No Shoppers Yet at Iluma
 

Mon, May 25, 2009
The Straits Times
By Rachael Boon and Nur Shakylla Saifudin


When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping. Well, that is usually the case in retail-loving Singapore. But one of the newest shopping centres in town has found that the tough are wimping out on mall-trawling. Iluma mall, a shiny shopping edifice in Bugis, opened its doors barely a month ago in a soft launch, and already some of its shops are holding sales.

Shopkeepers told LifeStyle that business has been slow on weekdays, picking up only during weekends, so they hope sales will draw the crowds.

Around 60 per cent of the mall's shops were open for business when LifeStyle visited last week, and of these, at least half were offering discounts ranging from 20 to 40 per cent.

The mall consists of 10 levels, and expects to have at least 150 shops ready when it is officially launched next month.

One of the outlets already open is local menswear brand Ryo, and it is offering discounts of up to 20 per cent on merchandise at its third-floor outlet. Ryo owner Melvin Chew, 27, says that ever since the mall opened on March 28, business has been 'pretty slow, and not many shoppers come by'.

'But it's hard to say since it's only been a month. Still, I find it pretty quiet in the mall and not much is going on.'

Womenswear shop Indulg is offering 20 per cent off its clothes. Co-owner Gloria Lee, 35, says: 'I decided to have the sale to draw the crowds, and it will be on as long as sales pick up or till the official launch of the mall.'

However, word of the great deals does not seem to have got out because when LifeStyle was there, some of the shops had no customers at all.
Ms Sara Ng, 36, who is the owner of nineteen nighty eight, a womenswear shop on the third floor, says a 10 to 20 per cent discount on clothes 'doesn't help much because customers ask for even more discounts'.

A sales assistant at second-floor outlet Secret Island, one of at least 11 womenswear shops already open for business, says: 'From morning until now, I have not made any sale and no one has walked in. Business is really quiet.' It was 3pm then.

Some shoppers told LifeStyle they were put off as the mall looks unfinished.

Hoardings are still up on the sidewalk in front, most tenants on the first floor have yet to move in and the atrium remains a huge empty space.

Mr Alfonso Chan, who has been to Iluma twice, says: 'When I stepped in, my initial reaction was that it's not open yet.'

The 24-year-old student also said that he expected more of the new mall.

He says: 'I thought it would be like Suntec City, but the stores are not enticing or distinctive. It's so sad. The space is so big and you are the only one walking around.'

Ms Athena Goh, 31, who is in sales, agrees: 'It's a wasted trip and the promotions don't really make me want to buy anything. The place is empty and it dampens the mood.'

However, some food outlets on the fourth floor are faring well, thanks to passing trade from the mall's Filmgarde cineplex on the fifth floor.

Cheeky Chocolates, a dessert cafe on the fourth floor - located steps away from the escalator leading to the cinema - has served nearly 1,000 customers on Saturdays since it opened on April 4.

Owner Aaron Choy, 26, says: 'For those on this floor, we are banking on the cinema to bring in the crowds. Some people come before the show for a drink, and after the movie they come and have dessert. It gets quite insane during the weekends.'

Thai Express' outlet manager, Mr Mustaffa Batisah, 28, agrees: 'Although the dinner crowd is on-off, weekends are crazy and the number of people is double or more than on weekdays.'

The Thai restaurant, which opened nearly a month ago, serves about 60 people a day from Mondays to Thursdays, which 'is very inconsistent because people are still checking Iluma out', he adds.

Even first-floor Japanese restaurant Pasta de Waraku, which is not as easy to find as the fourth-floor eateries because it is tucked away next to the mall's back entrance, is doing brisk business.

It attributes this to its dollar-for-dollar discount voucher for diners, redeemable for the whole of this month. The eatery serves around 200 diners on weekdays. On weekends, the number doubles.

Restaurant manager Alvin Lee, 28, says: 'We have been doing a lot of advertising in newspapers and sending out flyers to create more awareness.'

On how the long-established Bugis Junction, the Bugis shopper's favourite haunt, is faring since Iluma opened across the road, a spokesman for landlord CapitaLand Retail says: 'Iluma and its complementary entertainment offerings have not affected shopper traffic in Bugis Junction. We look forward to more patrons visiting the Bugis area with the increased variety of things to see, do and buy.'

An overhead bridge linking the two malls is due to be completed at the end of the year, and the spokesman said it 'will be a positive thing as it will facilitate shopper and commuter flow'. Iluma's management could not be reached for comment.

