RETAIL PEOPLE MAGAZINE ISSUE 33 – REDEFINING OPEN MARKET SHOPPING EXPERIENCE

WELCOME

The retail real estate industry is a significant part of building communities, it helps fuel up the economy and keeps inspiring innovation. Throughout the centuries, shopping centres and retail has evolved remarkably compared to the first retail offerings of open-air markets, bazaars, and the Agora of the 10th Century BC. To this day, more and more shopping centres are being built. Mall owners and developers may have different offerings to their tenants and consumer, but one thing is common – to remain focused on what and why consumers will always come to visit their malls. Satisfying the need to connect with people, and exchange goods and services will never change.

Time flies so fast, we are now in our 4th quarter. Speaking about malls, it will surely be filled with shoppers as the festive season is coming up. Here on our 4th quarter edition of the Retail People Magazine, we are delighted to welcome Majid Algothmi, Executive Director, AZAD Properties as our Featured Cover and Cover Story with the theme “Redefining Open Market Shopping Experience.”

In this edition, we are privileged to feature Majid where he mentioned their latest offering, Souq7, which will be launched later this year. Souq7, developed by AZAD Properties, will answer the retail needs of Jeddah’s growing population in the Southeastern part of the city by delivering enjoyable, accessible, safe shopping and dining destinations, which combines a modern lifestyle with contemporary traditional design. This will become one of the retail destinations in Jeddah that will serve as an incubator for innovative, emerging brands, enabling them to expand the regional market and beyond.

This Q4 edition is filled with great articles from our Shopping Centre Update where we featured The Clock Towers Shopping Center in Makkah, Rahmania Mall – the high culture of convenient shopping experience and Al Wahda Mall wherein AlBaik will open the largest branch in the UAE. In addition, we have articles on Open-Air Shopping Centres Experience, the fun way to go and Open Markets – a Forgotten Shopping Concept.

With this issue, we also explore Riyadh Retail Market, The Kingdom of Construction and from Saudi we move to Oman where it highlights New Retail is Not Just About Shopping. We also featured retail brands such as Marie France, Orange Bed & Bath, Magrabi, Semir Group from China and Al Hokair Group. This issue is filled with lots of information and great insights on data support and technology, gift card, e-commerce, franchising, and a lot more.

We also have a special segment about the Green Initiative for Creating Community in Shopping Centres in response to the Saudi Arabian Government’s Vision 2030.

This RPM Q4 would not have been possible without our astounding sponsors and contributors. We would like to thank AZAD Properties & Souq7, Times Square Center Dubai, Marie France, Yardi, Vindico and all our contributors.

We are inviting you to come and join us as we celebrate our 28th year Retail Congress MENA happening on December 5-6, 2022 at the Ritz Carlton DIFC Hotel, Dubai, UAE. It will be a great time of gathering together and welcoming all the sponsors, exhibitors, delegates and visitors in this year’s RCM REBORN. There’s a reason to rejoice and be grateful for staying agile and resilient amidst the pandemic.

Once again, thank you and we hope you enjoy reading this issue as much as we have loved putting it together.

JEDDAH’S RETAIL, REALIZES NEW BEGINNINGS

Souq7 is the new brand for an old shopping destination development previously known as Prince Mutib Markets at Kilo 7, Southeast of Jeddah City, Saudi Arabia, which is currently witnessing a major transformation and regeneration process on an area of 728,000 sqm of land with a complete modern infra and super-structure makeover for the whole site by Azad Properties. Azad Properties was established in 2017 and want to position itself as one of the prominent contributors to the real estate market in Saudi Arabia.

Azad Properties is redeveloping Souq7 to answer the retail needs of Jeddah’s growing population in the Southeastern part of the city by delivering enjoyable, accessible, safe shopping and dining destinations, which combines a modern lifestyle with contemporary traditional design. Souq7’s vision is to become a destination shopping centre / district that celebrates the best of Saudi bazaars and souqs, merging the heritage, culture, and traditions of these historic locations with a contemporary infrastructure that provides modern amenities to both tenants and shoppers alike. The area of Souq7 was previously a combination of a variety of successful unorganized retail shops and services, it was a

Algothmi: “Souq7 is expected to generate SAR 2.3B in Annual Retail Sales and more than 24 thousand new jobs.”

destination for Jeddah residents and its suburbs. The new Souq7 will build on the success of its long history of being a shopping destination and evolve to serve its visitors in a unique and a new attractive atmosphere.

Majid Algothmi, Executive Director, Azad Properties speaks to Retail People Magazine on Souq7’s new project and reveals most of the project’s unique propositions.

1. Tell us about the Kingdom’s retail and the performance that the country is witnessing.

Saudi Arabia’s gross domestic product advanced 12.2% year on year. In the second quarter of 2022, higher than the preliminary estimates of 11.8%, and accelerating from a 9.9% growth in the previous quarter. It was the strongest growth in the GDP since the third quarter of 2011 according to the Central Department of Statistics & Information. Also, the recent data revealed by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority shows the solid performance of POS transactions in KSA with a growth of 16% from last year which is a good indication of an increase in consumer spending in the country.

2. How do you see the future of Jeddah’s retail potential?

While the capital Riyadh has gotten its share and seen numerous development initiatives and projects, the city of Jeddah is now in scope. The inaugural of the Jeddah Central project by HRH Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman comes with a 20 billion USD plan to attract tourists and wealthy foreigners. Construction works started in the project involving marine and infrastructure schemes. The project will regenerate 32 districts spanning over 37 million sqm to rebuild modern residential communities.

SOUQ7 Team of Azad Properties L-R:AhmadMujallid(Sr.MarketingManager),BassamBadr(Asst.Manager-Leasing), RayanHindi(Director-Leasing),AymanAlBurti(CEO)&MajidAlgothmi(ExecutiveDirector)

ease of COVID restrictions, the region is witnessing a clear growth in visitors led by Haj & Ummrah visitors which is expected to have a further positive spillover from their spending on the retail sector in the city.

3. How is Souq7 going to contribute to the retail landscape in Jeddah? What will it promise to its audience?

Souq7 with its distinguished location being linked to AlHaramain Freeway and Abdullah Al-Sulaiman St., and in proximity to King Abdulaziz University, Dar Al-Hekma College and Effat University; will offer 4,000 shops which will contribute to creating more than 24,000 new jobs and expected to generate SAR 2.3B in annual retail sales. The project, Souq7, with its new slogan “A Souq for Everyone”, will redefine the open market shopping experience for Jeddah residents as well as inbound and outbound visitors by offering modern diversified retail, dining & entertainment mix in an enjoyable ambience and atmosphere.

The souq will also offer a modernized infrastructure, highlighting the city heritage that is manifested by the building architecture of the traditional shopping zone, as one of the major attractions. With this, it will meet the bright future of modern lifestyle highlighted by the architecture of the Fashion Zone and the Central Park buildings as its major entertainment and F&B hub. Furthermore, Souq7 will host more than 800 fashion shops, Furniture, Home Appliances, Home Improvements, Electronics, Auto, Gym, Medical Centre, Hotel and Offices. Also, a small logistics component will be woven into the mix in a seamless way that enriches the shopper’s experience.

4. What are the opportunities that Souq7

Souq7 aims to act as a compliment and catalyst to the regeneration process taking place in the adjacencies “5KM radius”, for the residential district which is planned to be transformed as one of Jeddah’s major attractive points. This exact area will witness important changes starting from an augmented profile of catchment residents and shall feature vital services including hospitality entities, F&B outlets, commercial stores, public places, financial institutions, health care properties, as well as other points of interest such as schools and other diverse educational institutions.

We are excited about Souq7 as it will capitalize on those opportunities by acting as a platform for them and bringing in new tenants and retailers to gain advantages from the increasing demand for an open retail environment in KSA.

Souq7 will offer traditional shopping, dining and entertainment areas as the main attraction for visitors and tourists. The entertainment areas are characterized by a variety of recreational activities that provide various types of amusement for all family members of all ages. The Souq will cater to various options of restaurants, cafes, cinemas, different sports activities, and games. Souq7 is expected to feature year-round events hosting open-air exhibitions and events in one organized area. Moreover, Souq7 promises

Souq7, with its new slogan

will redefine the open market shopping experience for Jeddah residents as well as inbound and outbound visitors by offering modern diversified retail, dining & entertainment mix in an enjoyable ambience and atmosphere.

an enjoyable value shopping and entertainment experience for the citizens of Jeddah and the Western Region together with various visitors from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as it will offer more than 7,000 parking bays, 6 mosques, 110 buildings, 10 cinema screens on an overall land area of 728,000 metres squared.

I believe Souq7 will become one of the retail destinations in Jeddah that will serve as an incubator for innovative, emerging brands, enabling them to expand to the regional market and beyond. Besides, it is expected to host some of the most popular brands in a wide variety of categories, including clothing, furniture, electronics and many more.

5. Souq7 seems to be an open mall concept, why did you choose to follow such a concept?

Keeping pace with the global new trends, we at Azad want to capitalize on providing smart options along the direction of Vision 2030. At Azad Properties, we think differently, as we are following modern retail development ideas rather than the regular concepts, allowing us to create open Souq experiences, especially that visitors can enjoy an outdoor walk across lighted pathways, and a mix between the modern and heritage shopping experience that stimulates the senses.

MAJID ALGOTHMI EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AZAD PROPERTIES

“A Souq for Everyone”,

WELCOME TO THE LARGEST RETAIL COMPLEX IN MAKKAH

If you are looking for a shopping centre that gathers a wide range of brands, a variety of restaurants and cafes and so much more, you have just stepped into the world of your desires at The Clock Towers Shopping Center.

It falls right in the heart of Makkah and is only a few steps away from Islam’s most sacred site Masjid Al Haram. It is also the main entrance to The Clock Towers Complex from the Haram area.

The Clock Towers Shopping Center is the greatest meeting point for cultures coming from around the world as it welcomes more than 20 million visitors every year. Whether on their spiritual journeys as pilgrims or are simply tourists on their vacation or Makkah resident, this shopping centre accompanies all visitors for an unforgettable experience.

With an astonishing area, the multi-story shopping centre gathers more than 600 retail stores, a food court, a money exchange office, a pharmacy, coffee shops, souvenir shops and numerous flavorful restaurants to satisfy all your fashion needs and delight your taste buds. It is visited by people from around the globe looking for a one-stop destination for all their favourite brands and needs.

Providing the Best Services to Visitors from Around the World

Reflecting the cultural diversity of all visitors in Saudi, this shopping centre is the largest in Makkah and has an unprecedented variety of stores that complements each person’s taste and meets their every need.

Guests at The Clock Tower, the largest hotel complex in the world, will not only have direct access to premium and diverse services that each skyscraper hotel provides but will also be able to benefit from the all amenities given by the shopping centre. From wandering around between their favourite clothing stores, having coffee at the various coffee shops, choosing from the list of multi-cultural cuisines at the food court, or dining at the casual restaurants of their choice; the options are unlimited.

The shopping centre’s team is constantly introducing new technologies in order to facilitate movement and improve

the services and experience of every visitor and tenant. The team is always looking for ways to make every person’s visit memorable and enjoyable providing them with everything they might need.

Be Amongst the 600 Stores!

It is the largest retail complex in Makkah with a total of 7 floors offering 625 outlets covering 172,837 square meters of commercial area categorized by traditional, lifestyle to high-end in the near future. This mall provides a satisfying shopping spree to all its visitors and welcomes all tenants with unique services and amenities.

The mall is only a few steps away from Masjid Al Haram, giving visitors the perfect balance of embarking on their religious journeys while being able to visit the mall for joyful times, adding even more importance to the location of the mall.

The Ultimate Destination for Both Visitors and Tenants

This shopping centre is the perfect destination for visitors no matter the purpose of their visit, helping you find everything you are looking for. Whether you are searching for a nice souvenir to bring back home as a memory of your trip from our souvenir shops, looking for any distinguished fashion item or simply wanting to spend some time out having dinner with your family in one of our many outstanding restaurants, coffee shops or food courts, medical centre and other services such as valet parking, this destination is the place to be.

The diversity of our stores at the shopping centre guarantees a wide range of choices for tenants to choose what best fits them. In addition, the shopping centre’s leasing team is always working on expanding the choice of brands, stores and restaurants to satisfy all visitors’ tastes and needs, and welcome tenants with new ideas and concepts.

Being a focal point for cultural exchange, the Clock Towers Shopping Center perfectly represents Makkah as an international city. It is truly a one-stop destination that provides tenants and visitors from around the world with everything they might need. Whether you are a visitor or tenant, choose to be part of innovation for an unforgettable experience.

What are you waiting for? Place your brand in front of millions of visitors at the Clock Towers Shopping Center.

Amjad Jaber is the Director of Commercial Assets at The Clock Towers Shopping Center. He has over 15 years of professional experience within the retail and mall management industry servicing top brands in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with a deep understanding of the leasing and tenant mix strategies.

AMJAD JABER DIRECTOR OF COMMERCIAL ASSETS THE

CENTER

CLOCK TOWERS SHOPPING

THE HIGH CULTURE OF CONVENIENT SHOPPING EXPERIENCE

Sharjah Coop is the first hypermarket concept to integrate a retail outlet, department store, and supermarket under one destination at the Rahmania Mall. Originally, it started as Sharjah Coop and now they have evolved into Sharjah’s retail advisory. Rahmania Mall in Sharjah is a complete destination offering integrated services for people. The mall has 60,000 sqm of retail spaces, restaurants, cafes, and entertainment facilities, that serve all segments of society. The mall is the first community shopping destination in the Al Rahmaniya community that houses over 8,000 families.

