Partner Article

Opportunity online for retailers as trading relaxations end

Retailers are being urged to look for profits online, as the relaxation of Sunday trading laws now ceases with the end of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

While extended opening hours may have provided a temporary boost, Deloitte’s analysis shows longer term growth in the retail sector is more likely to come from investing in a digital presence and integrating it with existing store portfolios.

Research from Deloitte identifies a growing trend for multi-channel shopping, where customers engage with a brand through a number of points, including online and in store, for example browsing products on the web, before going to purchase in a shop.

40% of non-food purchases are now subject to some form of digital influence, meaning the return to traditional Sunday opening hours won’t have the impact it would have done in the past, in part because consumers shopping online spend more per transaction.

Paul Feechan, consumer business partner for Deloitte in the North East said: “Extending Sunday trading hours permanently would allow retailers to offer their customers greater convenience but it is also likely to increase costs.

“Consumer businesses should focus on attracting customers, who are not only buying online but using websites and social media to inform their purchases.

“Retailers will not only meet customer demand, they’ll also access a more lucrative market with these multichannel customers spending more than traditional store only shoppers.”

As reported on Bdaily, business law firm DWF, conducted a survey which found 45% of respondents would like to see extension of the relaxation of Sunday trading hours.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Tom Keighley .