In-Cumbria has been talking to local businesses about the challenges posed to local retailers by online competition.

With Christmas now over and the January sales just beginning, businesses are looking at new ways to develop their turnover.

Online retailers have been stealing headlines in recent months as Amazon has launched its own UK food delivery service to rival supermarkets and while Black Friday was a damp squib for the high street, online orders hit record levels.

Edward O’Keeffe, managing director of Furness Internet, saw the developing e-commerce landscape as an opportunity for local retailers, rather than a threat.

Mr O’Keeffe said: “Business models are changing all the time, as is the opportunity landscape, at one point the online and high street retailers saw it as an “us vs them”, black and white situation but the boundaries are greying.

“Businesses with a physical retail space are now adopting new business models that incorporate aspects of online business and e-commerce.

“People want the convenience of local delivery and pick up as well as the convenience of ordering online and balancing the two is a huge opportunity for local organisations.

“In December, Google’s Eric Schmidt spoke to Radio 4 and discussed how he could see no reason why the UK couldn’t develop a start up to rival Google and that UK the was leagues ahead of the US in terms of e-commerce business and e-commerce technology.

“Even on an international scale, there is potential for local businesses to benefit from incorporating an e-commerce aspect, places such as Australia and New Zealand are a long way behind what we take for granted.

“UK retailers know that those markets aren’t as developed and are using it to an advantage, and because of the geographical issues, often they receive less returns than from UK customers with people choosing to resell products rather than return.”