First Kirkcaldy businesses sign up to new online platform

The first Kirkcaldy businesses have signed up for ShopAppy – the new online platform to help them beyond lockdown.

The town is the first in Scotland to launch the app which operates across 40 places in England.

ShopAppy brings together traders into one online marketplace, and the people behind it hope it will give business a boost as its starts to emerge out of lockdown. The pilot project is being backed by Fife Council – and Lang Toun businesses have been offered a free six-month trial.

It is being run under the ‘Love Oor Lang Toun’ banner – the first new initiative to be launched to promote Kirkcaldy town centre since the demise of Kirkcaldy4All

Gail Cadogan, who runs the award-winning My Cherry Pie jewellery and gift shop in the east end of the High Street, was one of the first to sign up.

She believes ShopAppy could be a key lifeline for businesses during lockdown – and help to promote a positive message for the town centre.

She said: “We have to promote the best of Kirkcaldy’s High Street, and it, and the town, have a lot going for it.

“We don’t need a big shift to make a real change – we need to change mindsets.

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“Businesses know they have good, loyal customer bases; people who will come and shop, and tell others about you.

“Like all new initiatives, people will need to go for it – we really need them to get involved. Doing something positive, which this is, is much better than doing nothing at all.

“There are lots of people who work really hard with their businesses across the town centre. There is a lot going on for Kirkcaldy.”

For Gail, the mix of an online presence and a shop in the town centre is a no brainer.

“The two aren’t exclusive,” she said.

“I’ve been on the High Street for nearly three years and it has gone better than I first thought.

“Just now, with the shop closed, it’s the online platform which is keeping me going – I’ve been delivering orders weekly to people who still want to shop

local.”

And uploading her stock to ShopAppy isn’t a major worry either.

“You upload items in bulk, and once it’s done, that’s you ready to go – it isn’t a massive undertaking.” she said.

“And one of the strengths of ShopAppy is that it isn’t just retail.

“You can book a meal, a hair appointment, search for theatre tickets – it IS the High street through and through. That is a major strength.

“The fact it has groups such as Greener Kirkcaldy behind it also helps. It is not just a shopping site.”

ShopAppy aims to have a broad range of businesses across the town centre signed up in the coming weeks.

It is open to anyone in business – whether or not they operate from their home or premises in town – to allow people to continue to shop locally online while lockdown is in place, and also get them to continue that habit as the restrictions are eased.

Dr Jackie Mulligan, who launched ShopAppy, said: “We are delighted to be working in Fife and to be partnering with Kirkcaldy on this first launch in Scotland.

“With our partnership with VISA helping us provide support to more small businesses across the UK, we are certain that this will provide a real and tangible benefit to Kirkcaldy businesses and the community.”

ShopAppy is partnered by Visa. Businesses in Kirkcaldy only can get a six-month trial for free. Thereafter it will cost the equivalent of just £5 a week.

More details by email to: [email protected]

www.ShopAppy.com

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