Fintech company iZettle opens a one-of-a-kind rehab centre as one in three Britons claim they have an ‘addiction’ to ‘one-click’ buying and shopping online with giant retailers
10th October, 2018, London: New research shows one in three Brits believe they are ‘addicted’ to online shopping and ‘one-click’ buys with giant retailers, with one in 12 (8%) even admitting doing so daily or every other day. Not only could this habit have implications for their wellbeing and bank balances, it’s also bad for the British high street, with experts predicting up to 100,000[1] shops are at risk of closing in the next decade2.
To help consumers break free from the snare of the convenient but addictive online retail giants, fintech company iZettle has opened a one-of-a-kind ‘rehab’ centre in London called the ‘Giant Corp Rehab Centre’. Run by trained therapists, the facility offers a variety of interactive sessions to make consumers think twice about their shopping habits, realise the damage it’s having on the high street and urge them to swap their ‘one-click’ cravings for local love.
The Giant Corp Rehab Centre, which comes in the midst of the Government’s inquiry[2] into the diminishing high street and what can be done to secure its future, is open from 10am to 5:30pm on Friday 12th October and Saturday 13th October in Redchurch Street, Shoreditch. For those who want to kick their online shopping habit, tickets are available here and walk-ins are welcome.
Sessions include ‘meditative box therapy’ (a repetitive, stress-busting session where participants literally flatten their addiction by crushing hundreds of cardboard delivery boxes from Giant Corp), ‘digit distraction’ (a session that teaches participants why they are so compelled to hit that ‘click to buy’ button and how to control their finger urges) and ‘shock therapy’ (an eye-opening art display by illustrators depicting the bleak futures facing the British high street).
To end the treatment, independent business owners will be on-hand to lead a series of workshops, including florists from Rebel Rebel and baristas from Over Under Coffee, helping participants arrange beautiful bouquets and create stunning latte art – while discussing just what it takes to run an independent business. . All participants will leave the rehab centre with a new skill from hands on workshops and a home ‘treatment plan’ containing hand-crafted products from independent businesses, a bundle worth over £50.
Athena Duncan is the co-founder of Rebel Rebel, a floristry business in Hackney, and is running a workshop at the rehab centre teaching flower arrangements. She comments, “We need our high streets and shops so we can experience real things and touch them taste them and feel them. In ten years’ time when we turn round and there are no high streets left it will be too late.
“At our workshops, you will experience the fun of playing with flowers and creating something beautiful. We hope this will inspire you to explore your local shops and discover what it is to be real. Support your local shops now. Because we’re worth it!”
Edward Hallett, Managing Director at iZettle UK says, “Our research shows that it is time for consumers to start thinking about their shopping habits, and choices, to keep the high street alive. Small businesses are the backbone of the economy and create a world with choice and diversity. That’s why we provide them with powerful business tools so they can succeed in a world where big businesses are taking over, whether online or in-store.”
The Giant Corp Rehab Centre is part of a wider iZettle marketing campaign encouraging UK consumers to think about their shopping habits and support local, independent businesses. iZettle aims to lead the debate regarding big corporations affect on society and celebrate the diversity selfmade small businesses bring to society. The campaign is live in tube stations across London and will be broadcast online, in cinema, and on primetime television during October.