7th
Buy local?
Ok, so living on an island means that shopping isnt exactly full of
choice and lacks the options that our brethren on the mainland enjoy but
considering our lack of choice for a moment you would think that our
shops would be bustling, busy little goldmines. However they arent,
there are many closed, closing or just plain empty of stock. Sure there
is a recession and we’re in dark economic times but I still can not
fathom why our local shops arent doing more to keep themselves afloat.
The internet brings us cheap, easy, accessible shopping and I, just like
a lot of people, do almost all my shopping online. But I still wander
down our main street on a Saturday to browse and perhaps buy something
that the internet doesnt lend itself to providing - yet I find the whole
experience wholly unfulfilling.
Times are hard, and our MHK responsible for the Department of Trade and
Industry frequently urges us via the local press and media “to buy
local!”. Seriously? I would love to, I would like nothing more to buy
locally and support the local economy and protect our bricks n mortar
stores - but they arent even willing to meet us halfway. Sure they cant
compete on price, the web wins every time, but that’s not why we shop in
stores, we do that for tactile shopping and we will pay that extra for
immediacy and customer service benefits. Do the shop managers not
realise that?? Instead of bemoaning the consumer trending towards
Internet shopping, they should be capitalising on the differentiators -
the human contact - do they not realise that employing sullen, sulky and
down right unhelpful staff that they are pushing people away from the
stores?
Our main street is no different to many High Streets up and down the UK,
we have all the brand stores - albeit smaller outlets - and we have
local shops that are owned, run by local people. Those are the worse
ones!! We all have our horror stories of poor customer service in those
shops, but what I’m seeing now is downright arrogance. Well, I for one
say good luck to you all, and if you survive the downturn I’ll be most
surprised but rest assured you seen my last £ until you change.
I would urge our DTI minister and the local commerce groups to stop
moaning and trying to lure people in by message only, take some action,
learn from what’s going on, treat the customer better, and get the
basics right - smile & be polite for goodness sake!
So my challenge to the “buy local” ideal is: improve the service and I
will.
