Future shock or e-hype?: the impact of online shopping on UK retail property

This research examines the impact of ecommerce on sales and rental values and on the future space and ownership/leasing requirements of UK retailers for 2000-2005. The independent study, commissioned by BCSC (and funded by BCSC Educational Trust with support from the RICS Education Trust), included a major postal survey, follow-up interviews, a retail focus group, and shopper survey and case study of Cyberton, a town in the South East of England. The study was conducted by the Research Department of The College of Estate Management between June and December 2000.

eRPUK 2003: eCommerce and Retail Property in the UK: third annual benchmarking survey

This new survey, which has just been completed and includes brand new data, has been funded by the RICS Education Trust and the European Shopping Centre Trust. It follows up our 2000 survey of UK retailers, investors and developers. The report presents results from our new 2001 survey. This continuing benchmark series of studies includes an extensive review of developments in ecommerce and retail in Europe and the USA. The survey reveals a cooling in attitude towards ecommerce in the UK, but there is rapid growth in some sectors and polarisation and marginalisation of secondary centres are likely to increase. In Europe the growth of a three tier system of ecommerce 'pioneers', 'followers' and 'laggards' is becoming established, and the research also reveals results from a recent joint survey on US and UK retailers conducted with Colorado State University. There is a danger of complacency as UK online sales (in percentage terms) now outstrip USA.