The Retail People Magazine had the opportunity to speak in a one-on-one interview with Abdullah Al Huraimel, Executive Director of New Enterprises at Sharjah Cooperative Society, one of the first cooperative societies in the UAE, which owns and operates the Rahmania Mall in Sharjah.

How are the concepts of the retail sector and shopping malls changing today to suit the idea of convenient and comprehensive shopping mall destinations?

The retail sector is constantly evolving, allowing customers to engage with a wide range of innovative products and experiences. The pandemic has impacted businesses to an extent, pushing them to transform and adapt to new realities. Owing to this, industries including the retail sector are endeavouring to satisfy the needs of customers, as consumer behaviour has shifted over the previous years. For convenience, in the retail industry including shopping malls are devising strategies, as customers are crucial to the growth of businesses. The focus of malls is shifting to placing themselves closer to communities to deliver a diverse shopping experience.

At Rahmania Mall, we enrich the lives of our customers, by catering to their diverse needs. Day by day, the retail industry is becoming more fierce, necessitating the need to establish a unique position in target markets. Rahmania Mall offers a new approach to community shopping, by offering a wide variety of services and amenities. The primary goal of community malls is to provide a host of integrated services to their customers. Even Coops are shifting its focus from hypermarkets to community malls, as it serves as a one-stopshop offering comprehensive services, enabling patrons to satisfy all their needs in a single trip.

What are the features and services offered by these one-stop-shops to customers?

One-stop shop refers to the convenience of different services in a single location. At Rahmania Mall, we offer a collection of services that includes a health centre, pharmacies, money exchange, ‘Tasjeel’ for vehicle registration, Gargash Auto Services, sports facilities, and entertainment options such as Cinema City, FabyLand, etc.

How are the community malls responding to the community’s changing needs and the constant increase and change in market demands?

The primary goal of any community mall is to adapt to consumers as well as the market’s shifting needs by offering appropriate services at the right time. By offering all services under one roof, community malls simplify the shopping process. As a community mall, we intend to provide comprehensive services that improve the shopping experience. For this, we have placed ourselves close to our community in Al Rahmaniya, to offer them the highest convenience. Our competitive unique selling points (USPs) also contribute significantly to achieving this.

How are the community malls working to contribute and commit to corporate social responsibility?

Rahmania Mall is dedicated to upholding its social responsibility of offering customers a seamless shopping experience in a warm and family-friendly setting. We also organise CSR events and develop environmental initiatives, all of which are dedicated to having a positive social impact. In addition, Rahmania Mall promotes sustainability in the Sharjah business community by adhering to the high standards of operational sustainability and safety standards.

What are the most prominent services, facilities, and ports hosted and provided by Rahmania Mall as one of the community malls which is serving the community and fulfilling the needs of the customers?

The mall offers varied choices like Sharjah Coop Hypermarket, restaurants, cafes, entertainment centres, and various amenities. We also organise different festival events, retail

campaigns etc., through which we provide live performances, instructional arts and crafts classes for kids of all ages, and many more.

What are the specifications of the Sharjah cooperative at Rahmania Mall and its capacity for shoppers?

Sharjah Coop is over 8,000 sqft and can accommodate over 8,000 shoppers at the Rahmania Mall. Established in 1977, we currently have 49 branches.

What are the challenges facing one-stop-shops considering the rapid growth and change in market requirements and customer needs?

Satisfying all the requirements of customers is one of the main challenges for community malls and one-stopshops. Rahmania Mall has gone the extra mile to offer everything beyond customers’ expectations. We strive to preserve a sustainable relationship with our customers, and stakeholders, as they are integral to our business. Over the years, we have also managed to gain the trust and confidence of our customers, placing their convenience and satisfaction at the top of our priority. Another challenge is the delivery of quality services. To achieve this, one needs continuous investments, and improve the efficiency of services.

ABDULLAH AL HURAIMEL EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF NEW ENTERPRISES

SHARJAH COOPERATIVE SOCIETY

SHOPPING CENTRE

ALBAIK’s First Abu Dhabi Branch Opening Soon

Hicham Dabbagh – Senior Leasing Manager, Atheer Mufid – Sr. Real Estate & Development Manager – servQuest

Wajeb Al Khoury - Director

Beloved Saudi brand, ALBAIK, is opening a new branch in the UAE. Following the successful openings in Dubai, Ajman, and Sharjah, ALBAIK intends to continue to create waves and expand to another Emirate - Abu Dhabi.

The first Abu Dhabi restaurant will be located in the iconic landmark and super-regional shopping destination Al Wahda Mall. Established in 2007, the mall is a leading shopping destination attracting over 20 million visitors annually, with over 350 brands spanning a total of 3.3 million square feet.

Commenting on the announcement Mr. Navaneeth Sudhakaran, the General Manager of Al Wahda Mall, said, “this will be the largest branch of ALBAIK in the UAE, with 9,500 square feet of space dedicated to the capital fast food joint. The layout of the restaurant is designed to be able to handle lengthy queues smoothly.” Speaking on the customer experience, he added, “We are always keen to bring a unique experience to our valuable shoppers and serve our visitors in Abu Dhabi in a better way. Therefore, we worked day and night to meet their expectations, which is our primary goal.”

ALBAIK opened its first branch in Jeddah in 1974. From the beginning, the brand has been committed to providing high-quality, affordable food with fast and friendly service. This commitment has made ALBAIK a household name in the country, and it is now Saudi Arabia’s most beloved restaurant, both locally and internationally. ALBAIKs entry into the UAE comes in line with the brand’s strategic global expansion plans, which hope to bring the ALBAIK values and services closer to all customers. The highly anticipated Abu Dhabi opening will be a significant milestone in that expansion plan.

Speaking about ALBAIK, Mr. Wajeb Al-Khoury, Director of Line Investment & Properties Management, the real estate arm of Lulu Group International, said, “We are excited to bring to our valuable shoppers ALBAIK, one of the most prominent restaurant chains in the gulf region. ALBAIK represents a great addition to Al Wahda Mall and the local market, which always emphasizes attracting brands that represent excellence.”

RIYADH RETAIL MARKET

Anthony’s role at grmc is to ensure value-enhancing initiatives are delivered successfully to clients across multiple industries. He oversees macroeconomic research and business advisory projects covering the GCC and the broader Middle East. Anthony brings a sound understanding of regional retail markets, economic growth, development trends and public policy initiatives.

The retail landscape in Riyadh has experienced a significant transformation over the past few years and will continue to do so. The total retail gross leasable area (GLA) in Riyadh currently stands at over 6 million sqm, of which street retail constitutes around 63%. Of the mall-based leasable area of 2.3 million sqm, only a fifth (~480,000 sqm) of it can be categorized as Grade A, which is a high-quality retail space that commands premium rental rates.

Modern format retail GLA in Riyadh is anticipated to grow from circa 2.3 million sqm in 2022 to over 3.8 million sqm by 2027. The primary driver of growth in modern format retail GLA is due to the supply of super-regional malls (malls with a GLA above 75,000 sqm), including Mall of Saudi, The Avenues, Jawharat Arriyadh and Al Wedyan. The quality of retail space is also likely to be enhanced as consumer expectation of retail evolves. Consumers today are well travelled and are exposed to novel retail, leisure and entertainment concepts across the UAE, Europe, and the US. The world is now a much smaller space.

Unless malls in Riyadh offer a superior level of experience, retail spend would continue to leak to international markets. The pandemic-induced acceleration of e-commerce is drawing traffic away from physical retail locations. Differentiation in the retail offer with better quality and variety is critical, as there is a growing appetite for international brands already available in wellestablished markets in the region.

SERVICES

The landscape of retail in the UAE continues to mature and new developments are outpacing the rate of growth in population, due to which these developments are largely dependent on tourists. This will push global retailers in the region to explore potential opportunities in high-growth markets that are relatively stable such as Riyadh.

In comparison to other markets within KSA, Riyadh has a higher retail GLA per capita at 0.3 sqm. However, it lags behind regional leaders like Dubai (1.3 sqm per capita) or even Bahrain (0.6 sqm per capita). Regionally, Riyadh trails not only in overall GLA per capita metrics but also in the quality of the offer. Among existing superregional malls in Riyadh, only a limited selection of malls can be considered Grade A assets. Of the larger malls, there are few that fall within the “lifestyle” concept or are pushing the boundaries when it comes to their experiential offering.

The nature of retail markets in the Middle East differs significantly from those in the rest of the world in

ANTHONY CAPPALONGA COMMERCIAL MANAGER grmc ADVISORY

many aspects and with consideration of the semantics at play, however probably the most pertinent with regards to making commercial and industry-based decisions is the lack of any definitive clarity or transparency on the reporting of sales or sales related data. A key focus area for developers is to understand the characteristics of their specific catchment area, which is where they derive a majority of their footfall, and consequently sales (trade area – yes, it is different to a catchment area!). This can be used to drive development decisions pertaining to sizes, retail mix, brands, etc, which should ideally be aligned with the needs of the target audience. This is precisely where grmc’s expertise lie, operating for over two decades in assisting our clients with mall feasibility projects, rollout & market-entry strategies, geo-spatial mapping, benchmarking and developing proprietary gravity and regression models.

A key focus area for developers is to understand the characteristics of their specific catchment area, which is where they derive a majority of their footfall, and consequently sales

THE KINGDOM OF CONSTRUCTION

As a strategic advisor, Gary has been involved with some of the world’s leading and iconic large-scale, mixed-use, and retail-led investments. With over 30 years of international experience, Burrows has worked with over 91 malls and meeting places, across 38 countries globally.

It has been said that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is currently the world’s largest construction site…

On closer inspection, it is much, much more than that. HRH Mohammed Bin Salman recently said that KSA will become the new Europe, which is a bold, yet visionary statement. Many futurists have ideated about how we will live and work by 2030, with mega-cities offering sustainable living ecosystems, 10-minute communities and AI-supported everything. However, there are few places in the world capable of making this a reality.

It is fair to say that Europe and America are currently struggling, in the grip of an economic crisis, with increased food and utility costs, plus increasing inflation and decreasing currency.1 Therefore, it is hard to see where the capability to instill structural and institutional change, which will allow these new mega-cities to evolve. Whilst hardship certainly creates innovation, the lack of finance certainly stops the titanic from turning fast enough.

GARY BURROWS CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER ACR PARTNERS

The same is not true for the Kingdom, where the vision of its leader, supported by a robust and challenging 2030 plan, is backed by the current price of a barrel of oil. All of this provides the perfect breeding ground for innovation, with the finance to back it up, in order to build the most extreme creative visions that the human synapsis can spark. If we have the vision to imagine it, then we have the capacity to build it, is certainly true in the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

We only have to look at some of the major developments such as Diriyah Gate in Riyadh, a mixed-use cultural, heritage and lifestyle destination. This 14km2, 50.6-billion-

Gary Burrows is a Dubai based mall and place making consultant.

IMAGE CREDIT: Diriyah Gate

dollar Giga project, is set to become the world’s largest cultural and heritage city. Riyadh is also going through huge infrastructural change. With a new metro getting ready to open in Riyadh, and a new 13.4km sq park, which is so big that 7.5 million trees will be planted.2 The scale of this is so huge, that the volume of new fauna in Riyadh, will actually change the weather patterns. As a result of so much oxygen and moisture being emitted into the atmosphere, it will rain more in Riyadh.

NEOM is a sustainable development in northwest Saudi Arabia. Powered by 100% renewable energy, it will be home to hyperconnected, cognitive cities and regions. THE LINE, the city at the heart of NEOM, will put its 9 million inhabitants within 5 minutes of community amenities, packaging everything in a minimal footprint design that integrates with the surrounding landscape. OXAGON – with its halfon-land, half-on-sea design – will bring together people, advanced industries, and sustainable technology to sustain the economies of the future. TROJENA – NEOM’s mountain region, recently named host of the 2029 Asian Winter Games – will be home to the Gulf’s first and only outdoor ski experience.

Supporting these Giga Projects are a huge number of city projects such as Downtown Saudi, which is responsible for the redevelopment and repositioning of twelve secondary cities. Looking at the best principles of placemaking methodology and how to improve the lives of the communities within the catchment area. This is aimed at both improving the built environments for its citizens, but also increase diversification of the economy and contribute to non-oil GDP growth, in line with the 2030 vision. One of the largest mixed-use developers in the Kingdom, Roshn, is building mega smart city communities, with the stated primary objective of improving the quality of life for the Kingdom’s citizens which is a common theme underpinning the 2030 vision.

Well known mall developers such as Majid Al Futtaim are building the Mall of Saudi, a quoted 3m sq ft giant in Riyadh. Construction work began on 6th Feb 2022, on what will be the largest mall in the Kingdom, the 3.7 billion dollar Avenues Mall by Al-Shaya.3 With 700,000 sq ft luxury Solitaire Mall, known as the Jewel of Riyadh also under construction, the Kingdom will not be short of its modern consumer luxury destinations.

