As coronavirus takes its toll on economies and businesses across the globe, Retail Week brings you regular dispatches from international retailers and experts, who provide their insights into how they are coping with the pandemic.
In today’s edition, Spanish department store group El Corte Inglés shines a light on the trends it has observed during the health emergency and reveals how it is planning for life after lockdown.
This article first appeared in issue two of the World Retail Congress report The Retail World 2020: Retailing in a time of crisis.
After 50 days in lockdown, last weekend saw the lifting of some restrictions to allow people to leave their homes. There are strict times to allow different age groups to go outside – on the first day, the streets were really crowded, but less so the day after.
Despite some of the pictures in the media, people are being very responsible and are following the rules. It is a great feeling for people, but it is also very strange walking around a city like Madrid with everything still closed – the parks, shops, bars and restaurants. The air is certainly cleaner and you see animals and birds wandering around the streets that you never saw before.
With people being allowed out, we have suddenly seen another increase in traffic in our food stores. It is clear that people want to go to stores and we are working hard to ensure they continue to feel safe and have further increased the health and safety measures we brought in. This includes taking the temperatures of our staff when they arrive at work.
We are seeing a continuing shift to online and the use of our click-and-collect services. It is helping us learn more about the strong connection between our stores and our online business. We have seen continuing strong uptake in our same-day delivery service, which is being serviced by the stock in our department stores.
“We are ready to open whenever we can… to help prepare us, we have recruited a special committee of health experts from universities and specialist doctors to advise us”
When customers key in their order and postcode, this goes to the department store nearest to them where the orders are then picked and dispatched and are delivered by our logistics partners within two hours to peoples’ homes. This is being called our ‘click and express’ service and is really helping grow our online market share. The most popular items continue to be home electronics, sports equipment and computer games.
We have also started offering meals from our restaurants that are delivered by Deliveroo direct to peoples’ homes.
Small shops are reported to be able to open this week and hairdressers opened for the first time last week, but only with strict appointment systems and personal protection. Some bars are also able to open but only using their outside terrace areas and with limited seating.
For us and other larger stores, we are ready to open whenever we can. To help prepare us, we have recruited a special committee of health experts from universities and specialist doctors to advise us. We are also liaising with government departments.
Our plans include ways of controlling the number of customers entering the stores, who can use escalators and elevators, increasing the cleaning and sanitising of the stores, closing a certain number of changing rooms and developing a special method to disinfect clothes that have been tried on with a steam cleaner. We will also start taking the temperatures of our customers when they enter the store to give people a greater sense of protection.
The Retail World 2020: Retailing in a time of crisis
Retailers across the globe are facing their greatest-ever challenge as the pandemic grips every country. How are retailers coping and responding to the needs of their customers, communities and the business itself?
Hear from retailers and experts from around the world in the fortnightly report from World Retail Congress. The third issue is available to download in full here.
No comments yet