Non-essential businesses are back to their standard opening times. People are slowly starting to go back to the shops, but what is different in this new reality? Did we change our perspective of shopping? Project Women asked a boutique owner and Redcar and Cleveland Ambassador how the first week of reopening was.
I have then noticed that people are around. Customers are slowly back to normal, no madding crowds, but still, people are around.
Which is optimistic for the recovery of our economy. According to the Centre of Retail Research, 176,718 retail jobs were lost during the coronavirus pandemic. This impact was mainly on women; due to (14%) of women employed in the wholesale and retail trade industry.
But now that we come out from the third lockdown, how has the way to do our shopping changed? Do we feel safe? Have we lost the joy to spend Saturday afternoons doing shopping and trying a pile of clothes?
There is much more than the simple act of buying unnecessary clothes or items behind the facade of shopping.
SMEs contribute 47% of revenues in the UK, having a vital role in boosting productivity, so it is fundamental to understand the connection between small business and the economy.
The entrepreneurial ecosystem needs to be encouraged and supported by all of us.
Beth Hodgson, RCA (Redcar and Cleveland Ambassador), which during the lockdown kept encouraging SME entrepreneurs, said: “Last Monday I sent messages to everybody I have worked with, just to wish them good luck and it seems that everybody has a successful first week.”
Jo Bell, Audrey Alice boutique owner in Saltburn by the Sea about her first week, reopen said: “It’s brilliant we got people coming into the shop, just coming in and touch the clothes, I allow them to try on obviously being very careful, still being very careful around the limit of people inside the boutique as well.
“So nice to speak to somebody no in front of the doorstep.”
Boosting Productivity
For the past last year, we have missing, getting around shops get inside, have a chat with the owner, and that feeling of touching and trying clothes on.
But must address another aspect of this pandemic, and it is online marketing, which many entrepreneurs had to learn from scratch how to sell.
Jo Bell said: “I didn’t have a clue about social media. I could do my personal account.
“So I quickly learnt all of that pretty much in one night; I developed a website, now has been improved and launched in February this year.
“Selling through Facebook, Instagram, Google and Google Searches.
“It has been a difficult time, very challenging, but it worth it. The website sells all day, and we had some International sales and people messages you because they want to know about products.”
“Been online allows your brand to reach everything that you could not get before, but when the boutique opened, it was hectic and did it very well, and so was the online.”
Beth Hodgson said: “Because I have been furlough for so long, it’s hard to remember what. I kept myself busy with all the features I have done online with my Ambassador work.
“Because I love doing it, I could work every hour, every day building all that side of things.
“However, been back in the office today for the first time over a year, it was brilliant. We were the only people in the business centre. We are in only two days in the office, which is a nice balance.”
“I didn’t realise how much I can physically do.”
Supporting Small Businesses
In the first week of back to normality, we have learnt different ways to produce. Maybe by accident, we have discovered how to be more present on online sales.
Some sectors learnt how to boost productivity, especially in those where the average productivity is low, such as the food and beverage industry, or the so-called from statisticians’ `allocation effect.`
In economy, it refers to the process by which economic resources get apportioned, assigned to their particular uses for directly or indirectly satisfying human wants.
However, outside, the sunshine shines, and we all slowly back to normal. The first week was a big success for everyone; in Redcar and Cleveland, most businesses showed resilience and adaptability, and their strength has been reworded.
Beth Hodgson said: “Redcar and Cleveland businesses are innovative, they adapted, Jo is a primary example.
“And this is how businesses are in this area.”
Alessia Miceli 