay.
Lockdown is pushing consumers online and this creates a huge opportunity for
smaller players, especially in niche sectors that traditionally didn’t operate purely
online, like gardening and home fitness product suppliers. One such brand, Rep
Fitness in the States has seen a triple digital increase in sales since the start of
lockdown.
Experts suggest more retailers will now take a deeper look at the entire tech stack
and recruit new partners that can help ensure the entire retail operation is fit for
purpose post C19. Leading analytics company Forrester even talks of the new era of
the Digital Operations Platform, where legacy ERP is phased out for flexible
platforms better suited to support modern digital business. In an era of rapid change
, agile technology stacks will be vital for merchants to react quickly to the coronavirus
challenge.
Click and Collect Options Will Accelerate
Click & Collect is already popular, but similar to e-grocery has seen a sharp
increase because of coronavirus. With more stores and restaurants beginning to
reopen and needing social distancing and safety measures in place, expect a major
uptick in new zero contact Click & Collect systems which allows guests to order their
item online before collecting it safely from outside or via car delivery.
Home furnishings retailer Dunelm is one store which will shortly be reopening with
the introduction of a new & contact-free & click and collect service. 39 stores have
returned across the UK, with more to follow in the coming weeks. At the reopened
stores, shoppers will have the option of claiming click and collect orders from an
external collection point or delivery to car option.
Retailers exploring the C&C model need to ensure they have in place the underlying
technologies that enable a smooth transaction. This includes integrating C&C early
in the checkout cycle as part of the range of buying options and the ability to
implement accurate/real-time inventory management - it’s vital to have an accurate
picture of which stores have what inventory so that shoppers can select the most
convenient location and not be disappointed when they arrive at the location to pick
up their product.
Even with click and collect adoption increasing over recent years, the necessity of
using it now is likely to cause permanent adoption to spike. There are some major
upsides to the C&C model with regards to cost-saving opportunities for both the
retailer and the consumer. More and more consumers are choosing to pick-up in
store to save money and avoid the high shipping costs of next-day delivery.
According to Brian Cornell, CEO of US firm Target, when a customer orders online
and uses click and collect about 90% of the cost goes away. So, there are some
hefty benefits for stores to keep the adoption of these services high.