The current gloom on the high street would have us believe that the future is bleak for physical stores, but retailers are using lateral thinking and innovative digital ideas to create shopping outlets fit for the 21st century.
Tumbleweed rolling through our high streets is a picture some have been quick to predict,” says O2 sales and service director Feilim Mackle. “I don’t believe that will ever be reality. The high street is transforming before our eyes. Technology is opening new doors for retailers and I think the high street of the future will be defined by the digital experiences that make our lives easier.”
The current doom and gloom around the UK’s high streets has many wondering which brand will go into administration next and what the future holds for retailers. But some, like O2’s Mackle, argue this is an exciting time and new channels such as online are an enabler rather than a threat.
Reasons for this optimism are evident in initiatives such as Google’s recent announcements it will be helping retailers to adapt to changing consumer behaviour - invaluable support considering that many of those that have entered administration failed to adapt quickly enough to digital innovations in their field.
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