Seven Group has a massive mandate to develop leisure and entertainment, on a country-wide basis, including theme parks and water parks. Sports is an important aspect of the country’s development, with the Public Investment Fund recently investing 2.4 billion dollars in the launch of LIV, the new golf federation.

The country is taking significant steps forward in the advancement of gender empowerment, with a growing number of female board members, which is faster than the international average. A recent appointment as the CEO of the largest malls group in the Kingdom, Arabian Centres, is Alison Redhill-Erguven, a seasoned retail real estate professional, most recently with Brookfield.

It is safe to say that when projects are so big that they change the weather patterns, then you are building massive things. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia may be the Kingdom of Construction, yet it’s not just building physical assets, its building social, cultural and communities for the future of its people, a future unencumbered by historic limitations or constraints. The old saying, “build it and they will come” is absolutely true for the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They are building something truly amazing, that goes beyond mere construction.

IMAGE CREDIT: NEOM | TROJENA

IMAGE CREDIT: NEOM | TROJENA

IMAGE CREDIT: NEOM | TROJENA

NEW RETAIL IS NOT JUST ABOUT SHOPPING!

Oman’s retail sector is recovering over the last 3 years, and analysts would concur that the sultanate’s trajectory is in pace with many of its GCC neighbours. New reports showed that the total wholesale and retail trade in Oman is showing positive signs again despite cautious consumer sentiment and sluggish market conditions. Creating new destination retail experiences will offer many more opportunities beyond just shopping, helping differentiate Oman’s retail experiences from its neighbours.

With family experiences becoming a major impetus, more impressive mall complexes, grander retail malls, and bigger retail and entertainment concepts are being introduced throughout the GCC. Oman is no exception. Overall, a significant amount of retail space is being added to existing stock in the country, with a focus on Muscat and the capital area.

But amid all the new additions, it is important to differentiate between what the market wants and what it needs. Ideally, a combination of more traditional souq-like experiences and a blend of modern and touristfocused retail should be the objective. Herein lies Oman’s potential. With the upcoming Mina Sultan Qaboos Waterfront redevelopment project, the sultanate can lead the way in destination retail development. The project aims to blend traditional Omani heritage and aesthetics with

IAN GLADWIN MANAGING DIRECTOR FULCRUM INVESTMENT - RETAIL

modern technology, with a focus on sustainability and harmony with the environment. Combining old-style souk units with educational and leisure facilities in such a space would provide a truly unique destination retail experience for tourists and residents alike.

The influx of new brands to the market over the past 15 years enabled the development of fashion avenues and bijoux retail destinations in malls with over 60,000 sqm of Gross Leasable Area (GLA). But the market can only absorb a certain amount of supply before the law of diminishing returns starts to affect the success of such destination experiences and the value of such projects.

A fuller and better understanding of the purchasing power of shoppers will help ensure future success, particularly in challenging conditions. Understanding what price points brands should enter in new malls to maintain operational success is also key. This applies not only in challenging conditions but in planning for similar conditions in the future. As shoppers become more discerning about prices, spending and value, brands become cautious about margins, and this impacts the entire retail sector. Wellpriced products and sustainable rents will allow retailers to make a positive margin, survive and thrive in Oman’s changing retail landscape. This is particularly true at a time when the danger of building too big and too much becomes apparent in more sensitive market conditions.

Retail development is considerable in Oman. But more considerable are the opportunities it offers to truly diversify and differentiate it from its GCC neighbours.

Ian Gladwin FRICS is an international retail real estate expert, connected with MECS+R since 2000. As the Managing Director of Fulcrum Retail, he has particular expertise in the KSA, Kuwait and lower Gulf markets, and more recently in Africa.

THE BRAND OF THE FUTURE – MARIE FRANCE SHARPENS ITS FOCUS

Marie France is one of the most prominent lingerie empires in the Middle East & Africa. The brand has dominated the region with a wide range of products, from lingerie to hosiery, beachwear, sportswear, nightwear leggings, fragrances and footwear. And now, armed with a vision to reach broader horizons, it has sharpened its focus and unveiled a new variety of selections, such as home wear, loungewear and a series of new and enhanced fabrics for its alreadyexisting categories of Pajamas and Sportswear.

With merely over 30 boutiques in Lebanon and stellar performance, it only seemed fair to take on new challenges. Over the last few years, Marie France has not only reinforced its position in Lebanon but also in 11 boutiques in Egypt operating under the headquarters’ management, 3 in Jordan and 7 in KSA in partnership with Al Hokair Group. Indeed, the brand has expanded globally…one beautifully-assertive selection at a time.

But perhaps it’s the well-renowned brand’s knack for catering to people’s needs that propelled its success to higher levels. Indeed,

as part of its mission to empower women, Marie France has recently been stepping up its efforts to make sure women are supported, embraced and empowered in all the right ways, no matter their size, colour or background. In other words, it has become the brand of the future, focusing on women’s needs, comfort and confidence all at once. It is committed to representing inclusivity in the region by subscribing to an inclusive strategy, making fashion available and accessible for everyone, regardless of size, fit, age or orientation.

Furthermore, in a matter of a few years, Marie France has gone from only specializing in hosiery to showcasing its expertise in a myriad of categories. A brand that prides itself on an unwavering devotion to place quality and customer satisfaction above all else. A brand that uses diversity and creativity to give its

customers the confidence and poise to take on the world. A brand whose quality-price ratio makes the experience that much more fulfilling and satisfying.

Under its umbrella of massive talents, Marie France has also fostered a team of qualified and specialized experts, all of whom march towards success with irrevocable know-how. And thanks to its unique offerings coupled with wide knowledge in the field, the brand has now garnered nationwide recognition. Not only does

Marie France owe its success to its numerous boutiques across the region, but it also takes great pride in its ever-growing website, which has boosted its sales exponentially in Lebanon. Simultaneously, the brand’s diverse collections and categories are also available on KSA’s notorious Voga Closet.

Amid heated competition with other brands, Marie France remains a leading force, strengthening its warehousing system quite firmly and building its foundation through two main warehouses in Lebanon, another one in Egypt and a final one in the UAE, and more particularly Jebel Ali. And when it comes to its marketing strategy, the Lebanese-based brand has never shied away from top-notch marketing projects, including its annual Marie France fashion show that gathers the region’s elite, and its massive marketing campaigns in collaboration with prominent influencers.

With a hands-on approach to running its business, the brand has also hosted an event to celebrate the opening of its boutique in Jordan, gathering more than 70 bloggers, influencers and the region’s most acclaimed personalities. Granted, Marie France has been seemingly branching out in terms of locations, but it has also been expanding in terms of product variety and collections.

Marie France stands prominently in the lingerie and hosiery world, never wavering from its core values and proving yet again its timelessness through nothing short of integrity and morality. As part of its “expansion” journey, the leading brand is now planning to take on new extremes, by setting sail in Armenia, Ghana and Azerbaijan in the upcoming year.

Guided by the lights of inclusivity and expansion, Marie France has proudly earned its title of Brand of the Future, paving the way to better times in the industry, regardless of economic turmoil and unrest.

ORANGE BED & BATH CELEBRATE CREATIVITY, INNOVATION AND INITIATIVE

“Since 2002, my intentions were clear. I wanted to improve and change the quality and standards in the textile industry in Saudi Arabia. I was aware of the challenges ahead of me. However, I knew it will be worth it if it will be done the right way. My priorities remained the same for the past 20 years. My focus is to innovate and generate steady and sustainable growth. Adapting to the demands and rapid development of our customers is my goal.”

This is the opening word mentioned by Abdulrahman Habbal, CEO and Founder of Orange Bed & Bath, when we had the opportunity to interview him for the Retail People Magazine.

What is the reason behind this name or brand?

The brand Orange represents both the colour and fruit. In the colour pallet, orange is associated with warmth and cosiness. The fruit is fresh and bright. Emerging these aspects are important to us and we want to reflect it in our products. Orange is simple, fresh and cosy.

With all retail forms available, why did you choose this particular type?

There was a serious market gap for quality home textile products under one roof back in those days. Bed and bath products were limited in terms of designs, fabrics, and obtainability.

Looking back, what are the challenges Orange Bed & Bath encountered?

Consumers have been cautiously treating our business at the very beginning as a high-end store. They assumed that the products and the store looked rather expensive, even though the prices were relatively close to products they bought from other markets.

ABDULRAHMAN HABBAL CEO AND FOUNDER ORANGE BED & BATH

How do you cope with this challenge?

Social networking platforms have helped our customers realise that our prices on Orange Bed & Bath products are fair and perhaps extremely low, but the quality is high. Thus, we have been working on the customer’s experience to establish loyalty, trust, and a lasting relationship.

What has your experience during the COVID days been like, and how do you see your company now after the pandemic?

During the pandemic, all of our 40 showrooms were closed, and we opted to launch an online store. We have been receiving thousands of orders daily. We transferred all exhibition staff to operating lines in warehouses to meet the increasing demands of customers and take out all orders at the maximum speed. We have also trained and qualified sales staff for the customer service department in order to respond to customers’ inquiries

around the clock. We participated in various community events by providing 1000 pillows to all delivery representatives. We wanted to express our appreciation for their continuous service and hard work. Within 35 days of closing during the pandemic; we have delivered more than 25,000 orders and more than 3,000 phone calls have been answered.

How has your vision changed 16 years after establishing a company?

We were and still are the largest bed and bath products store with 46 retail spaces throughout the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We are still continuously working on improving the quality of textiles for our customers and meeting their demands.

What is your secret to achieving success and staying on top of your respective field?

The way we see it, understanding our consumers’ pains, struggles, likes, needs, and wants is our secret. We are familiar with the market demands and what it needs. We have always been there to cater to our customers’ demands first and offer them the best quality at the most affordable prices.

What is your opinion about retail technology, e-commerce, Metaverse, and the like?

Since the time they first introduced the technology to purchase goods over the internet, there has been a division between the real and digital worlds. Buying goods in traditional brick-and-mortar stores allows shoppers to physically touch or try on products before purchasing. E-commerce shopping forgoes the physical aspect of conventional brick-and-mortar shopping but offers unprecedented convenience, speed, and access. The Metaverse is where these two previously separate worlds of commerce converge to create an experience that will reshape e-commerce forever.

Do you have any plans to expand your footprint? And if so, where do you want to expand?

We are very close to opening Orange Café at Red Sea Mall in Jeddah. We are also currently working on expanding our home textile showrooms around the Middle East. In the meantime, our delivery services around the Gulf Cooperation Council area are available.

MAGRABI’S VISIONARY CEO LOOKS TO EXPAND

Amin Magrabi has been CEO of the MAGRABi Group since 2019. He joined the family-led business in 2003, having started his career in financial services. His current role encompasses CEO of the Retail business, Chairman to the MAGRABi Hospitals and Centers network and Chairman of the MAGRABi Foundation.

Amin Magrabi has a poster on his office wall: “Leave your ego at the door”. It is this determination to stay grounded by the CEO of Magrabi Retail, and his ability to communicate and engage so well with his staff and colleagues, that distinguishes him as a born corporate leader.

Having taken over the family business twenty years ago, he has built the biggest eyewear luxury retailer in the middle east region, with 144 stores, an estimated market share of 40% in premium and luxury, 1350 employees and a revenue of $220m a year for the retail arm, aiming to double by 2025.

The company’s brands are household names in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the Gulf. Magrabi has a clear business strategy, an engaging message as a social advocate and a legacy of 95 years of providing quality optical care since Amin’s grandfather first went into the optometry business.

“We were born to care for people’s eyes,” the CEO says. “That has always been our mantra.” The company’s mantra has always been to “never turn away a patient” since its founding, and today Magrabi has a charitable foundation offering equitable eye care.

AMIN MAGRABI CEO MAGRABI GROUP

Amin used his background in investment banking and high finance to really take Magrabi to the next level. He has a very clear vision and a strong business strategy to consolidate Magrabi’s position in the region before eventually taking it global and turning it into a publicly listed company.

I think international expansion is something we are thinking about,” Magrabi explains. “But in this current period, we are building the platforms, the talent, the technology to enable us to take that next step.”

Magrabi, the region’s leading eyecare and eyewear luxury retailers, announced earlier this year that during 2022, it will be investing a total of Dh84m across 57 stores in KSA, UAE, Qatar, Egypt and Kuwait.

However, it is not just his business acumen and strategic vision which makes him worthy of the CEO awards; it is his determination also to make Magrabi a social advocate and to set tough, ground-breaking targets for gender equality and fair practices across the company.

Magrabi has recently opened Saudi’s first female-only staff store and has set a target of 50:50 gender equality throughout the company – from board to shop floor –by 2025.

“Culture is very important to us,” Amin says. “We have taken positions around gender equity and gender balance in our region. Until very recently in our markets we couldn’t even have one female colleague in the stores, for example, in Saudi Arabia.”

Amin has introduced a shrewd, data-driven strategy for the retail group, one which now accounts for both premium and mainstream markets, and the business model of the business includes online as well as bricksand-mortar stores.

“We take tens and tens of data points – whether demographic, social, infrastructure,” he continues. “We use AI models which look at current revenue of the stores, where they are and then highlight other catchment areas that fit those.”

