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Is this the end of the High Street?

Is this the end of the High Street?

Posted: 26th Nov 2008
I want to say first of all that I am so sad listening to the news about Woolworths tonight.

Not just because I remember buying my Pic n' Mix from there when I was 7. Or the fact that I bought my first vinyl single from Woolies (not telling which it was!) but because at a time of unprecedented fear it has heaped misery and worry on thousands of employees.

So the inevitable question was asked on the TV - is this the beginning of the end of the High Street?

The question seems to imply that online shopping has taken its place but Woolworths hasn't gone into administration because of the web.

Online sales account for 7% of all our shopping - a huge amount but no replacement. The High Street is just going to be different and retailers that thrive are ones that get the fact that there is room for bricks and clicks.

And the ones that really do well are like Argos.

So today my wife reserved a toy online, they texted me the collection number on my mobile. I turn up at the store, type in a few numbers, pay at a self-service kiosk, without waiting, and jump the queue to pick up the toy dog. 5 minutes and I am done. A quick and painless 5 minutes.

Now that's what I call shopping - online and on the highstreet.

Argos officially gets it. I bet they do just great this Christmas - and added to that Argos do Voucher codes.
Happy-20% off-Christmas!
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