July is Independent Retailer Month, a shop local event that runs annually throughout the month, encouraging consumers to shop at independent retailers. This campaign aims to highlight the critical role that small, local merchants play in the community and the national economy. The month-long celebration encourages consumers to make more informed decisions on where they spend their money, with the goal of creating more sustainable cities, towns and communities.
However, Tony Preedy, Managing Director at Fruugo points out that, online, you can also support independent retailers around the globe by shopping from their businesses:
It is important for consumers to support their local brick-and-mortar shops and small businesses as they play a vital role in creating jobs, contributing to the local community and wider economy. However, the reality is that there are certain products that consumers can only purchase online and independent retailers need to evolve and look for opportunities outside of their domestic market in order to survive.
Whilst Independent Retailer Month celebrates small retailers’ successes and what they have to offer, it also presents an opportunity for businesses to think globally and adapt in order to remain competitive in an increasingly global market.
Our advice to smaller brands and independent retailers would be to focus on increasing the visibility of their products via a robust international sales strategy. Given the current economic climate, retailers can no longer rely on passing footfall for business. They need to build their online presence and look for opportunities or trends in other markets that they can capitalise on to maintain a steady stream of income all-year round.
By altering their marketing strategy and expanding their reach to a global scale, retailers can put themselves on a level playing field with the bigger brands or household names and better protect themselves from falling local demand.
It also pays for retailers to keep abreast of which products are more popular in different markets to ensure that they can offer high quality products that are readily available in all relevant regions. This will be key to growing and sustaining their business in the long run.
Working with cross-border marketplaces lowers the barriers to entry for retailers wanting to sell internationally and makes them more resilient to cross-border challenges. Sellers can connect with customers around the world at virtually zero risk to themselves and more easily jump on trends that are spreading throughout multiple markets; all while still supporting their local community
– Tony Preedy, Managing Director, Fruugo
