In the run up to Christmas we have seen a number of news stories discussing how more and more people are choosing to do their Christmas shopping online instead of visiting their local high streets. For many, online shopping makes organising Christmas quicker and easier, as they can order everything they need from the comfort of their own home and avoid the dreaded Christmas rush.

Knowing this fact, retailers across the country have been working hard to entice customers to complete their Christmas shopping offline. In order to debunk the belief that shopping offline is tiresome and stressful, many shops have been offering reduced prices and have also made a special effort to ensure the shopping experience is as pleasant as possible.

Some of the UK’s most well-known stores have offered discounts of up to seventy five per cent, including Boots, House of Fraser and Debenhams, however this has mostly been later on in the festive season when those looking for a bargain would be more inclined to shop offline. Discussing the current situation, general manager of Brent Cross shopping centre Tom Nathan said: “Christmas really started from Black Friday which has become a far bigger phenomenon than previous years. People are leaving it later and later because retailers have better ranges available.

“The general view customers take is that if I want to buy something, I can have it. It’s definitely looking more positive.” Other shopping centres across the country have also seen shoppers following a similar pattern, with Richard Paxton, general manager of the Trafford Centre in Manchester, saying: “Some of our retailers are offering pre-Christmas deals, in a bid to attract customers to their stores. Savvy shoppers are arriving early on Saturday mornings, or staying later into the evening, for uninterrupted Christmas shopping with the chance of some great bargains.”

Meanwhile, David Pierotti, manager of the Silverburn shopping centre in Glasgow said: “We’re seeing menswear, sleepwear, gadgets and home gifts as the top sellers. The PS4 has predictably been one of the year’s sell-out gifts. Our Game store got a delivery yesterday morning and they had flown out the door by 11am. For kids, our retailers are telling us that Furby, Monopoly Empire, V Tech InnoTab, Chill Factor Squeeze Cup and Dr McStuffins goods are proving popular. Jewellers are also very busy – I expect lots of proposals to be happening this Christmas.”

Some of the UK’s biggest shopping centres are even reporting visitors increasing by fifteen per cent week on week, such as Bluewater in Kent. A spokeswoman from the shopping centre said: “Factors driving our strong performance are the breadth and quality of our shops and restaurants, promotions available in store, and the wider experience that Bluewater provides for Christmas shopping. Consumers are visiting and spending and also making a day of their visit to Bluewater.”

Even though most stores are reducing their prices in order to attract customers, the fact that the amount of people visiting shopping centres has increased substantially is good news for shop owners. Just a few weeks ago the government announced that the UK was no longer in recession, and it seems as though increased confidence in the economy has led to shoppers spending more money during the Christmas season.

As a shop owner, this means that business may be looking up over the next few months, however once the Christmas and New Year’s rush has subsided it will be interesting to see how buyers’ behaviour changes. For this reason, it is of the utmost importance that shop owners keep their finances in order and always budget for essential outgoings such as shop insurance, rent, stock and employees’ salaries. It is also important for shop owners to remember to be vigilant over the festive season, as the amount of thefts usually increases, and with a larger amount of people visiting their stores there is also a higher likelihood of shop damages occurring.

It will be interesting to see how the improving UK economy will affect shop owners in the next year, especially as it could lead to more retailers entering the market. An improved economy could also lead to customers becoming more discerning, meaning that shop owners will have to adapt their businesses in order to gain a fair share of the market.