High St retailers must step up PayTech game, jisp

41% of UK shoppers have ditched the High Street because of long queues, according to research by jisp involving 1,000 people. Consumers also cited difficulty locating products (19%) and unknowledgeable staff (15%) as the main deterrents of visiting traditional stores.

24% called for retailers to adopt better payment technology, while 37% expect to be able to see what’s in stock in real-time. “Despite the fact that fewer of us now shop in bricks and mortar stores, lower staffing levels often mean there are still queues at the pay desk, which can be frustrating. In this age when payments can be made instantly with a mobile phone, for example, these delays seem like a relic of the past to busy shoppers – and another reason to shop online,” says Julian Fisher, jisp CEO.

At the same time, however, 15% of respondents value the fact that a High Street trip avoids the delivery charges and waiting times associated with online shopping. 13% believe it is easier to see what is available in a traditional store compared to browsing online. 48% said that the ability to touch and feel products was the biggest benefit to in-store shopping, although 39% admit they rarely speak to shop assistants for product information.