Vodafone to shut 1,000 stores across Europe amid rise in online shopping
Vodafone will close more than 1,000 of its stores across Europe and overhaul some of its remaining outlets as it looks to adapt to declining footfall on the high street.
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Group chief executive Nick Read today said the telecoms firm will shut 15 per cent of its 7,700 European branches, but will offer more services at almost half the remaining stores.
Read said the move came in reaction to the slick customer service offered by tech giants such as Apple and Amazon, as well as the rise of online purchases.
“If you believe that 40 per cent of your transactions are going to be digital, then how does that impact why someone goes to a store. The journeys and the purpose of the store changes,” he told reporters in Duesseldorf, according to Reuters.
“[That] means that we will have more ‘experience’ stores, less standard format stores [and] more convenience, and kiosk and click-to-collect stores.”
However, the move will not impact store numbers in the UK, where Vodafone will continue to open new outlets.
Last month the firm said it will open 24 new franchise stores in the UK this year, with a view to opening up to 50 additional locations in 2020.
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Despite shifting consumer habits, the telecoms firm has maintained a strong presence on the high street and has emphasised the benefits of face-to-face advice and support for its customers.
Main image credit: Getty