Re: No Shoppers Yet at Iluma
 

In bugis so should be crowded like Bugis V and Parco, quiet probably due to economic crisis :(

Re: No Shoppers Yet at Iluma
 

just compare tampines one crowd and illuma ? I suppose all of your know the answer.....so management A n P play important roles. The other 2 malls coming out will join in the competitors........oh dear......what will the customer go to? :coffee:

Re: No Shoppers Yet at Iluma
 

Hey Batman, which 2 malls are you referring to? Was a bit lost reading your post :p By the way, who manages Iluma :confused2:

Re: No Shoppers Yet at Iluma
 

Hi Frou,

I refering the Central orchard and IOn coming soon. For illuma, I do not know the landlord, but I believe it Knight frank for marketing. Correct me if i wrong.

So when this 2 mall coming, I suppose the rest of mall will be quiet.....:(

Re: No Shoppers Yet at Iluma
 

Talking about AnP brings to mind this article.....

Orchard mall gets $4-5m ad blitz

Apr 9, 2009
The Business Times
Uma Shankari

(SINGAPORE) Far East Organization will spend $4-5 million from June to December this year promoting its upcoming Orchard Central mall, which is set for a soft opening in early June.

But tenants will not get across-the-board base rent rebates - unlike at upcoming rival Ion Orchard. Susan Leng, Far East Organization's director for retail management, said the company is working with tenants on a case-by-case basis and has offered rebates to a 'handful' so far.

According to her, Orchard Central will be a must-visit shopping destination. 'Our extensive advertising and promotional (A&P) campaign over the second half of the year aims to attract shoppers to Orchard Central to experience a whole new level of retail and dining,' she said.

The $4-5 million A&P budget is the largest that Far East Organization has set aside to promote a mall - and more than twice the amount it has spent promoting other malls it launched lately. The A&P campaign is expected to drive tenants' sales, which is why the mall - even though it has a rent assistance programme in place - is not giving a standard rebate to all tenants.

'Our key focus is not on rent assistance but bringing up sales,' Ms Leng said. 'But we review (each case) and if the case is valid, we consider rebates.'

So far, Orchard Central has received written submissions from 17 tenants asking for rent rebates and has granted rebates of 10-30 per cent to 'less than 10' of them, she said. The rebates will be valid until October. Last month, Ion Orchard - which is at the opposite end of Orchard Road and is due to open in July - said tenants will get rebates of up to 30 per cent of base rent.

Orchard Central has been 65 per cent taken up so far. Negotiations are still going on with several retailers, and Ms Leng is optimistic the take-up rate will increase to 75 per cent over the next few months. Signing-on rents have softened over the past few months, she said. Separately, shopping mall Tampines 1 will open its doors to the public today with 100 per cent occupancy. :applause:

Re: No Shoppers Yet at Iluma
 

Haix. Very sad to hear this. Many malls are sprouting out. But the retailers are not doing any better, isn't it? I visited illuma recently. The crowd was there but people are just checking out. Not much sales was done.

Ion and Orchard Central coming out. Expensive rental fee. I wonder how the retailers are going to manage. Rental fees in singapore is too high liaox. Even pushcart, small area also cost a few Ks.

Re: No Shoppers Yet at Iluma
 

i dun even know what stores are at iluma haha. only heard that there's a promotion for the june holidays - but all targetted at students. have they forgotten about those working crowd working nearby?

Re: No Shoppers Yet at Iluma
 

:coffee: FAr EAst spenting heavily on ANP? Hmmm.......let me refresh my memory. So far which mall have been doing well on past history. Maybe Far East Plaza. However, it 10 year ago........wahahahahha

Re: No Shoppers Yet at Iluma
 

Interesting to see how Orchard Cental will fare with such a huge AnP budget. Central at Clark Quay was like a ghost town when I last visited. Sq 2 seems to fare better. The other malls under FE Organization... ha... some I have never stepped into and some the 1st time I heard - West Coast Plaza, Pacific Plaza, FE Sq, Icon Village, Riverside Point, Riverside View, Central Sq, Central Place, Regency House, Burnfoot Terrace, Lucky Chinatown, Changi Village hotel, Albert Court Hotel, n Orchard Parade Hotel.


Tampines 1 is managed by AsiaMalls Management which also manages Tiong Bahru Plaza, Century Sq, White Sand, Hougang Mall and Liang Court. 100% occupancy rate at T1... mmmm... I'm impressed :clap: