Retail advisory board urges Government to invest in digital technology
Posted on in Business News , Political News
The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) published a report about how high streets can increase their revenue and footfall by taking advantage of digital technologies.
The report also proposes plans for town centre connectivity, including Wi-Fi and broadband provisions, and providing a platform for communities to access digital technologies across the UK.
Research found that many high streets are failing to engage with customers and keep up with technology. Half of all small high-street retailers and charities do not have a website and more than one in four businesses does not have sufficient online skills to interact with customers, or process online orders, said the report.
John Walden, Home Retail Group's chief executive who chairs the Digital High Street Advisory Board, explained that 60% of adults use mobile phones to access the internet on the move, with more than £150bn of retail sales influenced by digital. But he warned retailers were losing out on £12bn in sales every year due to not having suitable websites, or online and digital services.
"The Government has done a good job pushing an agenda to get infrastructure laid such as trying to get 24mbps of speed in 95 per cent of residences," he said. "But what we are suggesting is that the standards be reset for 2020 because the demand is increasing so dramatically."
Penny Mordaunt, the Communities minister, welcomed the report: "High streets contribute billions of pounds to the economy and we know digital is the way forward so it is vitally important traders and town centres keep up with the way people shop if they are to thrive," she said.
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