Struggling retailers must “look for new ways of working”, Qmatic

High Street retailers like Marks & Spencer have been struggling over the Golden Quarter, including the Christmas period, although there is significant opportunity to engage with customers, grow sales and increase brand loyalty, according to Qmatic research.

The company carried out a survey of 1,300 Brits which found that 66% do most of their Christmas shopping on the High Street, with just 7% doing most of it online. This also revealed the issues that put consumers off about shopping in-store during the Christmas period. 50% flagged up long lines for the till, while 30% cited shops not having the items they wanted in stock. Services such as Click and Collect and the deployment of mobile technology can help retailers to create a smooth, friction-free experience, Qmatic argues.

Vanessa Walmsley, Managing Director at Qmatic, says: “As we see several mainstays of the British retail market, such as Debenhams and New Look, report another poor set of financial results, it is clear that retailers must look for new ways of working and doing business if they are to stop this decline. We all know that a number of factors have been putting significant strain on the UK retail market, including Brexit, the depreciation in the value of sterling, rising inflation and stagnant wage growth. However, our survey shows that there are still significant opportunities for bricks and mortar retailers on the High Street, and that with the right customer journey management strategy, they can grow sales, increase market share and improve customer loyalty to the brand.”