Why a change in mindset could save the UK's highstreets

Visit the majority of UK highstreets and you’ll see a raft of boarded up shop fronts. Store closures from large property holders such as Debenhams, John Lewis and now the sad demise of Wilko, have left big gaps in town centres that are hard to fill.

The move to online retail is often cited as a key contributor when it comes to store closures, but with 44 major retail leaders recently calling for a freeze in the business rates multiplier to be announced in the Autumn, is it time we stop pointing the finger at eCommerce?

With non-store retail continuing to grow, Cas Paton, CEO and founder of UK-based online marketplace OnBuy, Europe’s fastest growing eCommerce company, can discuss why he doesn’t want to see the death of the high street and why eCommerce should be viewed as a tool to help retailers flourish rather than oppressive competition.

Cas can also comment on why he was keen to continue the Wilko legacy, where he felt the value lay in the future of the brand and his thoughts on the future of the one-stop shop.

Media Enquiries:  Rosie Fitzgerald | Head of Brand | rosie.fitzgerald@onbuy.com

Founded in the UK in 2016 by Cas Paton, OnBuy has a simple vision: to be the best choice for every customer and every seller. By not stocking its own inventory, the brand has established itself in the eCommerce sector as a pure online marketplace that doesn’t compete with retailers. Offering millions of products across a range of sectors including electricals, toys, beauty, home and garden, OnBuy gives thousands of verified online retailers the platform to provide competitive prices and exceptional value to customers. Trusted by millions of consumers and world-leading brands, OnBuy understands its customers and partners with its retailers, offering them an online marketplace that works with them, not against them. And with customers benefiting from the marketplace’s unique and generous Cashback offering, it pays to OnBuy it.