Today saw the launch in the Houses of Parliament of a powerful new coalition called Target200 that aims to get many more independent retailers trading online.
The alliance sees the British Independent Retailers Association (BIRA) come together with www.MyHigh.St, which was conceived last year by Loaye Agabani, a toy shop owner from Somerset. A host of local retailers signed up to the website and entered the world of online selling.

Target200 now aims to build a world class ecommerce network of 200 pioneering towns and thousands of retailers. It will not only give them the chance to sell their products online but also drive in-store footfall and give towns a platform to showcase their high streets.

The coalition also includes Action for Market Towns, the Association of Town and City Management and Rakuten's Play.com.

Many websites built for small retailers and towns alike fail due to the cost of building and promoting them, and the subsequent challenges in growing traffic. However, by creating a national network Target200 aims to offer a sustainable alternative to current ecommerce platforms that draw people away from the bricks and mortar retail sector.

Under the new scheme, each town has its own branded and tailored website - a high street showcase. It delivers ecommerce for every retailer, lead generation for its events and attractions and promotion of services. Each retailer is expected to benefit in three ways: from the town promotion, from online sales and from in-store traffic further driven by click-and-collect and local search facilities.

Across the country, independent retailers report that they are struggling to compete with major internet retailers. And a report commissioned for today's launch, entitled A Nation of Shopkeepers, shows that a third of people do not believe their high street has a future.

Commenting on the launch of Target200, BIRA chief executive Alan Hawkins said: "Traditional independent shops are digging deep to hold their position, with a marginal growth in numbers in the first half of this year, but we fear this is not sustainable in the face of the growing challenges they face.

"A showcase to celebrate our towns as digital and real-life shopping destinations, empowering retailers to embrace ecommerce and secure their share of this growing economy, explains why 200 retailers have already signed up. This service is good for shoppers, good for retailers and good for communities."

And BIRA national president Michael Hughes added:: "As an independent retailer, going online through the MyHigh.St marketplace has given us a cost-effective and very straightforward way of raising our online presence and becoming transactional online at the same time, allowing us to have an online presence without any capital outlay.

"This is really important for independent retailers and will help us raise our profile and get our products and brand in front of consumers in a new way. I believe that with the expertise that the MyHigh.St team bring to the mix, the marketplace will really work for independent retailers."