Winter of Australian Retail
2018 can be said to be a difficult year for the Australian retail industry. Fashion brands have been forced to close stores, traditional shopping malls have fallen short of new shopping malls, and department stores such as Myer and David Jones have slumped.
Figure: Eastland Mall
David Jones, one of, Eastland Shopping Centre`s biggest merchants, decided last week to scale down in another blow to high-end retailers.
David Jones announced that it would close the top floor of its Eastland store, the catering area for Town Square, early next year.
The top space is expected to be reconfigured by the Eastland management team to expand the entertainment and dining area of the mall. David Jones said it will continue to operate on the G level (L2 of the Eastland Center) and will not lay off staff or close any counters.
, David Jones opened in 2015 as part of a A $665 million reconstruction project for the Eastland Mall. And the closure of the entire storefront, the grand opening of its only three years.
Photo: star attends ribbon cutting when David Jones opens in 2015
A spokeswoman for David Jones, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the store would replan its Eastland store next year to "better optimize its space."
Figure sources: News.com.au
The spokesman said it was very similar to the change at some of Adelaide and Sydney. But she did not say the decision was due to potentially high rents or low sales.
She also said, David Jones is committed to continuing to provide high-quality services to customers who come to Eastland, and will continue to offer all categories of goods and existing brands, just to reduce its footprint.
The retrenchment of David Jones`s stores has once again attracted the attention of other retailers in the mall.
The Eastland center has more than a dozen empty stores, including a variety of high-end jewelry and fashion stores, the Maroondah Leader newspaper reported in August. Three boutique stores closed this year are located near the L2-floor central corridor, including the women`s wear store Camilla., which was relocated to Westfield Doncaster. The clearings have still not been reutilized.
Greg Balmforth, general manager of Eastland, said it was normal for retail and leisure centers to provide "regular remix" services. But other retailers, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said much of the reason was that they did not bring enough traffic.
Myer, another large department store at the center, was also overhauled earlier this year, mainly opening a children`s playground at L3 to attract more customers.
Balmforth said on the matter that the center has been discussing David Jones`s re-planning for some time. The change will allow the center to "redesign and improve this ideal space," he said.
"We are considering a range of possible uses of the space after it has been recycled, in particular the provision of recreational and lifestyle-related services. They will complement and revitalize the already prominent food and beverage industry in the Town Square, "he said.
In fact, long before David Jones announced the closure of the first floor of the shop, many people living in Ringwood expressed dissatisfaction with the upgraded Eastland center.
"to be honest, I can`t stand the Eastland. now.
I used to love shopping there, but now I`d rather drive to Knox,Forest Hill or Glen, or go shopping in city on lunch break.
Eastland is completely different from what it used to be. The building was so big that it would take a lifetime to walk from one end to the other, and the parking lot was so narrow, the parking spaces were tight, and the mall was full of shops that I would never go to. It was an anxious nightmare. "
"I`ve been to DJ, a few times in Eastland. It`s terrible. There are more staff than customers, and I`m looking for nothing in stock. They tell me I should go to Doncaster.. I`m not surprised that this happened. "
（chadstone shopping center）
It is hoped that more and more such incidents will be a wake-up call for the "big ones" of Australia`s local retailing industry. In the retail industry to blame the growing decline of the rise of online stores, foreign brand investment, should we reflect on whether they have achieved with the times, attention to improve the customer`s purchasing experience?
After all, only by doing this, rather than simply "eating the old-fashioned", can we be invincible in this increasingly fierce market competition and truly "save" the Australian retail industry.