Magrabi has also set up a world-leading Lens Innovation Centre in Dubai, with plans to double the current production of two million per year by 2025 and capitalised on the large market for coloured contact lenses account for around 50% of sales in the middle east. Recently, Magrabi and Amin hosted David Beckham for an exclusive visit in one of their stores for the launch of the latest DB eyewear SS23 and FW23 collections.

“We use AI models which look at current revenue of the stores, where they are and then highlight other catchment areas that fit those.”

CHINESE RETAIL GIANT SEMIR GROUP

Nicole Zhoe has 15+ years of experience in strategic planning and global business development. During the last five years, she established and led the Semir International team creating the foundation of the group’s international business activity, successfully expanding both Semir and Balabala brands into 12 countries and regions with 70+ international stores.

Founded in 1996 and listed in 2021, Semir Group operates 10 brands, 5 of which are private labels led by ‘Semir’ for adults and ‘balabala’ for kids. The group also operates international brands such as Asics Kids, Puma Kids, Marco Polo and Juicy Couture in China market.

Semir Brand

Established in 1996, Semir is a lifestyle brand for adults, committed to developing innovative, and affordable products. Semir believes in the potential of young adults, who are confident, creative and looking for their own stage to play out their lives. The brand creates and presents comfortable fashion for the fast-paced, diverse lives of the new era of youth, focusing on the latest fashion trends combined with cutting-edge performance fabrics for easy wear. Semir Brand now operates in over 2,700 stores in mainland China and has a rapidly developing international presence with over 20 stores overseas.

Balabala Brand

The spirit of the Balabala brand focuses on dreams, exploration, play and love for all children. The essence of the brand is to be the Children’s fashion brand that knows best about growth. The brand provides the latest fashionquality clothing suitable for all occasions and activities, encouraging infinite dreams and wonderful childhood. Balabala is listed as the No.1 kids’ wear brand in Asia and provides on-trend fashion, shoes and accessories for children aged from 0-14, delivering high-quality products in an exciting shopping environment. Balabala brand now operates in over 4,000 stores in mainland China, and 40+ stores overseas.

Overseas Expansion

Based on its huge domestic success, Semir Group launched its international expansion in 2016, with an initial foray into the Middle East and Asia as the

first stage of its global expansion strategy. The group opened its first overseas Balabala store in February 2017 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia followed by Semir in 2018 in the same market.

Today, Balabala trades in 12 countries and regions including through its own direct business in Hong Kong, while Semir currently operates in 4 countries and regions.

The Model

Over 75% of the group’s retail trade is through franchise operations in its domestic market and has built up expertise in delivering a successful trading model of mutual profitability. The model has been adapted to various international markets while maintaining the core brand identity and values of a global brand. This has been achieved by creating an expert international franchising team in our overseas office ensuring an international perspective in everything we do, and developing tools and support packages sympathetic to local markets while ensuring consistency and global standards. Developing international products with curated regional localization has been a key to our success. We continue to seek experienced retailers in many global markets to grow with us through franchise relationships. Our flexible approach to market needs ensures we and our partners leverage our combined strengths to deliver strong retail businesses.

For more information, please visit:

Balabala:

https://global.balabala.com/pages/business-opportunities

Semir: https://semirshop.com/collections

NICOLE ZHOU GENERAL MANAGER SEMIR INTERNATIONAL

Semir Store in Hayat Mall, Riyadh, KSA

Semir Store in Dubai Hills, Dubai, UAE

AL HOKAIR GROUP TO OPEN THE FIRST OF ITS KIND COCOMELON FEC

Mohamed Attia joined Al Hokair Group in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in 2021 as Entertainment General Manager. He is a highly trained and result-oriented leader with over 20 years of proven track record in organizational development, management and planning across prestigious companies in the Leisure Sector. Mohamed is keen to meet challenges in any circumstance to a win-win solution and known for his own strategic plan to turn in the right direction of the leisure business with the aim to accomplish the company’s goals.

Al Hokair Group has been a dominant force in hospitality and entertainment for decades since 1975. Over the past five decades, the Group’s projects have expanded to include more than 80 entertainment centres and 35 hotels, and many cinemas, and restaurants across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt. Focusing on delivering exceptional quality through strategic partnerships and evolving expertise, the Group enhances returns on investment whilst advancing the entertainment and hospitality sectors in its target markets.

As the MENA Region entertainment industry continues to grow, emerging partnerships highlight the sector’s increasing strength in the region. The newest and most trendy development is the License Agreement signed between Al Hokair Group for Tourism and Development and Moonbug Entertainment. This collaboration will see Al Hokair Group develop the CoComelon Family Entertainment Centres across several countries in the MENA region, where guests and their kids can meet JJ and his friends and enjoy a unique approach to entertainment and fun.

Al Hokair Group selected the first CoComelon park to be in Saudi Arabia followed by other parks across the region. The group with its vast leisure and entertainment experience will transform the success of the CoComelon brand into a one-of-its-kind FEC for the little ones.

Moonbug Entertainment is an award-winning global entertainment company behind some of the world’s most popular kids’ titles. Moonbug’s shows are on more than 150 platforms globally, bringing an unrivalled level of global scale to its ultra-popular shows like

CoComelon and Blippi. The company aims to be a natural part of every child’s upbringing, regardless of geography, culture, or background. By inspiring and engaging children with fun and responsible storytelling, Moonbug encourages kindness, compassion, and resilience in the next generation.

With a digital and audience-first approach, Moonbug has built its portfolio of properties through the acquisition of popular kids’ IP born originally in the digital space. By leveraging its creative and production expertise, the company has grown these properties from much-loved YouTube shows into global entertainment franchises.

We are pleased to sign this agreement with Moonbug, a promising entertainment brand that has achieved remarkable success. We are working in Al Hokair Group’s Entertainment Sector to enhance our portfolio and maintain our leadership position in the industry.

Stay tuned as many more amazing projects with new entertainment concepts will be announced soon since we will have more collaborations with another big international companies.

It is our commitment to keep on innovating and creating the best destinations in the region as innovation is a top priority at Al Hokair Group.

We also consistently enhanced our offering across all our attractions, creating new themes, exhibits, and experiences, and we will continue to explore new and innovative concepts as we develop our current assets.

MOHAMED ATTIA GENERAL MANAGER - ENTERTAINMENT AL HOKAIR GROUP

OPEN-AIR SHOPPING CENTRES EXPERIENCE, THE FUN WAY TO GO?

With over 14 years of experience in Property Management, Leasing, and Tenant Relations. Retail is Abdallah’s passion more than a profession. He is currently working at King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC), the Kingdom’s leading destination for Tourism & Leisure as a Senior Manager for Leasing & Tenant Relations, with the larger scope of managing the retail experience of the whole city.

Atrip to the shopping centre or mall has always been something dear to my heart. A trip I really enjoy especially with the family, not only for the holistic offering of F&B, shopping, and entertainment; which is ever-growing and improving day in, and day out; but also, for the unique experience that each centre offers.

Whilst being an enjoyable experience through all seasons, the indoor shopping experience has its own limitations, we are still indoors! Even though the majority of shopping centres heavily incorporate the element of see-through glass ceilings into their design that allows more sunlight into the mall, creating a more natural outdoor-like feeling, I always get a sudden urge to go out and breathe “real air” after spending three or four hours inside!

Nonetheless, it was a completely different experience in one of the openair shopping centres I recently visited, called “Swefieh Village” in Amman, Jordan. It was surprising compared to other shopping experiences I had. It had a “cozier” feeling written all over it, something you know you would enjoy the moment you arrive.

The customer journey itself was different which most malls or centres fail to enhance or even maintain throughout their life span, ultimately affecting their popularity; the location, surroundings, parking, and entrance were all different from what customers are usually expecting from a shopping mall’s customer journey.

Considered typically as a neighbourhood or community centre, openair centres are usually inspired by the surrounding communities in terms of design, influenced directly by the local customer base demands and requirements, creating a customer-focused tenancy mix, and an up-todate look & feel. Therefore, providing more essential options for services, dining, and entertainment creates a more inclusive way for customers to spend their time.

ABDALLAH KUSSAD SR. MANAGER – LEASING & TENANT RELATIONS KING ABDULLAH ECONOMIC CITY (KAEC)

The unique entrances and visibility of an open-air centre will also allow retailers to be in the direct line of sight, so customers won’t have to wander indoors to enjoy its offerings. Maximizing visibility can also go a long way in boosting foot traffic and increasing revenue, consequently positively affecting the experience for retailers and customers alike.

As customers, we all have our own “shopping rhythm” or behaviour in an indoor mall or shopping centre. These behaviours vary differently depending on if one is visiting with family or friends. What the open-air centres offer is a unified experience based on “enjoying your time while shopping”, rather than shopping itself. This experience provides an unforgettable moment and has its own unique aesthetic, creating a complete package (essential goods and services as well as enjoying the air and space) that no indoor centre can offer.

Data from Placer.ai reveals another geographic impact between indoor vs. outdoor malls. With indoor malls, foot traffic was down to 6.5% in September 2021 compared to outdoor malls which are down to 5.2%. Hence, even during the ongoing pandemic, open-air markets allowed retailers to continue generating revenue while creating a safer shopping experience as experts suggest people are far less likely to catch the virus in an outdoor setting. This also helped small and local businesses that are major parts of neighbourhood and community centres to survive.

Ultimately, open-air centres and markets provide a safer and more fun way for shoppers to come together, making the future of these outdoor experiences a bright and promising one.

OPEN MARKETS – A FORGOTTEN SHOPPING CONCEPT

Umesh Agarwal is a Retail Industry Professional and Project Management specialist for more than two decades. He has served multiple large retailers and helped hundreds of retail brands in creating exceptional customer experience in their physical stores across the GCC region.

Humans have been consuming resources since their existence. It started in the form of sharing and later by bartering before the advent of “Open Markets” in the form of Roman - FORUM. Open markets, as the name suggests, were held in large, open, rectangular/square areas which were predominantly located in the city centre and surrounded by public buildings, temples, etc. Merchants and buyers from around the city gathered here to sell and buy fresh produce and locally manufactured products. The buyers bargained hard to buy their desired stuff and went home happy and satisfied. In later years, these markets also functioned as places of religious, political, judicial, social, and commercial activities.

However, with the growth of alternative shopping concepts, the new age shoppers are not very appreciative of them and thus the traditional way of open markets have vanished

losing their objective, form, and glory. Now the open markets are held sporadically only in small towns and cities. However, the pandemic, which forced the people to remain indoors for longer period, has revived the need for open markets once more because the people’s shopping behavior has changed and their appetite to meet, socialize, eat, entertain, shop and breathe in an open air, has increased multifold during the pandemic years.

The new age open markets have taken new shapes, sizes, location, and are named based on different categories:

Day based - Friday/Sunday/National Day

Product(s) based- Gold, Vegetables, Textile, Perfume, Arts, Spices, Souvenirs, Second-hand (Flea market) etc.

Sourcing based - Direct from farm, Ripe Market

Location based - Market at the beach, roadside, park etc.

And many more……

These markets offer a large assortment of goods at throw away prices. They are effortlessly vibrant, always hustling and bustling with customers from all walks of life and the energy around there is infectious. They come with loads of entertainment activities and variety of local cuisines including popular street food joints thus making it a complete family affair and taking the whole customer experience to a level higher.

UMESH AGARWAL

“Open markets have remained popular despite the buffet of shopping avenues available to the customers”

These modern open markets are also helping in keeping the retail industry abuzz which bodes well for the shopping malls and retailers. The mall owners must take advantage of this and repurpose their internal spaces and offerings to give it a feel of the open markets. And on the other hand, the retailers who always find themselves pushed to find newer & innovative ways of retailing, have a great opportunity to use this concept as another avenue to attract and sell to a variety of customers. I believe the strength of open market concept is their unique customer experience. Retailers can shun the competition amongst each other and collaborate to find customer focused ways to replicate the similar experience in their offerings.

“Open markets offer unique, authentic, and delightful shopping experience at affordable prices in a natural environment and are increasingly becoming popular amongst modern day customers”

In the post pandemic era, people deserve so much more when they are out of their homes and the modern open markets are certainly their go to place to shop for products made by the best local producers, enjoy meeting others, entertain themselves and dine their favorite street food, all under one roof. Therefore, I don’t have any hesitation in concluding that the open markets are here to stay and grow exponentially in size, offerings, categories, and popularity.

RETAIL INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL

Roman Forum - World’s First Open Markets

Open Market at Bangkok

Ripe Market – Spring Souk, Dubai

DATA SUPPORT AND TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS TO HELP YOUR RETAIL BUSINESS THRIVE

With a 20-year of experience serving customers, Pinkesh spearheads diverse departments as a regional head, and developer for Europe and the Middle East. He is an expert in technology solutions and experienced in assisting clients in optimizing costs and increasing the bottom line. He holds a Master’s in Business Administration and is a proud member of the MECS+R.

Corporate Occupiers or retail property managers today cannot ignore technology if they want to stay relevant and keep up with the rest of the sector. The problem-solving capabilities of real estate data management and technology support ultimately help speed up processes, reduce unnecessary costs, increase ESG targets and offer a fresh perspective into portfolio performance. Proptech innovators are expanding, and we are here to embrace it.

The Retail People Magazine interviewed Pinkesh Shroff, VP of Business Development EMEA at Retransform to share his insight on the current trends of data support and technology solutions.

How can we protect the data with data management?

