Swoope Local fights back against online giants with a local perspective on online shopping
New online marketplace www.Swoopelocal.com is giving power back to local and independent high street retailers who have been struggling as a result of the coronavirus pandemic to help them compete with online giants such as Amazon. Businesses can now sell online with their own branded store page to offer either instant click & collect through QR codes, home deliveries, table reservations & ordering, or even in some areas Swoope Local is providing same day deliveries to the local areas.
Many high street retailers have gone into administration and closed as a result of the financial pressures of the global pandemic, with a record number of 11,120 chain stores closing between January and June of this year. This is a 71% increase from 2019’s figures and is equivalent to 60 stores closing per day.
Purchasing from large online marketplaces such as Amazon, who benefits substantially from high street closures, further worsens the impact of COVID-19 on local businesses, accelerating the deterioration of the high street. According to an article by the Financial Times, over lockdown, sales on Amazon were up 40% from last year, taking the company’s net revenue to a record-breaking $5.2 billion over that period. These gains only emphasise the struggles local businesses are facing.
Swoope Local offers independent retail and hospitality businesses a collective online marketplace to not only showcase their products online for free, but also the ability for customers to book, buy or order all in one place. The new platform makes products and services more easily accessible to consumers and encourages people to shop local, feeding money back into their high streets to boost the local economy and improve the local community.
With online shopping increasing by 28% since the start of the april, swoope local is helping small and medium businesses, who otherwise would not have the infrastructure or resources to sell online, with an eCommerce solution so they can take on large multinational sites for sales. The company encourages people to think global, shop local, and aims to highlight the importance of keeping communities thriving and support local stores. Getting retailers online is the first step in tackling online giants.
Lee Nazari, CEO of Swoope Local said, “High streets are struggling because of the financial implications of the last 10 years, never mind the last 9 months, there is no doubt about it. Our focus is to help these local retailers make a simple upgrade to their current situation by providing them with comprehensive out the box solution, for free, to sell products online and in store, which is key to survival in a time where ever-changing restrictions are in place. By bringing these businesses online into one place, we are giving them a chance to compete with the likes of Amazon and other industry leaders whose success is accelerating the decline of our local economy’s. It’s absolutely free to set up your Swoope Local store and no monthly contracts. Together we can build a marketplace that actually helps local economies thrive and doesn’t overlook them. All independents ever needed was a level playing field in regards to the technology platform, that’s what we have provided. We are on course to have 1000 stores in our first quarter from launch, and we are proud to be helping british businesses in this desperate time of need”
To find out more about Swoope Local and help small businesses by shopping locally, visit: https://www.swoopelocal.com
