TRENDS FOR 2021 AND WHAT THEY MEAN FOR RETAIL AND POS

TREND 6: SHOPPING LOCALLY

With lockdowns and working from home, many have had the opportunity to rediscover their local high street and started to support local businesses.

• According to Shopify, 51% of UK shoppers actively look to support independently owned businesses and 32% have purchased from an independent business either online or in-store. Of these consumers, over a third (37%) are doing so more often now since before the pandemic

• It seems likely that following a year of working from home many will not wish for a return to a full 5 days of commuting and will split their time between the office and home. Retailers need to think about how they respond to these changing movement patterns

• There is a potential for larger brands to act under different fascias – as Waterstones already have in many smaller high streets – or look to launch localized capsule collections in temporary spaces. The collections could be built around data based on localized browsing behaviour and search patterns

• Local stores can also act as ‘last mile delivery’ solutions for click and collect

TAKE OUT FOR POS:

Adapt campaigns by region to communicate directly with relevant, tailored messaging. Use data and online tools to enable you to understand what is working well and where. Understand store data clearly in terms of location and competition to make informed decisions.