New campaign aims to help high street stores boost their online presence
AN INITIATIVE to help struggling high street shops survive in the digital age will be launched next month with the backing of organisations including Google and Tech City, the Government scheme to promote digital business.
Save The High Street will provide advice and ideas to kick start or improve online sales, as well as listing details on seminars, at its website savethehighstreet.org.
It will be officially launched at an event scheduled for August 10. A network of agents is already canvassing shop owners in the capital to raise awareness of the scheme, which aims to sign up 125,000 retailers in the next 12 months.
The initiative intends to promote ways for local shop owners to improve their online presence using the expertise of its supporting companies and organisations.
Those involved say other barriers to trade such as high rents, business rates and even parking charges could all become part of the new organisation’s remit over time.
It has been supported by Tech City, the Interactive Media in Retail Group, Google’s Digital Garage and PocketHighStreet, which helps promote local shops online.
‘High streets must change to remain relevant in the internet age but most don’t know how, and need help,’ said James Roper, chairman of the Interactive Media in Retail Group.
He said Save The High Street would bring a ‘centralised, substantial solution to enable local retailers to engage in the digital economy’.