CHARLIE CLARENCE-SMITH
BUSINESS MANAGEMENT
RETAIL INDUSTRY
Historically, the high street has been the obvious place for the consumer to shop however in more recent times out-of-town shopping centres and the internet are becoming increasingly popular. Why?
Aims
The main aims of my research are to find out what factors are contributing to the increase of consumer spending on the internet and in out of town shopping centres. I will also be looking at both the advantages and disadvantages of high street shopping, out-of-town shopping and internet shopping. This information should be able to show us why consumers in recent times choose to shop where they do and the main reasons for this. The information will be relevant to the UK Retail Industry as a whole.
Background
The question above is of interest and relevance because in modern times there has been a clear change in where people shop and this affects everyone. It is of interest as to where and why people shop in the places available. What are consumer’s main concerns? Price? Accessibility? Convenience?
Recent Articles posted on www.bbc.co.uk on the Retail Industry write of recent increases in High Street shopping over the Christmas period and of success in Boxing Day and January sales. However, recent articles in the Financial Times have stated how there is likely to be an increase in interest rates for early 2008. This will result in consumers reducing their spending on luxuries and will be more likely to save there money. This in turn will affect the Retail Industry as a whole as consumer spending will decrease.
In an academic context my research will be, ‘‘an organised, systematic and logical process of inquiry, using empirical information ...