30 NEWS


Almost two thi rds of consumers are unwilling to make expensive purchases online and prefer to spend larger amounts in-store, according to new research. A study of 1,000 UK


consumers, conducted by PushON, found that 62 percent of shoppers would prefer to buy pricey, considered purchases in-store rather than online, with a massive 82 percent believing in store purchasing gives them more


security when shopping for expensive items. They claim this is because


they can see exactly what a product looks like before committing to the purchase. When deciding on a


purchase, 47 percent would research products online to help them make a decision, but would then opt to go to a store to buy the item because they have the option of asking for help from customer service assistants.


In fact, 79 percent have


seen an expensive product online that they have liked, but have then gone in-store to make the final purchase. Despi te onl ine sales


increasing year on year, shoppers have a limit as to how much they will spend over the internet. Over a third of consumers


admit they will spend a maximum of £1,000 online, but would feel safer handing over larger sums of cash in


Food festival to expand


An annual food festival in Warwickshire’s county town is set to be bigger and better this year. For 2018 Warwick Food


Festival is due to grow in scale to cater for the demand in applications, expanding on to more streets around the town. The festival is now in its


fourth year, and will take place on Sunday May 27 from 10am to 6pm. Stalls usually fill the town’s


Market Place, Old Square and Market Square offering a wide range of food, drink and produce, and the festival has grown year on year, rapidly becoming one of Warwick’s biggest annual events.


But this year organisers


CJ’s Events Warwickshire have been given permission by the council to expand even further. Jamie Walker, from CJ’s


Events Warwickshire, told local media: “Just over four years ago, we visualised a modest number of food and drink stalls, with some music. From this little idea has grown Warwick Food Festival. “Fol lowing successful


consultation over the past few weeks with Warwick District Council’s events team, we have managed to secure additional streets to accommodate more stalls. “The festival usually takes


place on Old Square and finishes at the junction with New Street, but we’re now using Old Square right down to St Marys Church and also New Street. “Additional stalls will fill the


streets, along with a second music stage, Kids Cookery Theatre and a couple of children’s fair rides. “The demand in this festival


is unbelievable, and we’re pleased to be working with Warwick District Council to expand this event to meet the visitors demand. “Appl icat ions remain


closed, and we wi l l be contacting traders who are on a reserves list.”


Online retailers could be losing sales as UK consumers prefer to buy big ticket items in-store


person, meaning retailers could be missing out on thousands in online sales. T h i s r e s e a r c h wa s


carr ied out as part of PushON’s ‘Webrooming vs Showrooming report’, which looks at consumers’ shopping preferences and how they prefer to buy considered purchases. Sam Rutley, managing


director at PushON, said: “Consumers seem to feel very comfortable researching expensive products online, because they can compare a lot of options in a small amount of time without having to travel


MARKET TRADER, FEBRUARY 2 - 15, 2018 UK consumers reluctant to buy expensive goods online


to lots of different shops. “But the issue lies with when


they come to make the final purchase, as many don’t currently feel confident doing this over the internet, mainly because they can’t see what the product looks like in real life.


“With customers reluctant


to spend large amounts online, this limits the types of sales that retailers can make through their websites. “Of course, this will have


a greater effect on those retailers that sell higher value purchases, such as cars, kitchens or furniture, and


could drastically lower their online sales. “Retailers need to be


addressing this issue by building up the same level of trust and reliability online that customers feel they receive when shopping in store. “They should therefore


re-evaluate the customer support they provide across all purchasing platforms so customers feel confident in the products they’re buying and trust in the online process. “If not, some retailers could


be missing out on thousands of pounds in lost sales and revenue.”


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