Some NZ stores get it right

By SIMON HENDERY

Maureen Johnson is still jet-lagged after the long journey from the United Kingdom when she hits the shopping malls of Auckland.

But this isn't a spell of retail therapy - it is work, research.

Johnson is chief executive of The Store, a retail practices division of international communications services group WPP.

She is in New Zealand to help launch a piece of research, Retail BrandFutures, a 100-page look at emerging trends in the sector compiled by ottobrands, a division of WPP advertising agency Young & Rubicam.

While the report's $500 price tag makes it reading material for only the serious retail executive, Johnson is happy to share her impressions of the local shopping scene for free.

After a three-hour expedition around the St Lukes and Botany Town Centre malls, she is amazed at the proliferation of women's fashion stores.

"I don't know how you sustain it. I couldn't believe how many fashion stores I saw. The men's offer seemed very constrained in comparison."

The trip exposes some good and bad examples of merchandising. Though not prepared to finger the bad, she names the stand-outs, which include Whitcoulls, Rebel Sport and Pumpkin Patch.

Whitcoulls is "excellent in terms of in-store entertainment - the only thing about it was it somehow undermined the offer. It didn't come over as a serious book offer. Maybe it's because of its [Botany] location, maybe it gets a lot of people with families as opposed to serious book hunters."

Noel Leeming's first foray into furniture retailing, again at Botany, also impresses, because its merchandising avoids the "sea" of beds or lounge suites normally seen in furniture stores.

A Pacific Retail Group stablemate, computer store Big Byte, gets a mention, because it is set up to answer customers' questions and "make sense of the offer".

"I would like to see that extended into other stores - for example television [retailers]. What do I need to know about televisions before I buy one? You don't see that in Europe, that's a big step."

Johnson is surprised at the range of chemist shop products, which are skewed towards beauty and cosmetics. "The big trend now is well-being and healthcare." It is "difficult" for her to comment on Farmers, client of another WPP company, although she admits department stores the world over "have got a challenge".

Department stores must "become a brand", she says, and in one area - its new Switch youth clothing department - Farmers is doing that.

Retail Brand Futures

WPP