There is a lot of negativity about Traditional Retail or "Dirt world" stores and I am not sure why. There is room for both even right now. Finding the right mix is what is important. For a new business, it is going to always be about initial set-up costs and overheads (Oh and covid restrictions at the moment).

Retail space is about customer experience, connection, relationships, and networks. Some businesses survive on this while others find it hard to engage due to the nature of what they are selling.

Shopping malls can be very expensive especially where rent is involved. Advertised prices are not the hard-line as there are any underlying costs associated with retail space in a centre. Foot traffic is what a mall will offer for the most part. People are right in that foot traffic is declining so it gives one reason to question their viability.

People are always going to go shopping. A lot of our effort is just ‘how do we make the retail experience a great one? – Phillip Green, Chairman, Arcadia Group

Home and online businesses are great as they are minimal overhead costs but can become problematic when growth is concerned.

I would start small with a Home office. Even do some consignment placement your products with other retail also. This gives you a real-world presence also and a place to build traction.

You may even be able to negotiate some space from a current retailer on a trial basis to see how things go. I know many are happy to consider this as an option right now because they are struggling also.

A great article by Machielle Thomas in 2020 has a great Pros and Cons list to this question:

Advantages of Brick and Mortar Businesses

• Face-to-face interactions: You have the opportunity to create a personal connection with customers by interacting with them in-person rather than through a screen.
• Trustworthiness: Customers automatically associate brick and mortar retailers with greater legitimacy, trust, and professionalism.
• Customer satisfaction: Shoppers feel more confident when they’re able to see and test a product or speak with a representative about a service in-person.

Disadvantages of Brick and Mortar Businesses

• High initial investment costs: There are significant up-front costs involved in getting a brick and mortar business up and running.
• Slow startup: It can take years of planning, finding investors, applying for loans, scouting the right spot, filling out paperwork, and waiting to start a brick and mortar business.

Advantages of eCommerce Businesses

• Low startup costs: You don’t have to spend much money to get an eCommerce website up and running.
• Scalability: eCommerce businesses are easy to scale up and down, depending on your business’s performance fluctuations.
• Enhanced tracking capabilities: When you operate your business entirely online, it’s easier to find the right tools to help you track important metrics such as customer retention, conversion rates, and bounce rates.
• Quick startup: For the most basic eCommerce business, you can learn, plan, and launch in as little as one day.

Disadvantages of eCommerce Businesses

• High competition: The internet is a crowded marketplace. It will take some time for your brand to break through and pick up steam.
• Privacy concerns: Many customers feel insecure about giving personal information to unfamiliar websites, including mailing addresses and credit card numbers.

Either way, Do not rush into anything though.

Ok, you can go now.