After some first hand experience of late, I think I now reached my shopping choice conclusions and as much as I’d like the results to be opposite to what they are……..

Getting there

High Street
Get stuck in two traffic jams caused by road works getting tooted at because I didn’t jump the lights when they’d changed to red.
Online
Got up from Sofa and walked into Kitchen.

Parking

High Street
Went to park in normal Car Park but that was reduced to half the normal size due to a hole being dug. Don’t know why the hole was being dug because there was no one there digging it. After trying another two Car Parks, found a space approx 15 minutes walk from Town Centre.
Online
Sat in Chair and switched on PC

Selection of Goods

High Street
Walked to appropriate comparative Shops. Got cold and fingers went numb. Fairly good navigation around the Youngsters who should have been at School and found two of the Shops I was going to look at have closed down

Online
Typed word into Google and got about 14,789 options

Refreshments

Thought I’d have a Breakfast at a well known Department Store. Not many in queue but delayed by kids who didn’t know what they wanted and the Parents who were telling them what they wanted. Counter ran out of Eggs and Mushrooms, had to wait. Same person served on Till and had to wait for him to serve another three lots before we finally got settled

Online
Put the Kettle on, made a slice of toast, sat at window and watched the birds flying around the wild food.

Purchase

High Street
Found items I wished to purchase. Stood behind the person who insisted on having a chat about the Hospital to a completely uninterested Cashier, then waited whilst they tried to help the Assistant out by going through about six compartments of a Handbag to either pay the exact amount or make it so to receive less change.

Online
Clicked ‘pay here’

Getting back

High Street
Lugged two fairly heavy Carrier Bags which were designed to break if you made any movement other than forward, got to car to find someone had parked right up against me, forcing me to get into my driving seat through the passenger door. Drove back a different route to avoid road works, but found another two. One more jam because of a Juggernaut traversing a sharp bend on a narrow road which he’d obviously found on his Sat Nav.

Online
Walked back into Sitting Room, sat on Sofa and dozed off for half an hour. Postman arrives with good one or two days later.

Oh how I would love to support my local Shops and half the reason they are closing down is because of the above plus the ease of Out of Town Supermarkets with car spaces for five thousand !

We are in a transition of Retail and the only way for the High Street to win back it’s customers is to make the experience of going there a happier one, one where you feel welcome and are going away satisfied with what you’ve achieved.
Ease of use and good quality service are the key surely. All the while we have the simplicity of not leaving home, paying a Car Park fee and returning completely stressed out, Internet shopping will win hands down and with prices usually less it must send a wake up call to Shops, which most of us want – they employ more people !

Bah humbug !!