Get ready for demand spike
RETAIL app provider Jisp has been touting the benefits of offering home delivery, click & collect and scan & go services as consumers brace for a winter of Covid-19 restrictions.
As Scottish customers prepare for the prospect of tough measures in the lead up to the festive period, Jisp has warned that providing a safe shopping experience could prove vital in the weeks ahead.
A spokesperson for the firm said: “Today, with Covid dictating the way the world operates, the question is no longer about uniqueness – it’s about safety and giving customers the ease of mind when shopping in-store.
“There are various ways to ensure customers’ safety – we’ve seen grocery stores introducing one-way systems, floor markings for social distancing, automatic queueing systems and hand-gel dispensers.
“Customers are encouraged to pay by cards where possible, with a contactless limit increased from £30 to £45.
“But, being on the verge of the second Covid outbreak, some of these services are not enough to help customers feel safe.”
Jisp also warned that if demand for deliveries spikes as it did earlier this year, supermarkets could be overwhelmed yet again, meaning c-store retailers should prepare now.
The spokesperson said: “When Covid hit the country for the first time, supermarkets and online grocers could not cope with the shopping hysteria. It was the independent businesses who quickly adapted to the current situation and served their communities when they needed them the most.
“Now is the time for independent stores to step up once again and be local heroes. The high street can’t afford to shut down due to the second Covid wave.
“Smaller retailers can make shopping safe again, and Jisp is here to assist every step of the way.”
