Ross Geddes, founder of Glasgow-based fashion brand Finnieston Clothing, has made a heartfelt plea to shoppers to choose local, in-person shopping in the final days before Christmas, warning that the convenience of online shopping is threatening high streets, local jobs, and human connection.
According to the Office for National Statistics, internet sales accounted for 27.6% of total retail sales in October 2024, up from 26.7% in October 2023. Meanwhile, during the same period, UK retail footfall dropped by 4.5% in November 2024 compared to the previous year.
While sales to the brand’s online store rose 50% year-on-year during early December, in-store sales in the firms’ two stores – both in Glasgow, in Shawlands and on Byres Road – have dipped. Geddes is concerned about the impact this trend is having on local businesses and communities.
The 39-year-old, who last year announced the company would donate all its profits to charity, said: “Every time you choose to shop online rather than stepping into a store, you’re making a decision that affects real people — shopkeepers, staff, and local suppliers. It impacts the character of your community. I want people to feel and touch the clothes they buy, to see the value in quality craftsmanship, and to reconnect with the joy of being out and about, surrounded by others.
“This isn’t just about saving my shops — it’s about saving our high streets. When physical stores close, it’s society’s loss. There’s something magical about finding the perfect gift in person, not just scrolling mindlessly on your phone and adding another reason to stay at home.
“This time of year is about togetherness, and that includes where and how we shop. Walking into a store, chatting with staff, and finding something meaningful is so much more rewarding than staring at a screen. I would ask people to get off their phones and back to the high streets – I guarantee you’ll miss shopping in real life once it’s gone.”
His comments come as Finnieston Clothing, which recently launched its winter collection in both its Byres Road and Shawlands stores, has announced it is opting out of participating in early Christmas sales — a move Geddes describes as rejecting the “race to the bottom.”
As many retailers offer heavy discounts in the run-up to Christmas – and after British shoppers spent £3.63 billion online over the Black Friday/Cyber Monday period, a 5.2% increase year-on-year – Ross has taken a stand against early sales, calling them unsustainable and damaging for the fashion industry.
He added: “This rush to slash prices weeks before Christmas is short-sighted. It teaches customers to expect discounts at the expense of quality, and it squeezes the margins for small, independent businesses who are already fighting to survive. We refuse to sell cheap clothing made for high mark-ups. Everything in our stores is made with care – built to last, not to be disposable.
“We want our customers to invest in clothing that lasts and has meaning. This is why shopping in person matters. You can feel the fabric, understand its story, and make a conscious decision – something you just can’t do with a click of a button. “
Finnieston Clothing is known for its workwear-inspired garments that celebrate Glasgow’s industrial heritage, crafted from sustainable materials and produced in Scotland and Portugal, with its most recent collection made entirely in the UK.
The brand emphasises quality over quantity and offers repairs to extend the lifespan of its clothing. Finnieston sources all its knitwear and accessories from Stewarton and works extensively with Scottish mills Harris Tweed and Halley Stevenson.
Recently, Ross Geddes worked with his grandpa, 92-year-old Eaglesham farmer John Barr, to source the wool which will be used as insulation for the new vests and jackets in a new collection.
