The store with more is a sign of the future

By RICHARD PAMATATAU

Just off Link Drive on Auckland's North Shore, you'll find the latest in super-sized retailing - Noel Leeming's new $2 million all-you-can buy shop with what seems to be something for almost everyone.

Need a big flat screen surround sound home entertainment system and the couch to watch it from? This giant shop in a former mail sorting centre may be the place to try out some of the latest technology as well as some more mundane purchases like bedding and cushions.

John Milford, chief executive officer of Noel Leeming's owner Pacific Retail Group, said customers were driving the development of "superstores".

Buyers expected breadth of product and knowledge in a single place and if a Noel Leeming or Bond and Bond cannot provide it then they would take their wallets elsewhere.

Milford said the new store aimed to replicate a home experience when it came to selling.

"There are 12 couches in the flat screen part of the store where customers can sit and watch," he said.

More important was the level of product knowledge shoppers required from staff.

The public had a better understanding of technology than many people realised, said Milford, and customers wanted to look at potential purchases without feeling cramped or crowded, or pushed too much for time.

"You can't do that in a small retail environment."

Staff had to be better educated and opening the new store has seen the company increase its training as well.

"Setting up a plasma screen and home entertainment system is not the easiest thing in the world and the service expectation just keeps increasing."

In the past customers relied on sales staff to provide them with information but now it was quite normal for them to come in with pages printed from websites, or reviews from newspapers and magazines, he said.

Hot categories at the moment are digital cameras, notebook computers, cellular products and LCD and Plasma TVs.

Milford expects stores will soon be selling what is considered today to be quite complex networking.

Across the road from Noel Leeming is Harvey Norman, which will also enlarge its showroom in the coming months.

Luke Naish, Harvey Norman general manager for computer and communications products, is not fazed by the flash new Noel Leeming store.

"We know we are a bit cramped and the store is going to be expanded by about 7000 square feet," said Naish.

Harvey Norman had long recognised that people were looking for more expertise in a single location, particularly in the areas of technology and communications.

"We have to be able to deliver all the right information as well as really great prices plus a span of technology to keep customers happy," said Naish.

While New Zealand New Zealand stores were pretty good, Naish said they were nothing like his company's latest development in Sydney.

The company has built a new four level environment called Domain that sells everything from cutlery and sheets to an Apple store-within-the-store selling iPods.

"Technology stores are about to get really funky," said Naish.

Customers wanted to come in and trust the people as well, he said.

With stores this size they'll need to, just to find whatever it is that they came into the shop to buy.