No room for multi-channel in a Mary Portas world

December 13, 2011 By 1 Comment

Retail specialist Mary Portas released her report to the UK government today on how to revive the High Street (Main Street) but there’s little mention of the multi-channel world we live in.While she acknowledges how the growth of online as well as out-of-town shopping have contributed to the high street’s demise there are few suggestions of how today’s technology might be used to enrich the high-street shopping experience.

As travel companies grapple with how to sell via mobile, deal with social media, what role tablet devices might play and integrate online shopping with the high-street experience, Portas offers little advice on how retailers can provide consumers with a seamless experience.

A 28-point plan suggests positive initiatives including cutting regulations for high-street traders and creating town teams to act as the management structure for high-streets.

And, here at least there is mention of an online community portal for information sharing between traders and other parties.

But, where is the recognition that online is not going to go away and already plays a massive role in consumer spending patterns, that different platforms can enrich the high-street experience and that mobile and social are only going to fuel further growth.

The Government is expected to publish its response to the report early next year – perhaps we can expect some concessions to technology advances then.

NB: Hat-tip to Econsultancy blog

NB2: Image via Shutterstock

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Linda Fox About Linda Fox

Linda Fox is a reporter for Tnooz. For the past six years she has worked as a freelance journalist across a range of B2B titles including Travolution, ABTA Magazine, Travelmole and the Business Travel Magazine.

In this time she has also undertaken corporate projects for a number of high profile travel technology, travel management and research companies.

Prior to her freelance career she covered hotels and technology news for Travel Trade Gazette for seven years. Linda joined TTG from Caterer & Hotelkeeper where she worked on the features desk for more than five years.

Comments

  1. Professor Sabena says:
    December 13, 2011 at 1:29 pm

    What planet are these people on? This is far too little far too late and relies too much on local support which will not come. If the locals were truly interested they would have fought off the big box stores in the UK. The fact that a local store has not existed for such a long time seems to be news to the Government.

    Look down any high street who left and created the biggest holes?

    Banks, Travel Agents and Estate Agents. All of whom are controlled at the central level – all of whom have no intention or need to come back.

    So much for the Mary Quant wannabe “expert”

    Cheers

    Reply

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