Social enterprise ILM Highland, based in Alness, Ross-shire, launches an online retail shop following the impact of Covid-19 coronavirus on sales of goods at many Scottish retailers
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THE digital world has been embraced by a Ross-shire charity after it launched an online shop to help offset the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on its physical store's sales.
ILM Highland, which helps people to continue living independently at home as well as support folk back into employment, has launched the online shop in response to the online shopping habits of the public in the coronavirus pandemic.
It said that, with Scottish retailers losing nearly £1.9 billion pounds of sales in the first four months of the pandemic, it had to look very closely at how it promotes its retail shop offering to the Highlands.
The Alness-based social enterprise already runs a successful real-world shop, where its sales of electrical goods help it to fund its charitable efforts.
ILM Highland business development's Claire Weaver said: “Having the online retail shop allows us to reach a wider audience, we get many phone calls with customers looking for stock and they are faced with concerns over budget or perhaps issues with delivery to the Highlands. Having our stock online will allow them to browse what we available and work to a budget that they have.
"All of our stock is also available for delivery throughout the Highlands – this can be done on the same day depending on where the customer is located. We want to make things that little bit easier for people.”
Its Electrical Retail Shop is home to new and refurbished items such as washing machines, fridges and freezers, tumble dryers, cookers, vacuum cleaners and many other electrical products – and ILM Highland said it has been "one of many stores to make a significant loss" over the last few months.
Profits which are made from the Electrical Retail Shop support its charitable services to help keep vulnerable people living independently at home through our Care & Repair and Handyperson services.
ILM Highland also offer a collection service for your electrical items – all items that are collected are recycled or reused by their Waste Electrical service. This not only lowers the amount going to landfill but also helps the charity fund the additional charitable services of their business.
Ross-shire based Highlands and Islands MSP Maree Todd said she was delighted to see the charity making efforts to reach a wider customer base, enthusing: “It’s great to see social enterprise re-evaluate and pivot to make things easier for people who might be more vulnerable in our communities. ILM Highland offer a fantastic service to local communities within the Highlands.”
For more information on ILM Highland or to browse their Electrical Retail Shop, visit www.ilmhighland.co.uk .
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