A Commentary on Social & Experiential (e-)Retailing and (e-)Shopping Deserts

Purpose – The last ten years have seen a gradual withdrawal of retail facilities frommany local areas and the consequent growth of ‘shopping deserts’, resulting in socialand health disbenefits. This paper examines the potential for e-shopping to fill thevacuum and to assist disadvantaged shoppers.Design/methodology/approach – The paper uses prior published research tocomment on the extent to which e-retailing may be the shopping solution of thefuture?Findings – The Internet has limited potential to compensate for shopping deserts, asconsumers who do not have a good range of physical shops within walking distancealso tend to lack access to the Internet.Research limitations/implications – The paper is based solely on prior research. Theauthors recommend action research that may hopefully help excluded shoppers tobecome more included by addressing the problems of access to e-shopping.Practical implications – Government, service providers and e-retailers are mayconsider interventions such as subsidised Internet access, training and the provision ofe-cash.Originality/value – The paper links research from diverse fields relating to shoppingdeserts, the digital divide, health, wellbeing, social and experiential aspects of (e-)shopping.