Click and collect decision is ‘vital’
The Government needs to provide clarity to Irish retailers and confirm that click and collect services will be re-introduced from 4 May.
That’s the call this week from Digital Business Ireland (DBI), the digital, ecommerce and online business representative body. It also says that restricting click and collect services also means people lose out on the “unique offering of local businesses that international competitors cannot provide”.
It says the lack of click and collect harms the viability of many retailers, as well as severely limiting the choice for some consumers.
DBI added that while retailers recognise that the ban on click and collect services for non-essential retail which Government imposed on 31 December was “wholly justified amid the spread of the virus at the time, the current epidemiological situation and new data about viral transmission outdoors in Ireland paint a more positive picture”.
These new circumstances, allied to the fact that businesses devised systems in the run up to Christmas to ensure people maintain social distancing and hygiene standards while queuing and collecting goods, make it clear that click and collect services can resume in a safe and responsible manner, according to the body.
As many non-essential retailers, including small and local businesses, are struggling for survival, and many companies had in previous months invested heavily in warehousing and distribution to meet demand, the DBI say that the need to lift the ban on click and collect services is “now acute”. To make the most of limited resources, retailers need clarity as to whether they can prepare for a resumption of this on 4 May.
Secretary General of Digital Business Ireland Lorraine Higgins said: “At DBI we are dedicated to our mission of helping Irish companies make the most of the digital economy and encouraging Irish consumers to direct their online spend to local businesses.
“Click and collect services are a vital part of the digital economy, allowing retailers to make digital sales without the expense associated with setting up deliveries, costs that many may not be able to bear in these difficult times.”
She continued: “Simultaneously, these services provide the consumer with a safe and convenient alternative, with no delays and additional costs, often making a click-and-collect service from an Irish business more attractive than ordering online from an external competitor.”
Ms Higgins added: “After four months of severe restrictions, Irish retail businesses will be in acute need of a successful reopening led by an efficient resumption of click-and-collect services.
“However, businesses need time to prepare stocks, staff and strict safety measures to make the reopening profitable and safe,” she added.
DBI said that while recent data shows online transactions made by Irish consumers have been increasing in recent months, the progress made on increasing the share of that online spend going to Irish businesses has been slipping.