Support the Indies! “Use them, or lose them”
Bath is no different to many other towns and cities in the UK and a combination of increased costs, changes in buying patterns and economic uncertainty have led to an unusually high level of empty retail units. Despite the negativity surrounding shop closures, we believe that retail is very much alive and well. However, Britain is no longer a nation of ‘shopkeepers’, retailers need to offer goods and services which clearly stand out from their competition; retail is now about experience, theatre and impression. Independent retailers are, at their very core, a social interaction, a friend, a familiar face and without the independent retailer Bath would be a very sad city. But here’s the thing, Bath has an amazing mix of incredible, passionate and unique independent retailers, businesses that make the city truly unique and attract both local and foreign visitors to walk the streets. The main high street in Bath is, in many ways, a carbon copy of any other high street in the UK, nationwide retailers with branded shopfronts identical to many others up and down the land. The true magic happens when you walk off the high street and we need to ensure that visitors to Bath know where we are. There is a lot of talk in Bath via social media etc about ‘love’ for the indies and an outpouring of blame and outrage when a business closes…what our independent businesses need even more than ‘love’ is SUPPORT and we would urge people to ‘walk the talk’!
At Moss of Bath we offer a ‘solution based’ sales model..selling a solution that solves the customer’s problem, rather than simply a product. Anyone who walks through our door is looking for a solution to a lifestyle problem and it is up to us to recognise this and provide the right product and/or service. A face-to-face interaction allows us to ask the right questions in order to determine exactly what the client needs. This re-inforces why traditional retail is still the best platform to buy consumer electronic products and latest statistics suggest that shoppers are now more hesitant than ever to buy big ticket items on-line. Buying on-line or from a large chain store will never provide the level of service we (or any independent business) can offer.
Independent Retailer Month is a national ‘shop local’ campaign that runs annually throughout July, encouraging consumers to shop at independent retailers; highlighting their positive social and economic impact – locally, nationally and globally. http://www.independentretailermonth.co.uk
Here are just a few (there are so many more) of our personal favourite independent businesses in Bath ….check them out and try to visit and support at least one this month!
And I’ll leave you with a quote from Mary Portas – “Unless urgent action is taken, much of Britain will lose, irretrievably, something that is fundamental to our society, and which has real social and economic worth to our communities.”