Magazines Archives - 2010 May

Shopfitting & Design: When it comes to designing and fitting out a shop, diversity rules the day. Find out what works for different types of stores in different cities across the region. Retail Asia brings you reports from Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines.
Story 2 - Focus

Singapore stores step up efforts to woo sophisticated shoppers

Shoppers in Singapore are a sophisticated lot, retailers here agree, and as consumers’ expectations continue to grow, retailers are not only faced with having to differentiate themselves from the burgeoning competition, but are also required to incorporate elements into their stores that will continue to entice shoppers.

However, the growing awareness of what consumers expect from retailers in Singapore has ensured that they do not fall behind their counterparts worldwide when it comes to store fitting and visual merchandising, as Satish Peerubandi, deputy marketing director for South-east Asia at Samsonite Singapore Pte Ltd, renowned for its travel bags and acces- sories, reveals that “retailers in Singapore are on par with the best in the world”.

And with the evolution of shopping from a simple browse-and-buy transaction into an “all-encompassing activity”, Peerubandi finds that shoppers today “do not just come in simply to purchase something and walk out”.

He adds: “The entire experience while shopping, such as the ambience of the outlet and the way products are showcased, counts for them as well … [Customers] go to a store not just to buy things, but also want a 360-degree-shopping experience that intrigues not just their sense of sight, but the rest of their four senses, such as sound, touch, smell and in some situations, taste as well.”

Andy Kau, centre manager for suburban mall, AMK Hub, and associate director for Knight Frank Shopping Centre Management, a subsidiary of property management group Knight Frank Pte Ltd, also points out that “creative and well-fitted storefronts” help differentiate retailers from their competition and encourage customers to enter the shop. “It is also an essential factor in getting repeat customers, who take with them a positive and longlasting impression of the shop. Mall owners would also be keener to have creatively conceptualised stores in their malls,” he states.

Display and design matter for all outlets

In fashion stores and boutiques, it is more about window display, letting the clothes speak for themselves. Shopfitting and design in food stores also emphasise the shopping ambience and how the lighting falls on a certain ingredient to make it look fresh and appetising. Interactive LCDs help sell the products and show how they can be used to cook a certain dish. The same goes for a kitchen ‘boutique’, which uses display, the play of lights and even cooking demos to keep the customer interested.

Only four months old, Kitzen at the Bangsar Shopping Complex in Kuala Lumpur has attracted a constant flow of customers to its shop. Located on the second floor at the new extension to the complex, the store’s bright interior, displaying the premium brands of kitchen and home-electrical equipment, is visible from the escalator.

Highlighted with LED lighting, the brands are clearly displayed: KitchenAid; Cuisinart; Bosch; Omega, an award-winning brand of juicers; and Tourus, a Spanish range of coffeemakers, among other kitchen equipment.

Kitzen is fitted with a complete highend Bosch Black Series appliances that include a steam and combi oven that steams, bakes and functions as a food and dish warmer; a cooking hob; fridge; microwave; and dishwasher. The functional and elegant display gives home shoppers an idea as to how to fit their kitchen at home. What catches the eye is a stunning red Bosch Classic Edition fridge in vintage fifties style, but with up-to-date economy setting, auto defrost and anti-bacteria function.

KitchenAid is a big part of Kitzen. It displays 16 colours of the cake mixer from the US. These are attractively displayed in square cubicles on two levels, with LED lighting emphasising the shiny stainless steel mixing bowls. Cleverly, to complement them, are miniature, retro-style Alpha table fans, lined up on a central table opposite in exactly the same colours. Needless to say, they are a hit with customers, one of whom bought five fans as gifts. There is also a new series of KitchenAid cookware in stainless steel, brush nickel and red.

Make your product the star of your store

If you want discriminating consumers to buy your product, then make your product the star of your store. That is the logic behind the cutting-edge design of the retail outlets of a number of trailblazing Philippine companies who want to entice consumers to constantly train their sights on the products on display.

In the case of Runnr, a speciality retail outlet in upscale Bonifacio High Street in the emerging business district of Bonifacio Global City selling athletic shoes and apparel for leisure and hardcore runners, it has invested in sleek glass displays and black and white fixtures so that the shoes will be the centre of attention.

"We designed our stores to achieve our goal of making our product or merchandise the star," says Runnr CEO Toby Claudio. "We have stuck with basic colours to make the shoes stand out with no other elements to clutter the view of the customers."

However, Claudio says, design decisions are not based on style alone. Other factors such as durability and flexibility have to come into play considering the significant investment in the retail outlet.

To view full story, get a copy of Retail Asia. To subscribe, please download the subscription form from http://www.retailasiaonline.com/subscription.html