Shop based retailers have had a double whammy with covid. Retail sites carry premium rent and rates. The cost structure has to allow for this but in normal times the shop front is the biggest marketing tool as they are paying for footfall.
Companies operating purely online have a completely different cost structure. They can set up in much cheaper sites yes but they have to spend much more on direct marketing and online advertising to get digital footfall. But generally they work on smaller margins than shops.
So for those who went into #COVIDー19 crisis as online only it has been more about the challenge of keeping enough staff working safely and dealing with the logistics of an overnight increase in demand.
On the other hand bricks and mortar non essential shops - if they had online too will have really struggled to switch focus and increase online capacity whilst their shops have had zero business overnight.
Bricks and mortar shops not already online - especially independents, will have been unable to get geared up in the timeframe to online and deliveries - you can’t just click your fingers you have to sort out a whole range of logistical issues.
At the same time they have had little or no assistance on their rents for these months. What is going to happen to these high streets when these big shop units stay shut?
