DMM Retail Industry e-News Issue #189
Malls’ Next Big Tenant: Amazon or Grocery Stores, or Both
Your humble e-newsletter editor must confess, it feels a little weird to have a supermarket at the mall. Unless the only food items I was going to buy were canned goods and dry pasta, chances are I wouldn’t want to leave my milk and eggs in the minivan all day while I catch a movie, grab some nourishment at the food court, and get a t-shirt that references one of my favorite movie characters. Save the food shopping for last you say? Food shopping after eating and seeing a 9:30 movie isn’t my favorite activity either. But according to CNBC, Amazon may be doing just that (they don’t usually consult yours truly before doing what they do – maybe that’s to their credit). According to CNBC, Simon Property Group and Amazon are exploring that possibility. “Compass Point real estate analyst Floris van Dijkum said in a note to clients…that a grocery store is considered a retail use and so it could be a ‘much easier’ fill for an old department store. A grocery store in a mall could also draw more customers in and benefit the surrounding retailers and restaurants more than a warehouse,” CNBC noted. Amazon is also reportedly considering Sears and JCPenney stores for satisfaction centers.
Top 25 Fashion Retail Brands Poised for Success into 2021
The Lead, a fashion and retail industry community, recently published their top 25 brands that stood strong in the face of adversity and have succeeded. “The Defiant 25 of 2020” list includes personal care retailer Bath and Body Works, footware brand Skechers, and general merchandise retailer, Target. They were chosen based on five criteria: Ability to Pivot, International Diversification, Cash Management, Growth & Effect of Digital Channels, and Pre-COVID Technology Investments. “The Lead and partners (Janou Pakter, JBC Holdings, RILA, Wiland, and XRC Labs) believe the companies selected will continue to defy norms and emerge from 2020-2021 in a position of strength.”
The Role Pop-ups Play in Bringing Customers Back to the Store
Pop-ups were all the rage before the pandemic hit, so why shouldn’t they be during it, as well? In a post on RetailWire.com, senior content specialist Allie Howen of Aptos, a retail enterprise solution provider, suggested that for some retailers, a pop-up shop could be “…the difference between being closed completely and being partially open.” As part of the discussion, Howen offered five reasons why pop-ups can provide value beyond the sales aspect. Among them, pop-ups can provide more hesitant consumers a way to ease themselves back into the store. “While some consumers couldn’t wait to shop their favorite stores after lockdown, parking-lot pop-ups can ease concerns for those taking a more cautious approach. Plus, parking lots may be the path to continue selling should lockdown restrictions be re-imposed,” she suggested. Do you agree with her premise and five points? Do toilet paper hoarders need to be coaxed out slowly? What’s been your experience with pop-ups? DM us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Dir_Major_Malls.
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DMM e-News - Issue #189
