

Some services can’t be digitised (yet)
It’s no surprise that small businesses offering niche services (that encourage frequent visits and consumer loyalty) are the ones that seem to be dodging the closing down signs on British high streets. One example of the types of SME businesses winning the high street war are beauty based businesses. For example, 495 beauty salons opened in the UK in 2018, whilst male grooming salons also saw as many as 813 stores open.Why is this happening?
The health food craze and the high street
In 2019 alone, sales of organic produce racked up a healthy £2.3 3 billion in the UK, amounting to an impressive 5.3% growth compared to the previous year. Statistics such as the above prove that consumer eating habits have veered towardly the healthy, with a rise in the opening of whole-food stores and dietary specific cafes being a clear reflection of that.For example, 30% of wholefood sales now take place on the high street, signifying how high street spenders are becoming more health-conscious than ever.The sea-change in consumer eating habits on the high street is also reflected in the closing down of mid-level chain restaurants. After all, there is no need to travel for a basic run of the mill meal when that void can be filled by a quick delivery service that the likes of Deliveroo or Uber Eats provide.

Consumers are thinking about impact

Face to face purchases still matter
Even major store-based retailers and online brands are sitting up and taking the pop-up shop trend seriously. However, this clever method of marketing is easiest for SME retailers to adopt due to their smaller size. This gives the feeling of exclusivity and excitement that modern consumers enjoy if they are to make an effort and visit a store.Why SMEs are winning the high street retail race
The brands that are winning the high street race in 2019 are those that have challenged the stereotypical high street experience with unique and higher quality customer-facing goods and services. People no longer need to impatiently wait in long-standing queues to access affordable goods and experience poor customer service – so if they can bypass that by ordering online they will. This is why SME retailers must take advantage of the gap between fast-paced online services, and dying high-street mega brands, to capture the heads and hearts of consumers with higher-quality goods and services with the personal touch that only they can offer.Share this story