Minimum Advertised Pricing (MAP)

Independent retailers need support and respect to survive.

We need to support our local retail shops who have high rents & rates to pay where online suppliers don't have these costs

I am an independent retailer. If something is not done to appreciate the independent they the high street will disappear.

Totally agree. British High Streets are similar to ghost towns, with only charity shops and hairdressers.

Something needs to be done before we end up with no retail outlet. Customers will soon complain then when they can't see anything

Personally I don't think it goes far enough as the internet operators usually have a 'phone/email facility to negotiate with and they still have the advantage of high turnover/bulk buying with their (usually) lower overheads (pro rata) than the high street. Therefore the internet dealers will usually have the price advantage. Showrooms/high street shops will still be "used" by people who can then go and compare on line. Originally (when the internet was something of a novelty) people went round the shops to see what they liked THEN went on line and bought if they found it cheaper. What I've found recently is that people NOW tend to go on line for the ideas etc THEN go round the shops to view and choose, which gives the shops/showrooms the best chance to stress the service and extra after care and expertise they can offer to either justify their prices or at least not have to drop their prices unduly. But - back to the article - possibly a step in the right direction at least for the high street!!??

MAP seems a great way forward. I am fed up of customers using my knowledge and expertise but then expecting me to match the lowest internet price. which if I did would result in us making a loss. Please save the Independent retailers

I think Minimum advertised pricing is a good idea or stick to Retail pricing online and contact for discounts

Either this or give us small retailers some tax and rates advantages.

at this rate most high street shops will close down

We need to level the playing field between internet retailers and bricks & mortar retailers.

One very important point that is being missed is that Independent Lighting Stores have a wealth of knowledge which will be lost when they close. The public, who thought they were making a saving when they looked there then bought more cheaply on line will have no one to advise them and will throw away perfectly good lights and buy new without the expert knowledge they can no longer draw upon

Brilliant

agree with implementing this law

Great, something needs to be done , good luck.

Good Idea, but sadly could already be too late!

Got to do something and soon, We are just becoming a shop window for the internet giants.

its appalling what these internet companies are doing to the retail stores that have massive overheads.

Put simply the cost of running a shop are much higher than a warehouse. Suppliers should be allowed to protect their route to market and level the playing field. The law needs to change.

Let's wake up to reality and help save our independent local stores before it is too late