British shoppers stay loyal to local high street but call for better service and loyalty schemes
Research reveals what the nation really thinks about its local high street, retailers and businesses.
At a time when retail experts are calling for the nation to better support the Great British High Street, research from Groupon UK reveals that shoppers have started to listen but feel there’s still room for improvement.
Questioning 1,000 shoppers nationwide revealed that almost a third of Brits hit their local high street once a week (28%), with another third (40%) using it a few times a month. What’s more, independent businesses have benefitted from recent news such as the horse meat scandal, with one in ten (13%) now choosing to use them over chains.
Shoppers also said they wanted to see high street businesses offering more discounts and loyalty schemes (79%), efficient (79%) and personalised (61%) customer service; and to be able to order in specific items that might not immediately be in stock (68%). Over half (58%) admit that longer opening hours on weekdays would also be more likely to tempt them in.
Roy Blanga, Managing Director, Groupon UK commented: “It’s heartening to know that British shoppers still have a connection with their local high street and use independent shops and businesses for their everyday needs. At the same time, business owners should also be thinking about how to make their offer stand out both on and offline to deliver better value and customer service. This two-pronged approach is vital if our high streets are to flourish.”
Edward Bonilla, Head of CRM, Groupon UK & Ireland, will be speaking at the Retail Bulletin’s 4th Customer Loyalty Conference, 12th June 2013. He will present a case study: ‘The future of loyalty is social media’. Don’t miss this timely, retailer-led interactive day –Register now.
