High street shops closing

[stratplus]

Comet, Jessops, Hmv now Blockbusters closing due to the Internet.
It will be tradesmen next due to people googling and getting all the answers on here!!

 

[migoplumber]

nope. that will only give us experienced folk a future saving drowning people !

 

[erpkid]

Yes indeed you can't actually fix a tap over the Internet.

 

[hammers4spanner]

Yes indeed you can't actually fix a tap over the Internet.

wont stop muppets trying tho

 

[stevetheplumber]

big changes in our shopping habits we now go in shops to see if we like what we intend to buy on the internet jessops was known as amazons showroom

 

[Subby]

Comet, Jessops, Hmv now Blockbusters closing due to the Internet.
It will be tradesmen next due to people googling and getting all the answers on here!!

Exactly what I thought, we need to move with the times.

 

[heliotrope]

Even grocers now diversifying into betting shops. Went into Tesco today for
a burger. Waitress asked if I wanted to back it to win or each way!

 

[petercj]

Comet, Jessops, Hmv now Blockbusters closing due to the Internet.
It will be tradesmen next due to people googling and getting all the answers on here!!

I think it's too simplistic to explain these closures purely in terms of the effects of Internet shopping, the end of the line has been looming for a while for a number of national chains, and part of it is a knock-on effect from Government policy, i.e. mass yellow lining and rip-off parking charges have strangled trade in most High streets, and LA's justify such revenue raising by pointing to cuts in grants and other funding from Central Government. Business rates have also been hiked up and similar justification has been given by LA's.

The lack of foot-fall in the High Street caused many of the National chains to relocate to the shopping centres, however, the hassle of and cost of parking in a concrete jungle where you struggle to get out of your car because you can't get the flaming car door open because you're parked in space more suited to a pram has seen many shoppers choosing to visit Retail Parks where parking is free, easier, and usually near to the store you want to visit. However, most people travel to a Retail Park to visit a particular store, rather than walking around and past other stores, as was done in the High Streets, which often led to browsing and buying something that wasn't intended at the beginning of the shopping expedition. This has caused many of these stores to lose trade to the Supermarkets where people can browse through such goods while buying their weekly essentials.

By slashing funding to Councils the Government has indirectly screwed many a business.

Blaming the Internet for the demise of these businesses draws attention away from the role the Government have played.

None of the above applies to the small tradesman, and the number of people visiting this site for advice is infinitesimal in relation to the national demand for gas/plumbing services.

 

[nicro3]

The fact is a lot of people are spending less.

 

[lame plumber]

internet giving diyers ideas means more work from all their cock ups

 

[petercj]

The fact is a lot of people are spending less.

Yes they are, but Internet trading is growing fast.

If I want to use an HMV store I have a choice of making a round trip of 12 miles to a retail park, or driving into town and finding a place to park in the multi-storey costing 2 quid upwards, and then quite a walk to get to the shop in the shopping centre.

Load of hassle + cost of petrol and parking = much easier to buy on-line.