It is interesting to speculate if the pandemic will see permanent changes to the type of businesses in Australia and current business practices.
The twentieth century saw the zenith of the department store, large stores that sold merchandise like clothing, furniture, electrical goods, Manchester, children’s toys and the like. The idea was that shoppers would physically go to stores to browse the goods on display and make their purchases. Interestingly, if you lived a long distance from a large department store in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, you could order their catalogue in the mail, fill out a slip in the catalogue and send it, along with a cheque, to the store, which would then post out your selected items.
Big department stores like David Jones, Myers and Grace Brothers all ran into difficulty in the early twenty-first century, and there are different theories about why this was the case. One thing that cannot be denied, however, is the impact of the internet and internet shopping on large department stores such as these.
The pandemic has had a massive impact on businesses large and small that still operate on the twentieth century physical store only concept, or stores that have not yet ironed out their internet presence and/or shipping and delivery sides of the business.
One thing that has impressed Yass Valley residents is the number of smaller shops and cafes that have adapted to the current circumstances.
Here is just a small list of Yass Valley businesses that have changed their business models to ensure that they can continue to serve customers at this time (this information was taken from the Yass Valley Notice Board Facebook page last week):
• Allan Farm Fresh Fruit & Veggies are periodically at Thyme to Taste with a full range of products. They also deliver to Yass, Murrumbateman and Bowning. For further information on location and deliveries please contact Allan on his mobile on 0409 909 373.
• Flourish and Beyond Support Consultancy provides therapeutic support services. You can make enquiries through the website (www.flourishandbeyouconsultancy.com.au) or email: flourishandbeyou@gmail.com. Consultancy via Zoom etc.
• Creator’s Nest is enabling people to shop online, with free Yass delivery during lockdown: www.creators-nest-yass.myshopify.com
• Trader and Co has introduced a brand new online ordering platform to enable customers to order takeaway coffees or other hot drinks, milkshakes, take home meals or even their popular Six8 Coffee Beans: https://traderandco.square.site/
• “Big shout to Garry at Firth Furnishings for awesome customer service. I ordered a mattress and paid over the phone. Garry brought the delivery in his ute within an hour free of charge and brought it right up to the front door and did contactless delivery. Highly recommended.”
