SafetyBuyer MD Urges SMEs to Reclaim Direct Customer Relationships in the Age of Digital Landlords

It’s remarkable technology - and we wrestle with it daily - but small businesses can’t afford to lose sight of direct trust. Once you build loyalty on rented land, you’re paying rent forever.”

— Kevin Rowe

MANCHESTER, UNITED KINGDOM, October 17, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Kevin Rowe, Managing Director at SafetyBuyer, is calling on small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to protect their independence and reconnect directly with customers as major digital platforms tighten their control over online commerce.

Rowe’s new article, Escaping the Digital Landlords: Why Direct Trust Still Matters,

explores how ecommerce has evolved from open marketplaces to what he describes as “digital kingdoms” - controlled ecosystems where visibility increasingly depends on algorithms, ad budgets, and platform policies.

“The rise of ‘Buy it in ChatGPT’ shows how far the shift has gone,” says Rowe. “It’s remarkable technology - and we wrestle with it daily - but small businesses can’t afford to lose sight of direct trust. Once you build loyalty on rented land, you’re paying rent forever.”

Rowe, who has worked in B2B for more than 35 years, reflects on how SafetyBuyer has adapted since its early days. “I still remember chatting with my brother Ian about whether we should dare to bid over £1 per click on our best-selling COSHH cabinet,” he recalls. “It felt like a big decision at the time. Today, platforms like Google decide how our advertising budgets are spent through automated systems. In many ways, that shift was less about optimisation and more about the landlord raising the rent.”

Despite this changing landscape, Rowe says SafetyBuyer’s success has come from staying focused on people, not platforms. “We’ve kept growing because we focus on what doesn’t change - trust, service and delivery,” he explains. “We follow up personally after orders, check delivery experiences, and make sure everything met expectations. It’s those small, human touches that technology can’t replicate.”

He adds a note of encouragement to other SME owners: “Working inside the castle grounds for too long can make you forget there’s a world beyond the walls. Step outside once in a while - the air’s fresher out there.”

About SafetyBuyer
SafetyBuyer is a UK-based supplier of workplace safety products, signage, spill control, and first aid solutions. Built on the principles of trust, service, and delivery, SafetyBuyer helps organisations across construction, manufacturing, education, and healthcare keep their teams safe, compliant, and supported.