You should always start with the basics—your data management. The data and the information you have for your business are essentially your bread and butter. Don’t you want to protect it using the proper database management system, a digital-twin application or even both? It is important that you understand the complexities of your data and then learn how to keep your data

PINKESH SHROFF VP - BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT EMEA RETRANSFORM

and portfolio intact and protected. Depending on your company goals, you need to assess the data points – are they universal and what points are contributing to the goals? You can make a map of all the data points and then assess how fragmented or completed your data management truly is. The problem is most systems don’t consider all the factors contributing to a measure and it’s difficult to isolate the problem. Having the right monitoring for your stores simultaneously through the power of Artificial Intelligence from your phone, laptop or tablet can provide optimal management for your portfolio.

You mentioned Digital Twin Technology, can you explain it further and how it works?

Digital-Twin Technology can function as your second set of eyes, ears, and intuition. Reap the benefits for long-term optimal results like increasing cost savings,

mitigating health and safety risks, and improving the environment for the tenants. At a portfolio level, you can identify high and low KPIs across your stores and map out a step-by-step plan for your entire portfolio(s) that can align with ESG and net-zero targets as well. Virtually and via remote, you have the power to set any parameters to protect your properties’ assets. This type of technology in your corner will help you create reports that will contain vital information for your retail business. With digital technology, you can reduce maintenance costs – small fixes can be completed before big breakages occur. More importantly, it can reduce tenant attrition –less advertising spends and loss of rent. More attractive spaces are able to charge more rent while commercial tenants return business.

Why is custom reporting so important?

Knowledge is power but it’s what you do with that knowledge that is the key to a business’s advantage. The power of reporting puts you in control. The reports record performance metrics from accounting to energy bills and lease expirations and then integrated and implemented within your own property system. By combining the data, a property owner can see how a space is being used from a 360-degree perspective. Another helpful tool is notifications and alerts which can be set up to flag thresholds being reached or highlight anomalies so that quick and precautionary measures can be taken care of.

How has Retransform responded to the needs for both solutions?

As real estate experts, we continue to learn and aim for opportunities to capitalize on our technology solutions and offerings that could potentially help your business become more efficient. Retransform is a global technology and analytics provider for retail real estate professionals and is well-versed in reaching our market with easy and user-friendly operations, end-to-end cloud-based solutions, and the newest in artificial intelligence. Our company has created

4see Analytics, a cloud-based platform that uses machine learning and AI technology to aggregate data and analyses historical data to detect correlations and anomalies. More importantly, it brings together disparate systems; extracts and uploads data; data warehouse management; cleanses and checks rules, producing practical insights based on Key Predictive Indicators (KPIs). Ultimately, we want you to use the data reports to improve your asset’s performance and avoid blind spots within your business.

Another platform we have is Secure, a digital-twin platform created for tenants, property managers and owners, arming them with real-time data to enable efficient decision-making. The smart technology works through a series of sensors placed in and around a building. Digital Twin Technology combined with IoT sensors allows real-time monitoring to elevate operational performance. These track real-time occupancy and monitor a wide range of aspects, such as air quality, waste management, temperature, occupancy level, parking lots, car garages and machinery such as elevators.

As your last point, what do you want to leave with the readers?

With a strong focus on data analytics and digital twin technology, managing your storefront and centres will be easier for you. And with the proper reporting and findings, it will ultimately help you make better future investments. The goal has always been to grow and create improvement opportunities, so why not have the right support? We at Retransform can help your retail business thrive.

BRINGS DATA-DRIVEN GIFT CARD SOLUTIONS TO MALLS ACROSS THE MIDDLE EAST

Colin joined Giftify in October 2022 as the Head of Region and General Manager for MENA. With almost 30 years of experience in the financial sector, intimate knowledge of the gift card market in the Middle East, as well as a passion for customer experience and gift-giving, Colin is uniquely positioned to bring Giftify’s unparalleled service and martech solutions to MENA’s shopping centres.

Known across Europe as a leader in the gift card market, Giftify is now entering the Middle East and I am delighted to have joined them to bring their business to the region. Unlike other gift card programmes already operating in MENA, Giftify puts marketing first. All clients receive access to our MyPortal platform, a combination of intranet, card management, and data analytics allowing retail centres to not only sell cards with ease but also analyse the card usage and optimise in-centre marketing actions.

Alongside this unique offering, Giftify prides itself on world-class customer support. Giftify never outsources – all support agents operating our phone lines are trained by Giftify and available during shopping centre operating hours to offer technical, purchase, and trouble-shooting support for centre staff. Card sales are available via a variety of POS options, though without a doubt the star of the line-up is the customisable RapidCard Slim vending kiosk with its easy-change side magnet panels and simple touch-screen user journey (upgraded version coming in early 2023). Of course, there is no replacement for the human touch – the RapidCard Fuse easily integrates card sales into existing info desks with three simple pieces of equipment: a payment terminal, a card reader, and any computer with a WiFi connection.

Giftify is also committed to CSR programming: let’s love planet earth, one gift card at a time!

Say hello to durable and high-quality eco-friendly gift cards! Did you know that over 7 billion payment cards are produced annually across the globe? The vast majority of these are made from virgin plastics or nonbiodegradable plastic materials. Replaced every three years, payment cards are collectively contributing to around 5.7 million tons of plastic in landfill. With an eye to United Nations Sustainable Development Group 2030 Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), Giftify has spent the last year working on the integration of a new line of gift cards to complement our current offering. Eco-friendly cards may be the future of

cashless payments to help reduce excessive plastic pollution. Embracing green finance can be a great way to fight climate change and protect the environment.

Bouncing Back from the Pandemic: Retail

The Covid-19 pandemic has largely reshaped our behaviours and interactions in the last three years. It has transformed businesses and the overall service industry. As society returns to ‘normal’, shopping centres and retailers have the opportunity to make a fresh start and focus on innovating their user experience and growth. In the Middle East, many centres are investing heavily in their gift card programmes, as they are known to be a fantastic tool for consumer engagement and drive footfall into their assets. Gift cards occupy a large chunk of the global market amounting to around US$ 424.21 billion in 2022. This figure is expected to hit US$ 510 billion in 2025. The introduction of martech/fintech strategy into the gift card industry – the foundational premise of Giftify – creates a wealth of opportunities for shops and mall brands to boost consumer satisfaction and, by extension, sales. For more info, please visit www.giftify.me

COLIN DAVIDSON HEAD OF REGION / GENERAL MANAGER – MENA GIFTIFY

AN EXTRAORDINARY WAY TO INCREASE SALES FOR MALL TENANTS

Alexey Knyazev is an advocate of data-driven approaches to shopping centres’ management with two higher degrees in Stanford and Ivey Business School. He is an expert in the field of innovative technologies, IoT and behavior analytics in shopping centres. He has 20+ years of experience in the real estate market and a member of the MECS+R.

Few months ago, a leading European shopping centre developer with five malls and 600,000 sqm under management asked us to help them understand why some tenants of one retail chain had similar performance in two shopping centres, and some of the same-chain tenants performed twice as bad in one location compared to another. With Focus systems, the developer automatically collects tenants’ sales from POS machines and customer movements data inside the malls.

So, the case under research refers to two shopping centres located in one city in different districts: Blue Mall and Orange Mall (names used for illustration purposes). Orange Mall brings less tenant revenues compared to Blue Mall. On the other hand, Blue Mall has higher traffic compared to Orange Mall. Stores operated by the same retail chains in both malls have been analyzed. Some tenants experienced a similar difference (as shopping centres) in sales volume. Some tenants managed to get comparable sales in both malls despite the difference in traffic.

The reason for poor performance for some tenant groups seemed obvious, but why did other groups perform similarly in both malls despite lower traffic in one of the malls?

After identifying a group of tenants to analyze, we started to check hypotheses on possible reasons for the difference in efficiency of the same-chain tenants. The full path to purchase analysis in two malls showed all the metrics in Orange Mall are twice lower than in Blue Mall.

ALEXEY KNYAZEV

CO-FOUNDER, CHIEF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT OFFICER MALLSENSE

But we decided to go further and analyze the sales structure of same chain tenants. With ABC analysis, we identified the list of goods generating 70% of revenue in stores. It was a surprise to find out that 60% of the most popular offers are missing at the Orange Mall same brand stores with low performance. At the same time, we found out that tenants showing similar performance at two malls had 90% of high-demand items in both stores.

It seems the reason for lower sales is the lower traffic of the mall and tenants.

The “problem” group of tenants missed high-demand items, resulting in fewer transactions and lower revenue. The insight was surprising, because the primary analysis showed the similar level of all the metrics: conversion rate, capture rate, avg check, units per transaction, which made us think that could be a reason for different performance of same chain stores in two malls.

Shopping centres developer presented research results to brands suffering from lower sales in Orange Mall. After that, retailers reviewed their product assortment. Within three months, Orange Mall started to fix the increase of tenants’ revenue, respectively rentals’ revenue.

Stores with lower shopper traffic often get residual customer attention. Our surveys show 80% of mall traffic are returning customers. If a visitor enters the store to discover there is “nothing to buy here”, he/she will never return. Thus, despite there being an obvious reason i.e. different shopper traffic in the malls covered in our examples, some tenants manage to have identical sales levels! Yet some tenants are plagued by the “vicious circle” of poor traffic. Believing the reason is outside the store (low traffic in the mall), considering no options other than to cut costs in the store, reduce shopper attention and make customers never return. As a result, traffic diminishes instead of rising and the store manager ends up with closing this location.

Data is the new oil; sales data is the pulse of the shopping centre. At a time when tenants are careful about transferring sales data to shopping centres, I would like to share the real caseofhowbothretailandshoppingcentresdidbenefitfromsalesdatasharingwithmalls.

FUTURE OF

BEAUTY:

FINDING YOUR BRAND’S PLACE IN THE DIGITAL-FIRST WORLD

Lisa Lee, Vice President and Head of Business Development at Perfect Corp., leads a team responsible for multiple functions, including Business Development, BU Management, and Business Analytics. She is passionate about helping beauty and fashion brands build exciting shopping journeys with the power of the latest AI and AR technologies.

In recent years, ‘digital transformation’ has been a driving force for many businesses around the globe, with the beauty industry often at the forefront, pushing the envelope, and redefining excellent consumer journeys across all touchpoints. Gone are the days when we were satisfied with generic products marketed to us by movie stars of unattainable beauty standards. These days, folks demand much more.

Perfect Corp. provides beauty brands with the technological tools necessary to meet those ever-growing demands and provide actual value to their customers. In a world where many have an online presence, we put much more importance on centering ourselves in the middle of brand experience. We expect customized products that fit our unique beauty types or solve our particular concerns.

AI and AR-Powered Solutions at the Heart of Personalized Shopping Journeys

Providing product recommendations and personalized shopping journeys at scale can only be achieved with the help of technology. Thanks to the ubiquity of personal smart devices, we are now able to use artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR)-powered solutions to create truly immersive, personalized shopping journeys. Within a couple of seconds, we are able to analyze a customer’s skin needs, and deliver a skincare routine with product recommendations tailored specifically to that person’s skin concerns. Through this, it helps targeting skin issues such as such as spots, wrinkles, moisture deficiency, redness, oiliness, acne, texture, dark circles, eye bags, lack of skin firmness, droopy eyelids, lack of radiance or enlarged pores. The technology is then able to predict the effectiveness of the skincare routine and present the user with a realistic emulation of the results of the treatment program. This hyper-realistic way of visualizing the entire shopping journey and skincare experience empowers confidence in the brand and products, increasing sales, and building incredibly strong brand loyalty, as customers feel understood and get a tangible value out of the experience.

LISA LEE VP, BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT PERFECT CORP

The Power of Hyper-realistic Virtual Product Try-on and Omnichannel Shopping Experiences

Online sales have been growing exponentially across the globe. To stay relevant, it is imperative for beauty brands to recreate the brick-and-mortar shopping experiences online. A big part of this is being able to try products before making a purchase. With solutions such as virtual try-on for makeup, including lipstick, eye makeup, face makeup, or full makeup looks, beauty lovers can see their own faces with various shades and color combinations, compare myriad styles, and get product recommendations that will complement their unique beauty type. These experiences can be further enhanced with tailored makeup tutorials or video consultations with the brand’s makeup artist. The experience can be fully immersive, thanks to animated backgrounds, transforming online shoppers into a digitally recreated shopping environment.

We now have a broad array of tools and solutions to create incredible omnichannel shopping experiences across all touchpoints. Be it a browser-based experience, an app-based experience, as well as, an in-person experience at a physical store where beauty shoppers can engage with technology via beauty mirrors. Many beauty brands have already jumped on board, and reaped the benefits of technology-enhanced solutions, making them a strategic part of the brand’s future, interwoven with every aspect of their relationship with their consumers. The technology is ready; will you join the movement of personalized shopping experiences?

TRENDING DIGITAL SIGNAGE CONCEPTS IN THE RETAIL INDUSTRY

Shazil Merchant is an innovative business leader who aspires to create wow experiences for clients with new and trendy digital signage solutions. He graduated Electrical & Electronics Engineering from the University of Manchester, UK. Being 3rd generation in the signage business, he has brought many interesting digital signage concepts which have helped in adding more value to their clients’ signage requirements.

