RETAILERS VIE FOR CENTRAL SHOPPERS

Retailers in both inner and suburban Bangkok are looking to benefit from the six-month closure of CentralPlaza Lardprao with aggressive campaigns aimed at luring shoppers.

Photo Source: Bangkokpost Rangsit Plaza, the operator of Future Park Rangsit, will spend 300 million baht to stage 250 marketing events this year in a bid to lure customers away from CentralPlaza Lardprao as it closes six months for renovations.

Rangsit Plaza, the operator of Future Park Rangsit, will spend 300 million baht to stage 250 marketing events this year in a bid to lure customers away from CentralPlaza Lardprao as it closes six months for renovations.

The shopping complex closed for renovations two days ago and is scheduled for an August reopening.

The six-month closure will cost Central an estimated 2 billion baht in retail sales.

Rangsit Plaza, the operator of Future Park Rangsit, will spend 300 million baht on new marketing events this year.

Robinson Department Store has already increased its number of new products at its Ratchadaphisek branch.

The Mall Group has rearranged its product categories for greater convenience to shoppers, while some new restaurants have been added to the Ngam Wong Wan and Bang Kapi branches.

Meanwhile, Central Department Store will offer special privileges in a bid to persuade customers from the Lardprao branch to shop at the Chidlom and Chaeng Watthana stores.

Pimpaka Wanglee, Rangsit Plaza's managing director, said her company's marketing budget would rise by 10% this year to accommodate up to 250 events at Future Park.

Brochures and leaflets have already been handed out to potential customers around CentralPlaza Lardprao.

"Customers have a wide variety of retail choices, so we want to offer strategies and services beyond their expectations for a new and different shopping ambience," she said, adding that more imported shows would be arranged.

Rangsit Plaza will team up with its partners in both the government and the private sectors to add appeal to its marketing campaigns, said Ms Pimpaka.

At the same time, the company aims to increase its number of loyal customers through additional product mixes.

It hopes the number of visitors to its mall will rise 20% this year from 150,000 a day last year, for a 10% rise in sales revenue to 1.59 billion baht.

Sirinij Chokchairittikul, Robinson's vice-president for marketing, said her company would send SMS alerts and mail out catalogues in a bid to persuade CentralPlaza Lardprao customers to experience Robinson Ratchada.

Those shopping at the Ratchadaphisek branch will receive special privileges. As well, temporary counters for some international brands of fashion apparel, leather products and cosmetics are being set up for eight months.

"We noticed that sales at our Ratchadaphisek branch went up in January due partly to new customers," Ms Sirinij added.

Vanchai Janvuttarunggul, The Mall Group's general manager for shopping complexes, said his company wanted to draw customers away from the Central complex to its own two Bang Kapi and Ngam Wong Wan shopping complexes.

It has already turned the 2,000- square-metre food court on the third floor of the Bang Kapi branch into a multi-brand restaurant area, while product zones have been simplified.

Meanwhile, a Central Department Store executive said the company would tailor its strategy to individual Lardprao customers with special offers if they shop at the Chidlom and Chaeng Watthana branches.