'Fantastic' response to ShopAppy gives Kirkcaldy High Street hope after lockdown

Join the dots between where you shop and where you live - and local businesses will reap the benefits.

The philosophy is simple and sits at the heart of ShopAppy which has launched in Kirkcaldy – its first venture in Scotland.

The online platform aims to provide all the benefits of online shopping while supporting local traders.

With lockdown impacting on every business, traders across Kirkcaldy have been offered a free six month trial, and the founder, Jackie Mulligan, is more than happy with the response so far – 21 signed up in the first few weeks, and more waiting in the wings.

“It has been absolutely fantastic,” She said. “It was always our intention to help level the playing field, and get more businesses involved and get more people using local shops - and that is the biggest difference this can make.

“We have got good variety already, and businesses in town very much seem to be in it together which is really good to see.”

Jackie launched ShopAppy in her home town of Soltair in west Yorkshire after seeing more and more shops in the village struggle to compete with supermarkets and online retail giants.

While some shifted their business online, others simply closed, and the links between the community and its High Street started to weaken.

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Jackie believes the platform taps into that sense of civic ride. While people are migrating to online shopping, they also want to see a bustling town centre – a place not just to shop, but to meet and enjoy a coffee, and make the most of its leisure and service industries.

ShopAppy aims to be the bridge between online and stepping through the door.

She said: “Some research has emerged which suggests shopping online has accelerated by five years. That means High Streets are even further behind if they aren’t online. But we know people feel connected to local traders, and this gives them a way to maintain that link. I do believe there is still the greatest life in town centres. There are amazing, agile businesses creating new products and offering outstanding personal attention.

“ShopAppy gives customers a choice to still spend locally and online. The more we can develop it, the more products and services will be on offer, and the more it will grow as it is shared.

“It’s been really amazing to see Kirkcaldy start so well. Orders have been coming in, and more inquiries are being made to join. And it is working because we have great local partnerships with Greener Kirkcaldy, Fife Council and Love Oor Lang Toun. There are good people on board.

“Join the dots between where you shop and where you live, and your town gets better.”

https://shopappy.com/

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