After graduating and working in the United Kingdom, I decided to move back to the UAE. Having lived here my entire life, I felt this was a great platform to continue our legacy in the signage industry and explore all the opportunities this growing market has to offer. When I moved back, digital signage barely existed. Many clients did not even know the different solutions that were available at the time. A few had ideas from foreign markets and were eager to replicate concepts in this region. This gave me a lot of confidence in jumping into the digital signage world as I could foresee a rapidly growing demand for these solutions.

Looking back today and how the digital signage industry has grown exponentially in the last 5 years, one of our best decisions was to launch Champion Digital as a separate entity rather than just an extra product an advertising company can offer. With dedicated resources and a different structure in place for managing digital signage projects, we as a group can now work on larger and more

its clients both static and digital signage solutions for indoor and outdoor applications which make their client’s life easier since they only have to deal with one expert regarding how nice their brand physically looks in the market.

The retail industry has been the quickest to adopt digital signage and indeed, clients within the retail industry are our biggest customers today. Most, if not all, retail brands are implementing digital LED screens within their stores to uplift the overall ambience of the shop and create a more engaging environment for its consumers. These displays allow our clients to better communicate with their clients by regularly changing the content of the LED screens without worrying about additional costs. Malls are also adapting to this change very quickly as many retailers today also consider advertising opportunities within the mall – which is a great revenue generation stream for mall management. While at university, I took up robotics as part of my degree purely out of interest. Fortunately, I have been able to bring robotics into the advertising industry with a core focus on uplifting a brand’s marketing through innovation. We are currently working with various F&B clients on concepts where their food is delivered to their customers by autonomous robots within the restaurants creating a huge buzz. Some of these solutions also have embedded digital signage displays which allow our clients to display dynamic and engaging content.

SHAZIL MERCHANT DIRECTOR CHAMPION DIGITAL A MEMBER OF CHAMPION GROUP

LET’S MAKE RETAIL “PERSONAL”

Today, we are stepping into the metaverse world discovery, defining what phygital really means and racing towards delivering the “first,” the “biggest” and the most “exclusive” experiences.

Nada Ghaoui Abousaab brings over 26 years of experience across the MENA and North America business landscape, burnishing a strong reputation in driving brand recognition, placemaking, innovation, customer experience and driving market share and revenue generation through marketing strategies, partnerships, and data analytics. Drawing upon her experience in sales and marketing in retail, hospitality and international development sector, Nada designed and executed award winning marketing innovations, that garnered regional and international recognitions. expectations. Although they are triggered by rewards, they should be combined with more “meaningful” experiences, online and offline to achieve a long-term ROI. Campaign messages can be thumb-stoppers and support better conversion rates when personalized across all the channels shoppers transact in. Today’s relationship with consumers has become a two-way model, where “delight” leads to not only loyalty but a long-term, compounded impact ROI: a happy consumer shares recommendations with their followers and friends.

Consumers are living in a highly noisy world where every ad, message, event, or initiative is seeking their attention. Recall is becoming harder, and loyalty is scarce. In order to succeed in today’s world (and the future, if I may say), prioritizing innovation is a good strategy and a customer centric approach will support a successful transformational journey.

Let’s make retail personal and keep it personal by building a relationship, offering hyper-personalized value and focusing on authenticity and simplicity.

Building a solid relationship with consumers starts by understanding them, what they like, dislike and what they will potentially like in the future. Insights into their behaviors and interests are as important as knowing their demographics, retail potential and spending habits. Unlocking what they are passionate about, what they truly love, today and potentially tomorrow is the ultimate goal. This is achieved by prioritizing investing in data analytics to drive invaluable insights into their needs and drivers. When consumers feel understood, trust is established, and this will trigger them to share more with the brand, which will allow for predictive insights into what could potentially attract their attention and most importantly, the share of heart in the future.

Personal is about the hyper-personalization, loyalty is no longer transactional. Spend and Win, Shop and Win and Buy One Get One are tactics that support short-term ROI only. It is a highly competitive field, easily matched with similar or bigger rewards by another brand. Consumers value a memorable experience that matches or surpasses their

Let’s also keep it simple and authentic. Multiple step reward campaigns and confusing terms and conditions are key barriers to reward redemptions. It is evident that consumers will appreciate an incentive for their investment and loyalty, but they want it to be seamless and personalized. Promising a one-hour delivery, and 5-star service, but delivering a broken consumer experience journey will deter shoppers forever. While innovation rimes with breaking records and novelty, testing and learning are the names of the game. Although brands can sometimes “fail”, they will be forgiven and trusted if consumers feel listened to and acknowledged.

NADA GHAOUI ABOUSAAB CO-FOUNDER & PARTNER FIKRA CONSULTANTS- CANADA

E-COMMERCE OVER TRADITIONAL RETAIL

Aayat Khan is a dynamic, result-producing Senior Retail Professional with a proven track record in a leadership roles with a record of delivering growth. Relishes working in challenging environments, with immense experience in handling international brand operations and business development. Performed highquality customer service, and empowered the team by coaching and training. Aayat holds an MBA in International Business and all-around hands-on experience in launching, upholding, and promoting Sacoor Brothers, Landmark Group, and Al-Hokair Group brands across MENA, CIS and Africa. He has also extensive technical and interpersonal skills.

The e-commerce sector has transformed the principles of buying and selling with the growth of the internet and technology. E-commerce websites have been highly favored by most customers over traditional offline retail shopping. Indeed, social media has played an important role here. An e-commerce website can help you to deploy an impeccable money-making strategy without experiencing stress and limitations. I thought of pointing out some advantages of E-Commerce services over the traditional system of retail. There is a boom on e-commerce in 2020 when COVID hit us, and everything needed was available on our doorstep with the help of e-commerce module.

Below are some main points that shows the benefits of e-commerce provides over traditional retail.

1. Defeat Geographical Limitations

When it comes to traditional commerce, you can only do business where you have set up your physical store. This is not the case with e-commerce websites. For them, the whole world is their playground if planned strategically. People from one corner of the world can easily order a specific product from another corner of the world with a few clicks.

2. Low Investment

An e-commerce website requires a low investment as compared to a physical store. These lowered costs could be passed on to customers at discounted prices. You cut down the prices for your e-commerce website by using the best market strategies like organic search or social media traffic. In addition, the manpower plus property we need is also much lesser when compared to a physical store.

3. Save Travel Time and Cost

Customers usually travel long distances to reach their favored retail shop. E-commerce has allowed customers to visit the same store virtually with few clicks. It saves travel time and extra costs for the customer and is beneficial for the seller as well. The seller is saved from the hassle of customs procedure which takes weeks to get the clearance done.

4. 24/7 Service

Another major factor why the customer has shifted from traditional commerce to e-commerce websites is that they can shop at odd timings too. E-commerce store timings are 24*7/365. The sellers benefit from it as they gain more and more orders and for the customer, around-the-clock store is much more convenient.

AAYAT KHAN COO LIGHTHOUSE MIDDLE EAST

5 THINGS RETAIL LEADERS MUST DO TO MAKE BUSINESS RELEVANT

RITESH MOHAN RETAIL EXPERT/AUTHOR RETAILRITESH

As the retail sector shows signs of recovery, here are some of the major challenges the retail leaders is facing today. I have summarized some ways to overcome these challenges for the benefit of our MECS+R members.

Keep Your Ears and Eyes on the Shop Floor

The basic rule of retail management which is forgotten amidst technology revolution stands the test of time. Retail will never be the same as it was pre-pandemic. Consumers’ buying behaviours have changed.

As per Alixpartners’ study, UAE shoppers are reducing conspicuous consumption to focus on values with 41% shifting consumption away from non-essential categories and 41% also reducing consumption to be more sustainable.

Needless to say, the Retail Leader needs to spend more time on the shop floor rather than in seminars, buying trips, etc.

From the book, “The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon,” authored by Brad Stone, narrates this fact beautifully. Jeff Bezos says that till today, he tries his best to read every customer complaint or even receives the call centre call on an ad hoc basis

to listen to customers’ grievances and listen to them to understand their expectations from Amazon. This allows him to set goals for his company and put it on the path of continuous improvement.

Look Away From Discounting Strategy

Every Retail Leader should be answerable to their investors and board of directors to explain the loss of margins due to wrong forecasting of merchandising or poor demand forecasting. Loyalty is taken for granted and it is the most abused word in our retail world. Retail leaders need to look beyond basic customer loyalty and data points since customers are more than data points.

Try to personalize their experiences at all touchpoints irrespective of the medium i.e., physical store or e-commerce site or social media.

Ritesh helps retail businesses with his expertise in Franchising, sales management, e-commerce strategies, Business development and leasing. He is the author of two books, “Simplifying Retail” and “How to be a shark salesman.”

Build Channels of Consistent Communication with the Customers

In uncertain times, communication becomes an integral part of brands or companies’ existence. Communicating consistently with internal stakeholders as well as external customers becomes crucial. As a Retail Leader, you need to develop channels of communication wherein customers can reach you not only in case of issues, but also relays information about your sector regularly to learn the latest developments.

For example, a cosmetics brand could start posting content on social media, newsletters, blogs etc, educating their customers on the importance of organic and sustainable and clean beauty products which they could incorporate into their daily beauty regime. Distribute free samples, and invite loyal customers to an event that shows loyalty is beyond points accumulation.

Drive Digital Transformation

The phenomenon of e-commerce growth shouldn’t be considered a threat but an opportunity. Retailers can merge online and offline businesses.

Deloitte reported that 56% of in-store retailers involve a digital website and web-influenced physical store sales are about 5X online sales. Therefore, an omnichannel marketing strategy can help retailers reach a broader brand audience.

Embrace Future Disruptions

The only way to survive any disruptions is by embracing them and by staying agile. As a Retail Leader, one needs to stay abreast with the latest technological advancements happening in the retail sector.

Metaverse is one such phenomenon wherein brands like Nike, NARS Cosmetics, and Alo Yoga is betting big on a new format of metaverse by opening their immersive and engaging experiences on Roblox and Decentraland platforms.

Mantra to be followed “Go where your customer is moving.”

Plan for a 5 or 10 years horizon while keeping a firm foot on present scenarios. Work your current capabilities while building the future competencies that your organization may need, may it be a bigger warehousing facility, faster deliveries, accurate demand forecasting tools, etc.

Most retail companies are still working on overcoming the SEO challenges for their e-commerce websites wherein the future belongs to “Voice Searches.” Is your website equipped with “voice search” programs? I am sure 99% of the retail leaders would reply negatively.

The problem lies in micromanagement and getting tied up with day-to-day retail operations that leaders do not even get time to think about strategically.

I would like to end my article with a quote from Jeff Bezos.

“If you double the number of experiments you do per year, you’re going to double your inventiveness.”

“If you double the number of experiments you do per year, you’re going to double your inventiveness.”

- Jeff Bezos

CONIQ’S KEY 3 TIPS FOR OPTIMIZING YOUR SHOPPING CENTRE’S MARKETING STRATEGY

Sidney Jordan is a Marketing Executive responsible for the creative development and deployment of Coniq’s content marketing. She has a BA in English Literature from the University of Leeds and specialises in producing B2B, SaaS, and thought leadership content designed to generate brand awareness, nurture leads and convert sales opportunities.

In uncertain times, ensuring getting the most out of your marketing budget is essential. Ensure that your marketing strategy delivers significant value to your customers, your retailers, and your retail destination!

1. Segment Your Email Campaigns

A huge amount of effort goes into obtaining your customer data. Understanding the intricacies of your customer’s shopping behavior takes time and money. This goes from knowing where your customers shop to how much they spend in-store. Once you have acquired this information, you want to ensure that you use it as wisely as possible!

Too often, businesses resort to sending blanket email promotions with irrelevant information. This will only drain your marketing budget, disengage your audience and fail to provide an accurate view of your customer’s engagement! Segmentation allows you to separate your mailing list based on customer profiles and behavior, enabling you to target your most valuable and engaged members (i.e. repeat buyers or potential win-back opportunities).

Segmentation can help you tailor your content to appeal to specific customer segments. This will simultaneously boost your sender reputation by making your audience feel as though you know what they like and be encouraged to interact with your campaigns. This will allow you to accurately measure the open, click-through, and conversion rates created by the marketing campaign giving you more bang for your marketing buck!

2. Share Your Data

It’s time to take a closer look at your data-sharing strategy. Having a wealth of data is fantastic, but if it’s not accessible or actionable, then it’s no good to anyone!

Your retailers are your best link to your shoppers. Therefore, supplying frequent data samples to your retailers creates valuable insight that will

improve and maintain lasting relationships. This data will also help you optimize your performance by comparing, analyzing, and improving your marketing strategies and your ROI!

Some of the best data collection strategies leverage loyalty programs to help them better understand their customers and harness this data through specialist reporting and analytics tools.

3. Your Shoppers Come First

Consider the customer at every stage of your strategy development. Shoppers that have the freedom to choose their preferred channel, such as an App or loyalty card, tend to spend more and engage with shopping centres more frequently.

Understanding your customer journey and how they experience your centre is vital for knowing what your shoppers want and how to give it to them. If you really want to get the most out of your marketing, you need to measure what campaigns work best for which customers. Consider things like:

Which marketing channels were used?

Which customer segment performed best?

Who were the top spenders?

Where did customers spend their money?

This can help you quickly learn what is the best approach for your shoppers and optimize your outcomes. Why not try to implement some of these techniques in your shopping centre?

