Pinterest- A passing fad or here to stay?

It started with MySpace and Bebo. Facebook then arrived. Twitter flew in, followed by various other social media sites. Nonetheless, Pinterest seems to be the new form of social media that is grabbing people's interests, literally.

Pinterest

So what is Pinterest? Put simply, it is a online series of pin boards. You can virtually pin your favourite photos or videos to categorised pin boards. For instance, say you like a film that you've just seen, you can search for a photo or video of it online and using the special pin it button,  put it on your board. You can also add a caption to it to help describe to other pinners what it is. Arguably, it is like a picture/video version of Twitter, people can repin, like and comment on your pins. It is really easy to do and simple to navigate. Here is a picture of my Pinterest below:

You can then follow other people's boards, looking at their pictures. You might see a recipe you like, a film you want to see or a book you've never heard of but now want to read. The visual aspect is very good and incredibly addictive. Nonetheless, I've had Pinterest for a while now and at first it was like playing with a new toy, pinning everything in sight. Now I don't pin as much but still use it, to use a cliché, a picture tells a thousand words, and thus it is very eye catching, spending ages scrolling looking at all the different pins.

A repin on my Pinterest

A new side to Pinterest allows you to "Pin A Quote", highlighting any text on the internet you like the look of and it turns it into an image for your pin board. This is a great function as it allows you to see some of the best quotes from everyone using Pinterest. Like Twitter has trends, Pinterest has popular pins and of course there is a smartphone app. Is it another way for businesses to interact with consumers? Perhaps it could be. New products could be pinned. Companies could pin their new advertising campaigns. For instance, Universal have been pinning scenes from their hit movies, reminding people like me to watch films or buy products. 

Pinterest Logo

Arguably, it is Twitter for pictures but it is easy to use and you do see so many pictures that make you laugh, offer helpful advice, leave you in awe and inspire you to watch a film or pick up a book. Surely, these are not bad things, its a tool to show people what makes you happy? For businesses to visually show their products and campaigns. Whether it is will stay only time will tell but for now I'm having great fun pinning and viewing all the photos, videos and quotes from around world.

The Death of the High Street

Walking through the streets of Durham the other day, I noticed the growing amount of empty shops. Looking back over my years here, Durham's "High Street" has certainly changed with retailers such as Hawkins Bazaar, Evans, Superdrug and Past Times, examples of stores that have disappeared. The High Street was the place to shop, a hub for a town and city. Nonetheless, well known retailers have disappeared. Remember Woolworths? A staple of the British High Street and now a fond memory, that place that sold pic and mix. Will the 21st century see the death of the High Street?

(guardian.co.uk)

GAME, the video game retailers are the latest high street store to have financial troubles, with credit issues leading to the closing of 35 shops as well. EA games, a leader in gaming, are now stopping distributing its Games to the GAME Group. EA are famous for some of the best games including, Tiger Woods PGA Tour, the FIFA Series and Mass Effect. This is likely to have dramatic repercussions for the store and over the last year has seen a share drop of 90%. This isn't a unfamiliar scenario, in 2010, HMV had to shut down 40 branches. It's sad to see some of the well known "faces" of the High Street get into trouble but sadly it's so often the consumer's fault.

Out of Town Shopping Centres

Walking around the Trafford Centre I still can't believe the decor. It's practically palatial and reminds me a lot of the shopping malls in America, especially Las Vegas. Located outside of Manchester, the Trafford Centre has grand staircases, extravagant statues and a food court designed as if you're on a ship. The Trafford Centre is a shopping mall. The concept of a mall itself is very American, lots of shops and restaurants under one roof. It sounds great and thats why people flock to these places. There is ample parking, every shop you could want, cuisine from countries around the world and entertainment facilities as well. Additionally, a perhaps most importantly with the British weather, there is a roof. Leave the umbrella at home, no need to venture down the grotty high street anymore. This is arguably an Americanisation of British culture, the traditional British High Street has been replaced by the comfortable and convenient shopping mall. The out of town shopping centre offers an experience without the wind and rain but at the detriment to some High Streets. 

Trafford Centre (edwud.com)

Supermarkets have also had a negative impact upon the High Street. Tesco's, ASDA and Sainsbury's have got huge stores that sell absolutely everything, ranging from Groceries and Clothes to Mobile Phones and prescription glasses. Like the out of town shopping centre, there is no need to go to the High Street, when you can get it all in one place.

A Trip to the Amazon

One of the greatest obstacles to the High Street is without a doubt, the internet. Amazon, Play.com and even eBay offer a phenomenal range of items online, meaning you don't have to leave your home. Internet shopping is brilliantly convenient but also often represents the best value. I'm a victim of internet shopping because it is so easy and usually cheaper. Sites like find-dvd.co.uk allow one to compare DVD prices to get the best deal, not-on-the-high-street.com lets one buy unique items you cannot find in the centre of town. You can created wish lists, fill virtual baskets with books, mp3 downloads and groceries. The internet has revolutionised the way we shop, it's convenient, quick and only a click or two away. The  world wide web is the world's biggest department store but this is bad news for the High Street. Transport costs and often higher in-store prices means a trip to the High Street burns a greater hole in your pocket; especially in an era where one needs to financially tighten the belt; the internet is far more attractive. To shop on the internet its warm, convenient, cheaper and often addictive but to shop on the High Street it can be cold, time consuming and expensive.

(14clicks.com)

I certainly don't want to see the High Street die. I like the tradition of window shopping, the music at Christmas times and the January Sales. Nonetheless, with opponents like the Mall, Supermarkets and the internet it is going to be difficult for some High Street's to compete.