Traffic- Free Shopping brings Positive Sales

On Saturday London’s West End became a pedestrian-only zone for it’s Shop West End VIP (Very Important Pedestrians) Day. Retail Week reports that the day was a huge sucess for retailers with over one million shoppers descending on Oxford Street and Regent Street, taking advantage of an easier shopping experience whilst also enjoying the complimentary ‘Red Carpet’ hospitality treatment that many stores were offering (including goody bags, food and drinks, massages and celebrity styling services).

Musical, comic and theatrical performers kept the shoppers entertained, as well as the obligatory ‘celebrity’ appearances and children’s TV character meet and greets. The event was organised by Shop West End whose website has some impressive sounding, if not a little rehearsed, quotes from happy shoppers-

“It was brilliant – I had the kids with me but I didn’t have to worry about the traffic and got all of my Christmas shopping done in one day.  I don’t even have to take it home – the shops are sending it home to my house for free!”

“We thought the US led the way in retail, but today, London could be proud.  It really was an exceptional way to shop, with 600 shops within strolling distance and no traffic to think about.”

“The West End rocked today, everyone was in the Christmas spirit making the most of the free champagne and mulled wine, and the children have never seen so many Santas and live reindeer on one day.”

With so many stores suffering due to lack of passing trade and booming online sales, this event was a sucessful reminder of what the shopping experience is meant to be about and how much fun it can be as a family event- although one million people trying to get to the tills sounds like hell to me!