To learn more visit www.coniq.com

SIDNEY JORDAN MARKETING EXECUTIVE CONIQ

FRANCHISING AND THE RETAIL INDUSTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST

Most of you reading this will know all about franchising and the impact it has had on retail in the Middle East. During the pandemic, the majority of the industry suffered, and talks were still ongoing with international brands and their potential of entering the market here.

The growth of local homegrown Halal Brands from across the region has been impressive and for sure there will be more that will penetrate the market over the coming years. With this, malls and governments need to give them more priority and support. In fact, we are in the process of securing contracts for local brands to become franchisors themselves and expand beyond the Middle East with interest from all continents. Since January, we are seeing many of these talks come to fruition.

During my daily and weekly chats with Franchisors, Franchisees, Investors, Operators, Mall Management and other colleagues that also offer Franchise Services in the industry, it is clear that we are all similarly busy and the current level of interest from both sides of the scale is exciting. At the moment, one of the key issues seems to be the lack of quality locations within malls that would be acceptable to a brand or partner, particularly luxury brands. With new shopping malls now open and footfall rising along with new malls to open over the coming years, and further mall extensions planned, then this may

appease such brands. Pop-Up locations are becoming more popular where brands, particularly local ones, can test the market.

Another issue seems to be from a customer point of view; they are becoming hungry for alternative brands rather than the copy-paste variety that is available in most key malls. Therefore, operators are looking to bring new exciting brands to the market. Those brands that have something unique (USP) about them, with the best terms, the best support, marketing, history and home performance, etc. will be the ones to make the biggest impact. Gone are the days when any old Coffee Shop, Burger Bar or discounted clothing store will suffice. International brands are always keen to come to the Middle East as it is a natural next step for them to expand beyond the traditional mature markets they are familiar with in the East and West.

This along with a fast-growing young population, a thirst for technology, the climate, the low tax lifestyle and a good level of disposable income makes the Middle East an attractive region to expand into. All these points are a good sign for the future of the retail market here in the Middle East and now is a perfect time to secure some great brands from across the globe and help local brands grow further.

I will be happy to discuss any points with anyone who may be interested at the Arab Franchise Expo taking place on the 7th of December at the Pullman Hotel next to Deira City Centre where myself and other Franchise organizations will be offering their services with over 100 new International and Local Brands including a dedicated area for Local Home-Grown Halal Brands on show and in 2023 this event will be arriving to other GCC major cities. For more info, visit www.arabbco.com.

Steve McAteer, CEO at ArabBCo, started his career in Birmingham, England more than 30 years ago. He moved to Bahrain/Qatar where he spent 2 years, then Saudi Arabia for 7 years and the past 5 years in the UAE. During his time here he has launched many Brands and opened hundreds of locations across the region.

STEVE MCATEER RETAIL BUSINESS MANAGEMENT ARABBCO

THE GREEN INITIATIVE FOR CREATING COMMUNITY IN SHOPPING CENTRES

Introduction

The Saudi Arabian government’s Vision 2030 launched by His Royal Highness - Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman has declared 450 million trees to be planted in KSA by 2030. Residents of all ages in KSA are very aware of the importance of achieving these initiatives transforming Saudi with the green initiative as part of Vision 2030.

As shopping centre owners and managers, we can launch the Green Initiative for Creating Community in Shopping Centres throughout KSA. Together within each community we can take a lead role in delivering the green initiative by taking advantage of unused or vacant retail spaces. We will replace hoardings with vibrant footfall generating events. This will promote sustainability, community engagement, and education. We generate large footfall by engaging the broader community while fulfilling Vision 2030.

Overview

It is important to engage the broader local community utilizing shopping centres throughout KSA. Engaging students and young people, we target schools, teachers, students and parents.

The overarching goal is to increase footfall by 5X in each shopping centre for the calendar year 2023.

We achieve this increase in footfall goal at malls by engaging directly with every student, teacher and young person in each city and town within malls.

Within the shopping centre catchment and beyond, we create another reason to visit shopping centres.

Work with each local school, the teachers and administrators to create a course which becomes part of the school curriculum supporting Vision 2030. Ensure that the schools, teachers and administrators adopt this Green Initiative within their curriculum.

Understanding that when these young students come to our shopping centre they are accompanied by their parent, older brother/ sister or guardian.

Over the course of two (2) months per student, while the plants are sprouting, we enjoy high footfall numbers. The students must revisit the mall to inspect and nurture their individual plants until these plants are at least 2 months old ready to be transplanted.

Our programming is organized such that each school and class is scheduled during the school day. Overlapping schedules will ensure we have high footfall throughout the day each day.

Evenings will be particularly busy while the students show the parents and families their success with growing plants.

Given the Green Initiative of HRH MBS, perhaps we will secure additional government support.

The Green Initiative (October 23, 2021) vision of HRH MBS is in line with planting 450 million trees in KSA by 2030. For full details, visit www. greeninitiatives.gov.sa

Learning about growing plants from seed is the base line knowledge which the young Saudi people need to understand to achieve the ambitious goal of planting 450 million trees by 2030.

RenderphotoofShoppingMallinKuwait Credits:RECONMENAAwardsEntrySubmission

Implementation

Now that we know where to start, a suitable vacant unit in each shopping centre can be easily converted to a green wall.

Identify with the leasing team a suitable vacant unit in each shopping centre.

Size of the unit is best at 500 sqm. Any unit which is larger can be adjusted to size.

Best units are in the middle of the shopping centre. We want to have maximum footfall in the centre of the shopping centre to ensure footfall penetration into the shopping centre.

Layout to include area of seating as an informal classroom. Chairs for 30 students.

Six (6) tables which are 1.5 M X 3 M. These tables are where the potting of the seeds occurs.

Wall area for growing the plants.

Grow Lights which are suitable to provide the necessary light for the growth of the seeds and seedlings.

Area of storage of soil, small peat pots and seeds.

Area for potting of the seeds. Must be easily cleaned up

Water accessibility is available for daily watering the plants.

Three (3) shaded parking lot stalls outside. Create garden area for transplanting the young plants externally. Must have water available for daily watering the growing plants and young trees.

Social media, media, press, TV to be organized.

Background Work

The role of the shopping centres is essential in creating a greener planet and activating vacant spaces and converting them to useful wall areas for growing plants will not only increase footfall but will most importantly provide a sustainable environment to a greater community.

Why the shopping centre? Important to provide internal and external areas for the students to have a SAFE and ENJOYABLE field trip to the mall.

In the mall is a professional greenhouse garden area with a large scale ‘grow light’ system. The mess of soil and water is controlled offsite from the schools.

Approach the schools immediately with a professional presentation on the ‘Why?’

Be clear to understand the details of www. greeninitiatives.gov.sa

Education Administration must be educated on the importance of the students having knowledge of seeds growing into small plants and young trees. 450 million trees planted by 2030.

Determine which seeds are available. Vegetables such as peppers, peas, watermelons, tomatoes, chili, lettuce, melons, zucchini. Vegetables grow quickly. Younger students see the results quickly.

Accessing seeds for trees, Deodora, Ghaf and other reasonably easily grown and regionally hardy trees will be important. Tree seeds can take longer to sprout but are important for the www. greeninitiatives.gov.sa

CREDITS:RECONMENAAwardsEntrySubmission-FoodHall

Nurturing the Future Leaders’ Mindset through SUSTAINABILITY

Green is the color of life, and it is associated with nature, freshness, and the environment. In interior design, green is a natural choice since it gives or takes up more space and gives a mall life and beauty.

The role of shopping centres is vitally important in protecting our planet. Developing and practicing environmental sustainability plans is not only good business practice but also good for your brand.

Shopping centres all over the world are taking action to create a healthier planet. Several malls now have seen a large reduction in their carbon footprint and are only furthering their eco-friendly initiatives. Shopping centres worldwide are doing their part to create a greener environment while also providing people with the goods they require.

For more info, contact David Macadam, CEO – MECS+R, at david@mecsc.org

Now, shop at Mall of the Emirates through WhatsApp

An entire mall in Dubai is now open for business via WhatsApp.

City Centre Malls, My City Centre neighbourhood centres, and five community malls which are in a joint venture with the Government of Sharjah. It also owns franchisee for Carrefour in over 30 markets across the Middle East, Africa and Asia, operating a portfolio of more than 420 outlets.

People can scan a QR code in the Mall of the Emirates and on its website which will connect to the mall’s representative on WhatsApp live. Once the customer has selected a product, he/ she can send the photograph on WhatsApp and the representative will collect it from the store and arrange for it to be delivered to the customer’s home.

Dubai-based Majid Al Futtaim, a leading mall operator in the UAE and region, has launched a digital concierge at the Mall of the Emirates which allows shoppers to buy any product across the mall’s 350 local and international brands via WhatsApp.

“A shopping mall is no longer a traditional business, but more about experiences. In the past, people used to come, shop and leave. But now it is more experiential,” said Fuad Sharaf, Managing Director for UAE Shopping Malls at Majid Al Futtaim Properties.

“Now, consumers can buy any product from The Mall of the Emirates through WhatsApp where they can interact and communicate with the concierge team. The team can even help customers in purchasing any item from the mall. It is just like the entire mall coming to you,”

This service, which is currently free in the UAE, will be expanded later to the group’s entire mall portfolio.

Majid Al Futtaim’s shopping malls portfolio includes Mall of the Emirates, Mall of Egypt, Mall of Oman,

“Once the customer and representative agree that this is the product a customer wants, a payment link will be sent to him/her. Once the payment is made, the team will pick up the item from the store, package it and arrange for it to be delivered to the customer’s house. That means everything in the mall is shoppable physically or digitally,” Sharaf said.

For refunds and returns, customers need to contact the store directly to check the policy.

In addition, the group is also expanding its product range on the Mall of the Emirates website.

SOURCE:KHALEEJTIMES|19OCT2022 https://bit.ly/3TTYI9I

Dubai Luxury Retailer Rivoli Brings a Fine Eye to its Alliance with Zeiss

The partnership has so far opened two outlets – Zeiss Vision Center - where they meld eye care with eyewear, and this is where the AI part of it kicks in. The Artificial Intelligence platform will help the designated eye care professional at the store advise the customer on the most suitable frames. And not just a handful of them either.

Rivoli Vision. “The retail offering was a natural extension of the deal we entered into with Zeiss in November last year. Where Rivoli could bring in all its background in luxury eyewear retail and then pair with Zeiss’ background in optical perfection.”

Dubai: Want your vision tested? Then how about helping you choose an eyewear frame from among thousands of options? Within minutes?

If the answer to all of the above is a ‘yes’, then the alliance of Rivoli, the luxury retailer, and the fabled German optical lens firm Zeiss will deliver you that experience. With a touch of AI.

The AI – helped by 9 integrated cameras that form the Zeiss Visufit 1000 digital central platform - will come up with 3D images of the face. As an avatar, of course –and with which ‘thousands of frames’ can be tried on virtually. Until the customer chances upon the suitable one.

Eye care-and-wear retailing sure is changing, maybe not in the blink of an eye but fast enough. “There is so much of overlap between these, which is where the Zeiss Vision Center came into being,” said Subbaiah A.P, Director of

The two stores that have opened as a result of the union are at Dubai Hills Mall and in Qatar’s Doha Festival City. In addition, Dubaiheadquartered Rivoli Group also owns and operates eyewear retail concepts such as EyeZone, Style88 and the top-of-the-line Avanti.

“We believe that the potential of offering a combination of eyecare support and eyewear curation hasn’t been fully realised,” said Subbaiah. “There are stores that may do a bit of both, but bringing a full range of potential choices to this extent has not been done. We wanted to make that leap, and last November’s Zeiss partnership set that rolling.”

SOURCE:GULFNEWS|12OCT2022

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Yas Island Being Recreated in the Metaverse, Opening in 2023

Talal Al Dhiyebi, CEO at Aldar, said the metaverse project is “the next evolution of Yas Island…firmly placing Yas Island and Abu Dhabi on the global metaverse map.”

Mohammed Abdalla Al Zaabi, CEO of Miral, said people |from every corner of the globe will soon be able to enjoy captivating and immersive experiences across Yas Island in the digital world.”

Abu Dhabi entering the virtual world

Yas, Island, one of the world’s fastest growing leisure and entertainment destinations, is entering the metaverse as part of a pioneering project to put Abu Dhabi in the virtual world.

The initiative is a collaboration between DCT Abu Dhabi, Aldar, Miral, twofour54, Abu Dhabi Motorsports Management, Flash Entertainment and Yas Island.

“Innovation is central to DCT Abu Dhabi’s commitment to be at the forefront of what is possible,” said Saood Abdulaziz Al Hosani, undersecretary at DCT Abu Dhabi.

“With the Yas Island metaverse, we are inviting the world to experience the excitement of Abu

Dhabi’s incredible leisure and entertainment destination – virtually – like never before.”

He said the “innovative, interactive platform” will give virtual residents and guests “the power to curate their own unique Abu Dhabi itinerary”.

The entire physical destination of Yas Island is being recreated across multiple immersive 3D platforms, with virtual visitors enjoying the metaverse ecosystem from home.

Per a news release, guests will be able to gather, socialize, play, create and transact. They will build and buy digital homes, explore cultural attractions, and experience Yas Island’s theme parks, special events and a motorsport racing circuit.

