Retailers focusing on the ‘shopping experience’ to win back shoppers
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Retailers are focusing on creating a shopping experience, complete with designated children’s play areas and fine food options to lure shoppers back from online competition.
Discount retail outlet Brandsmart is the latest example providing an ‘end-to-end’ customer experience, relaunching the centre this week in Melbourne.
The new centre has seen over 20 new traders open stores, and is hoping to reinvigorate retail shopping. Current economic woes, the high Aussie dollar and the explosion of internet shopping have all seen the Australian retail market take a substantial decline in growth in recent years.
Brandsmart spokesperson Michael Kahane told Marketing the changes are a result of extensive surveys conducted on a cross-section of its existing customer base and also involved engaging a variety of consultants.
“We have taken many strategic steps to engage with a broader group of customers. We have and will always appeal to our core demographic being women between 25 and 65. However the relaunch, by virtue of both changes to tenancy mix as well as physical transformation of the building, definitely broadens our market both in terms of age and gender,” he says.
The new centre is occupied by discount outlets in homewares, accessories fashion and cosmetics, promising to provide a much cheaper deal for customers. High-end retailers like Aussie label, Sass and Bide are also following suit, launching their largest outlet store in the centre.
The emphasis on saving money doesn’t transfer over to the overall experience of the facility, the revamp has seen the interior and exterior of the centre get a makeover, looking more like an upmarket retail hub than a discount centre.
