Do you shop online?
A number of reports over the last few days have suggested that UK consumers are now more interested in the Internet than ever have been before. A significant rise in online spending has cast a spotlight on the UK retail sector, both the off-line and the online arenas, which are performing very differently. There are growing concerns that a growing emphasis on the online arena will squeeze off-line companies and see many fall by the wayside over the next few years.
It is unclear whether the recession has seen many people looking for bargains on the Internet or whether indeed an increase in security measures is beginning to hit home. Either way, there is no doubt that UK consumers are now more willing and more able to spend money online than they ever have been, something which will have a major impact on the off-line arena going forward.
Many off-line companies just cannot compete with their online counterparts due to significantly higher costs, many of which are fixed and unlikely to change in the short to medium term. However, there is every chance that property companies may well also feel the pinch in the medium to longer term with demand for shopping centres potentially under threat.
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