Al Meera Opens MAAR branches at Three Metro Stations

Currently in the development phase, Yas Island is being recreated using various metaverse platforms, including The Sandbox and Roblox. It is scheduled to be completed in the first quarter of next year, when it will be operational and available to digital visitors.

“Metaverses also bring a host of opportunities to gamify areas such as education in a truly immersive way, resulting in a significant positive social impact for the community,” said James Hartt, Director of Strategic Partnerships at AD Gaming.

John Lickrish, CEO of Flash Entertainment, said the metaverse initiative will “provide new experiences to meet the demands of the changing event and entertainment landscape.”

SOURCE:BLOOLOOPS|20OCT2022 (https://bit.ly/3CYl0j4)

of ready-to-eat foods such as sandwiches and snacks, at competitive prices as available in Al Meera stores across the country.

In celebration of the upcoming World Cup, all branches at the Metro will offer residents, fans, and visitors a wide range of Official Licensed FIFA products, such as scarves, hats, and balls, among others, including Laeeb, the event’s mascot, which is exclusively available at Al Meera supermarket.

MAAR’s branches across the six metro stations will provide passengers with the opportunity to purchase their desired items on the go.

Al Meera Consumer Goods Company has announced the opening of three more ‘MAAR by Al Meera’ locations at Al Aziziyah, Al Doha Al Jadeeda, and Al Wakra metro stations.

The opening of the three new locations increases the network of MAAR stores to six branches in various metro stations, including the Umm Ghuwailina, Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre (DECC), and Msheireb metro stations.

The MAAR store, a sub-brand of Al Meera, will provide quick shopping service to metro passengers and the teeming football fans expected in Qatar during the muchanticipated first FIFA World Cup in the Middle East and Arab region as they transit through the metro stations.

MAAR offers a wide array of products and everyday essential goods, including a selection

Commenting on the launch of the three branches, Al Meera stated: “With over 60 branches across the country and continuous opening of MAAR stores, Al Meera is keen to serve a wide segment of the society, especially as the country is in the euphoria of the world’s largest sporting event to kick off in 27 days.”

SOURCE:GULFTIMES|23OCT2022

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‘Big & Tall’ Opens Newest Branch in ‘Seef Mall – Seef District’

pride itself on being a leader in the Middle East region in the field of plus-size menswear.

Through its new branch in Seef Mall – Seef District, Big & Tall aspires to keep pace with the increasing demand for products for plus-sized men and to gain a new segment of customers in the Kingdom, thanks to the unique products it provides in the local market.

The brand has several stores across the GCC and aims to further expand its presence in the region with plans to open new stores in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, UAE and Kuwait.

Big & Tall Stores have recently announced the opening of its latest branch in the Kingdom at Seef Mall – Seef District, becoming the first of its kind on the island and the brand’s 3rd store in the GCC region.

The new Big & Tall store provides a wide array of plus-size menswear that include formal clothing as well as casual wear,

jeans, activewear, innerwear, accessories & much more in addition to pyjamas, neckties, handkerchiefs and more.

Established in the year 2000, Big & Tall aims to meet the needs of plus-sized men, providing them with various high-quality choices and brands that are specialised in designing and producing menswear in large sizes. Additionally, Big and Tall

On this occasion, Mr. Mohammed Al Qaed, Acting Chief Commercial Officer at Seef Properties, commented: “We are glad to announce the opening of Big & Tall’s branch in Seef Mall – Seef District, as it reflects the mall’s unique facilities and attractive features for all brands looking for a strong foothold in the Bahraini market. Seef Mall – Seef District continues to attract more prestigious brands, and this will certainly have a great impact on improving shoppers’ experience and meeting their various shopping requirements within a modern and friendly atmosphere for all visitors.” SOURCE: ZAWYA 22 OCT 2022 (READ MORE:https://bit.ly/3DtWQhP)

Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Project, AMAALA Merge to form Red Sea Global

and experience required to succeed on the world stage,” said John Pagano, CEO of The Red Sea Development Company.

“We are not only expanding our footprint to help create massive economic opportunities – valued at hundreds of billions worth of riyals – for the people of Saudi Arabia. We also want to set new global standards in the development and inspire the industry to do better,” he added.

RSG has a portfolio of projects along the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia with additional projects underway, the expansion also includes the establishment of subsidiary businesses to drive the tourism sector.

Red Sea Development Company and AMAALA, the developers behind the regenerative tourism projects have confirmed a merger to form Red Sea Global (RSG).

The announcement revealed a new logo concept and brand inspired by the Red Sea.

The Red Sea destination is on track to welcome visitors by early 2023, RSG’s mandate has

expanded to oversee over a dozen projects along the coast of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea, with potential expansion into the kingdom in the future.

“The announcement today marks the start of our evolution into a truly global developer that can lead the category towards a new archetype for development. We are powered by extraordinary people from the kingdom and beyond, and have the skills, knowledge,

The existing projects underway are projected to contribute over 33 billion riyals to Saudi Arabia’s economy on completion, RSG also intends to focus on comprehensive training programs for the next generation of Saudi talent.

Red Sea Global has pledged to contribute a 30 per cent net conservation benefit to the projects’ area by 2040. SOURCE: ARABIAN BUSINESS|25OCT2022(https://bit.ly/3gxxNS5)

John Pagano, CEO Red Sea Development Company

Middle East’s First Standalone Disney Store to Open in Kuwait

and we’re so pleased to be working with The Alshaya Group to share that connection with fans in Kuwait and across the Middle East. We cannot wait to open our doors to the first-ever Disney Store in the region!”

The store has something for Disney fans of all ages, with lines exclusive to the Middle East, as well as a wide range of products from Disney, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars characters and movies. This includes costumes and accessories, toys and plushes, home décor and collectibles, as well as apparel for both children and adults – which you can try on in one of the beautifully character-themed fitting rooms.

Kuwait City: The Walt Disney Company Middle East and Alshaya Group on Wednesday announced the opening of the Middle East’s very first standalone Disney Store. Spanning over 800sqm, the store is set to open its doors this November at The Avenues in Kuwait, bringing a magical experience to the Middle East.

John Hadden, Alshaya Group CEO, said: “We are incredibly proud to be bringing the region’s first standalone Disney Store to Kuwait, our home market. It’s an honour to be a part of

the Disney story in the region, and we know that our customers and their families will be as excited as we are ahead of the magical opening in November.”

Sonal Patel, Director - TPC MENA & Shop-inShop, SAMENA, commented: “We’re beyond excited to announce our very first standalone Disney Store in the Middle East. Many of our guests have a special connection with The Disney Store – whether they visited one on holiday, or had one in their hometown. The stores bring back special memories for many,

The store will also feature a brand new design for the very first time. With 3D sculptures of much-loved characters, like Simba from The Lion King and Elsa from Frozen, the store also has wall murals, designed especially for this store. Every detail will transport you to the wonderful world of Disney – don’t forget to look out for the hidden Mickeys.

For now, Disney fans across the region can visit over 30 Disney Store shop-in-shops across Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE. These are conveniently located inside Alshaya-owned Debenhams and Mothercare stores. SOURCE:SOURCE:GULFNEWS|12OCT2022 (https://bit.ly/3CZsFOa)

TMG, Majid Al Futtaim Retail Open Carrefour’s Second Store in Madinaty

a total of 62 hypermarkets and supermarkets in Egypt as part of our evolving mission to serve the communities in which we operate. This further showcases our commitment to providing job opportunities for locals that in turn benefit the Egyptian economy.”

Chief Business Development Officer at TMG, Omar Hisham, said: “We are pleased with the development of the partnership with Carrefour, which began in 2018 with the opening of the first Carrefour branch at Open Air Mall, it was then followed by the opening of Carrefour Al Rehab in 2019 at Avenue Mall.”

Egypt - Talaat Moustafa Group (TMG) has expanded its partnership with Majid Al Futtaim Retail to provide more convenient and seamless shopping experiences for the community. As a result of the growing collaboration between the two entities, Carrefour has opened its second store in All Seasons Park — TMG’s latest launched commercial retail and lifestyle destination within Madinaty.

The new store is set to become a key shopping destination offering more than 500,000 products.

Philippe Peguilhan, Country Manager, Majid Al Futtaim Retail in Egypt, said: “We are honoured to be opening the second Carrefour store in Madinaty to continue serving the local community and building on our expansion plans in Egypt. Today, we operate

All Seasons Park spans over 54,000 sqm and contains 230 stores spread across three floors.

All Seasons Park is conveniently accessible to both Madinaty residents and visitors. Its direct catchment area boasts approximately 4.5 million people.

SOURCE:ZAWYA|24Oct2022 (https://bit.ly/3f8iRtf)

U.S. Polo Assn. opens at Lulu Mall Lucknow

Swedish Fashion Label Filippa K Launches into Mainland China

Phillips 66 Deploys Autonomous Cleaning Robots

U.S. Polo Assn. has opened a new store at LuLu Mall Lucknow. The new store showcases the sport-inspired lifestyle brand’s latest Autumn/Winter Collection. With this store launch, the city is now host to 7 exclusive U.S. Polo Assn. stores. Speaking about the launch, Amitabh Suri, CEO, U.S. Polo Assn. – Arvind Fashions Limited said, “Lulu Mall is one of the most popular malls in the city and we are elated to inaugurate our new store here. The U.S. Polo Assn. store at Lulu Mall carries the entire might of our product offerings: Sportswear, Denim & Co., Kidswear, Footwear & Innerwear. This new store is yet another step forward in our growth plan to emerge as the ultimate destination for premium, relaxed casualwear.”

SOURCE: INDIA RETAILING (READMORE:https://bit.ly/3D5xupp)

Indoor mini-golf/dining concept Puttshack continues U.S. expansion with new capital

The online store features the brand’s new autumn/winter 22 collection, as well as the core women’s, men’s, active and loungewear collections. Creative Director Lisa Kessler’s first collection for Filippa K, the spring/ summer 23 pre-collection, will be available from November. Filippa K’s CEO Rikard Frost said: “Scandinavian customers have loved Filippa K for many years, so I’m very excited to have introduced the brand to China this year. The house has a unique position within high-end fashion, offering a distinctly Scandinavian design perspective that’s rooted in sustainability. I hope the Chinese audience will appreciate this approach as much as we do.” SOURCE: RETAIL NEWS ASIA (READ MORE: https://bit.ly/3FleAO5)

Forever 21 Opening 14 Stores Across the U.S.

A fuel/convenience retailer is offering selfdirected robotic floor scrubbers to its network of more than 7,000 stores. Phillips 66 is partnering with floor cleaning equipment and technology company Ice Cobotics to enable branded Phillips 66, Conoco, 76, and Phillips 66 Aviation locations to utilize Ice Cobotics Cobi 18 autonomous floor scrubbers. Cobi 18 robots are designed to clean 5,000 to 7,000 square feet of floor space per hour and can be deployed multiple times per day to clean floors. “We are excited to step into the future with Ice Cobotics by enabling our customers to lower operating costs and provide consumers with a cleaner experience with Cobi 18,” said Phillips 66 manager of branded sales Lou Burke. SOURCE: CHAIN STORE AGE (READMORE:https://bit.ly/3SDhQHl)

Second Amazon Style Apparel Store Officially Opens

An entertainment destination that combines tech-driven mini-golf with food and drink and whose creators include the founders of Topgolf has closed a new round of funding to support its U.S. expansion. Puttshack has opened at Brickell City Centre, in Miami, an outdoor dining, entertainment, shopping, culture and community centre developed by Swire Properties. The new location comes on the heels of the company’s announcement earlier this month that it has secured $150 million in growth capital from BlackRock to support its expansion in top U.S. markets.

SOURCE:CHAINSTOREAGE|24OCT2022(READ MORE:https://bit.ly/3TBLLBd)

Forever 21 has already begun a nationwide brickand-mortar expansion plan — with an emphasis on outlet locations. The fast-fashion retailer will open 14 new stores across the country, including a new location at the Gran Plaza Outlets in Calexico, Calif., which opened in August 2022. The Calexico store is the first in a series of Forever 21 openings scheduled to roll out across America through June 2023. (See the complete list of the upcoming new stores at end of the article.) “We’re seeing even more consumers returning to the in-store shopping experience,” said Winnie Park, who took the reins as CEO of Forever 21 in January. “While our online business remains strong and a key component of our growth strategy, we love interacting with our consumers in-store.” SOURCE: CHAINSTOREAGE(READMORE:https://bit.ly/3W0GJjb)

Amazon is expanding its dive into fashion retail in the physical space. The company has opened its second Amazon Style store, a format that is designed to combine the personalization of e-commerce with the immediacy of brick-and-mortar shopping. Located at Easton Town Center in Columbus, Ohio, the store was initially announced in June 2022. Amazon debuted the concept in May 2022 at The Americana at Brand, an upscale lifestyle centre in Glendale, Calif. Using the Amazon Shopping app, Amazon Style customers scan an item’s QR code to send it to a fitting room, or send it directly to the store’s pickup counter to purchase. The fitting rooms at the store have been reimagined as a personalized spaces where customers can continue to shop without having to leave.

SOURCE: CHAIN STORE AGE (READMORE:https://bit.ly/3zfPT1s)

Puttshack(Photocredit:TheLouisCollection)