New e-commerce outlet serves smaller retailers

14 August 2012 - 15:51

The high streets of the UK have become increasingly barren since the economic downturn really began to take hold, with major names forced out of business and many store fronts left deserted for years.

While big companies have struggled to stay in the black as a result of financial pressures and increased competition from safe shopping online, smaller independent shops have also been feeling the pinch, as consumers turn to their computers and smartphones, rather than the high street, to make purchases.

However, the Telegraph reports that there is a new online outlet which is specifically designed to help these minor retailers make a difference, in a market that has moved away from traditional bricks and mortar outlets.

MyHigh.st is the site in question and it was created by Somerset entrepreneur and independent shop owner, Loaye Agabani, in order to give small retailers somewhere to offer their products online.

At the moment, around 50 stores have committed to using the service, most of them based around the Somerset area.

However, the site is expanding and will begin to feature shops from further afield, with at least 10 other high streets joining the fray.

The site will allow consumers to browse products online and then place their order from their PC, at which point they will be able to visit the store itself in order to collect the items.

Part of the problem for the UK's high streets is that most people want to shop in after-work hours, when stores may no longer be open. 8pm is the peak period for safe shopping online and so this site proposes to capture this market and drive more business to small retailers in the process.

MyHigh.st takes 14 per cent of the revenue that is generated by the retailers who use it, but it also markets, delivers and deals with payments for them.