If there’s one silver lining from the Covid-19 pandemic then it has showed us the value of community.
And more than 70% of shoppers in the South West have vowed to vote with their feet this Christmas by supporting local.
Research from Starling Bank and the British Independent Retailers Association has found that 72% of people in the South West plan to buy gifts from independent shops this year – the highest of any 海角视频 region.
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But in a world of social distancing - online is king with home deliveries set to be the most popular Christmas shopping method this year, with over half (54%) doing the majority of their shopping online, with 48% using home deliveries, and 6% using click and collect.
It shows that more than ever, if small indies are to survive, then they have needed to build their online communities.
The value of Instagram
Artist Laura Wall’s gallery is the flagship of Teignmouth’s arts quarter. She sells a range of gifts and homeware designed with her signature illustrations.
And Instagram has been a vital shop window while non-essential retail has been closed this year.
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She said: “Instagram has become a great tool for us to shout out to the world about new products, especially over lockdown when in enabled us to reach out to customers we wouldn’t be able to see otherwise. In turn they were then able to interact with us during lockdown too. Especially on things like ‘stories’ which are quick bite size snippets of life in the gallery, it adds a personal edge about me as an artist and showed our followers what we were getting up to behind the scenes - like packaging orders and creating new products. It gives that Iittle insider knowledge to those who want it.”
But a real bricks-and-mortar presence is vital too - not just for trade but for the vitality of the town itself.
Laura explained: “A lot of our followers have met us through the gallery and our followers have grown organically from there so we have a lot of lovely interaction. I think it is especially nice for those who may have come across us on holiday - they can keep up with what’s going on here. Over lockdown we had a lot of messages of support from local customers too, they couldn’t come physically to the shop to browse but were still able to support us - even just with a comment on a post.
“As amazing as Instagram was over lockdown, I think our shop windows were as important, making sure they were as beautiful as could be, showcasing everything we sold and with signage on how to order online meant we were kept really busy over lockdown with postal orders and click and collect.
“It was really important to have a good website too with click and collect options and as many products on it as possible. People were always walking past and peering through the windows, I wanted it to be a happy place. I was in the gallery most days over lockdown painting and packaging orders and people said how nice it was to see the lights on and someone there with a smile.”
Laura Wall produced a video to promote Teignmouth
Opening in a lockdown
In Exeter, former lab chemist Sharon Mitchell decided that lockdown would be the best time to open a new shop for her online soap business Soapdaze.
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She was on the hunt for some new space when the home workshop where she had been running her business for the last nine years was getting too overcrowded.
Sharon explained: “I was on the lookout for a bigger workshop, but none of them looked very appealing. I love my job so much I couldn’t bear to go to a soulless unit every day so when I saw the shop was up for rent, in Exeter’s independent quarter, I was so excited.
Sharon took over the lease just two weeks before lockdown and despite the stress, she found that orders through her established online shop carried her through.
Sharon said: “One of our team members is a whizz at marketing so she worked hard with new website ideas and e-newsletters.
“We were unsuccessful with the £10,000 small business grant, which was tough, but not the end of the world. We had plenty of time to get the shop ready for opening, rather than rushing, which was an advantage.”
Sharon turned to Instagram to showcase the new shop to her followers and she says that the platform has been instrumental to growing her business.
She explained: “People really like seeing the progress of kitting out the shop as well as videos of the soap making process from cutting, trimming and stamping.
“Instagram has been instrumental in growing my business. I’ve been approached by many new stockists, and taken part in collaborations and giveaways with lots of other like minded businesses.
“A lot of people are trying to support local businesses. This is the best part of running a small business, as we all get to know not just our customer base, but our individual customers really well. They can actually shape our business from their questions and requests. It is so rewarding building relationships and friendships with our long standing customers.”
Good retail will be a mix of online and town centre presence
Andrew Goodacre, Chief Executive of the British Independent Retailers Association (Bira) said that that for most of the year, ‘indies’ have changed their business model and increased their digital footprint.
He said: “This will continue without forgetting about the local opportunity.”
Starling Bank Founder and CEO Anne Boden said that local businesses have proven to be the backbone of our economy and our communities in the lockdown.
She said: "Independent retailers have had to show huge amounts of resilience weathering the storm this year and it's been impressive to see how so many have quickly adapted, whether that be moving online or adjusting their business model.”
It's a kind of therapy
For coffee shop owners Magda and Martin Bartnicki, starting up their new venture Coffery&Co in North Street, Exeter was a dream come true. But little did they know that a national lockdown was just around the corner.
Magda explained: "We opened our doors on March 2 and had to close them again on March 21. We had just 18 days of trading and it was really crazy. We had so much planned for the launch and grand opening. You only have one shot at opening a business and we feel like we lost so much."
The pair quickly launched a take away service even though it wasn't in their business plan but found launching into a suddenly crowded market difficult.
But after a few weeks in, they found their feet and by the end of May, they were one of just two coffee shops in the city open for takeaway.
Magda explained: "We were open for just four hours a day in what felt like a deserted ghost town but we started to build up our customers and the people that came to us were so grateful that we were open and really appreciative of our coffee and cakes.
"The atmosphere was amazing, people coming together and supporting each other. Everyone was coming, not just to have a coffee but to see another human being and get a little taste of normality, and that was the same for staff as well as customers. It was a kind of therapy for people."
Life returned to the High Street in June and with the return of the city's students, trade quickly picked up with customers staying loyal to the coffee shop.
Martin said: "When the second lockdown happened, it wasn't so bad because we had gone through it before and we had already built our relationships with people."
Social media has helped stay in touch even during the downturn and customers are definitely making a point of spending with indies in the city, added Magda.
She explained: "Customers really appreciate their independent shops. They want something different from what the chains can offer and I think they are more emotionally involved with them.
"We had customers who were volunteering, taking hot meals to people shielding and others who told us that it was the first time they'd been out for three months or more. It has been hard work and a crazy time to open a business, we love it because it is about human interaction and that is what we all need at the moment."
Will you shop local this Christmas or does Amazon make it too cheap and easy to stop at home? Have your say in the