The Isetan Group started trading in Singapore on 31 January 1971 after which they made history in 1972 by being the first Japanese department store in Singapore at Havelock. Today they operate four stores and a stand-alone Mango boutique, strategically located across the island and catering to a wide spectrum of customers.
Successfully located from Isetan Havelock to Shaw House in 1993, Isetan Scotts is a full line department store that caters to shoppers from all walks of life. In 2000, Isetan began operating its first full-scale supermarket located at the basement. (The Isetan Singapore, 2007 & 2008, Annual Report, Online) When Isetan first started out in the early 1970s, it was clearly seen that they are trying to target into the hearts of Singaporeans with Japanese products.
Having the foresight of the potential market for the future premier shopping belt, the flagship store was shifted to Orchard Road from Havelock Road. They had their market target set on the tourists along with consumers, mainly targeted at women, (highlights in the later part) who have higher purchasing power and are more style savvy. Having to first introduced Mango, (the internationally famous multinational which designs, manufactures and markets women’s and men’s clothing and accessories) into Singapore, Isetan clearly prudence the prospective fashion trend available for this unknown brand then.
Isetan focus towards medium to high-income & price-sensitive consumers, zooming into the different prospects obtainable. Launching its very own in-house credit card, the Isetan Credit Card (ICC), consumers with a minimum income of $20,000 per annum, age 21 and above can apply. Members are entitled to 30 days’ interest-free credit term, along with a maximum of three supplementary cards for their immediate family members above age 18. Discounts of up to 5% for purchases are given, including dining in the restaurants located in Isetan Scotts at the fourth level.
They saw the likelihood of the ever-increasing number of young working adults and growing influence of spending power the teenagers has on their parents nowadays. Isetan Scotts occupies five levels of Shaw House along with its Japanese supermarket at the basement. The supermarket with its emphasis on high quality Japanese products is especially popular, offering Japanese lifestyle concepts to the Singapore market through various food festivals.
The Japanese supermarket introduces not only food delicacies from the Land of Rising Sun but also holds events like the current Swiss Fair to introduce food products and fresh food from Switzerland. The Isetan group does not restrict themselves only to promoting Japanese products but foresees the opportunities to bring in and promote products coming from other regions. The product assortment in Isetan Scotts matches with its target market’s shopping expectations.
Isetan Scotts not only cater shoppers with the convenience of grocery shopping at the basement, but also offers them a variety of merchandise on the next four levels of the mall. The store boasts a wide collection of international fashion designer lines, cosmetics and family-oriented merchandise catering to the local and tourist markets. With commodities ranging from international brands of cosmetics, fragrances, ladies’ accessories on the first two levels, following men’s apparels and sports apparels on the third level; to household items, children and expecting mothers’ apparels on the fourth.
Out of the four levels of the shopping mall, two levels are specially catered to the likes of ladies, not forgetting the sports section at the third level which offers ladies’ sports apparels and the fourth level which too. The first level presents a wide variety of ladies’ apparels, costume jewellery, international brands like Celine, Chanel, Christian Dior, Coach, Fendi, Loewe, Salvatore Ferragamo accessories, Polo Ralph Lauren’s collection to affordable accessories from bags, shoes to various accessories of rings, necklaces, earrings, etc.
The latest appendage of international fashion at the second level is the local designer, All Dressed Up section exclusively at the second level. With immense success from its inaugural launch collection in 2005, it has steadily achieved its objectives through marketing and distributing its seasonal collections internationally. (www. alldressedup. com) Other than the two stand alone boutiques locations at Paragon Singapore and ION Orchard, All Dressed Up can be found only in Isetan Scotts, nowhere in other department stores.
With the recent revamped of Men’s section at the third level in 2008, it now focus on targeting the likes of men, introducing international brands like Agnes B Homme, Calvin Klein, Levi’s, Polo Jeans, Springfield and Timberland, and exclusive brands only available in Isetan Scotts, Croquis, HE by Mango, Rossi, Morpho, Oro Bianco, A. I. P. (An American in Paris).
Designed for the new age cosmopolitan men with sharp sartorial senses who appreciate the finer touches of quality merchandise, the new Isetan Men’s @ Isetan Scotts caters to the different aspects of their lifestyles, from business to leisure to sports. (www. isetan. com. sg) Delicate services are provided to the men, with staff trained in both shirt measurement and shoe fitting, ensuring that customers get the most flattering fit across all the brands available at Isetan Men’s.
There are several entrances into Isetan Scotts, making no miss to the brands available at all levels. The direct entrance at basement level brings consumers directly to the supermarket and a bakery on their left, or to proceeds to the right for chic fast food restaurants, MOS Burger and Pepper Lunch, also not forgetting McCafe, that is located at the dome shape area right outside. The left side entrance when facing Shaw House at ground level allows a full view of the sophisticated brands of accessories and bags.
The right entrance linking from Shaw Centre brings consumers straight into the haven of cosmetics, skincare products like SK II. etc. The main entrance leads consumers into the beauty session, with MAC on the left and Bobby Brown on the right. There are three escalators located within Shaw House, one that allow consumers to proceed from the basement level all the way up to the fourth level, which falls on the inner side of Isetan Scotts, to which they would have to go round each level before they are able to proceed to the next level.
Another escalator is located within level 1 right beside Origins-Powered by Nature, Proven by Science, bringing the consumers to the next level, not without passing by Laura Ashley and Marc by Marc. Lastly, the stretched escalator from the ground level that links directly to the third level, and continues on the third level which leads to the fifth level where the cinema is located. Though conveniently designed for patrons going straight for the movies, they would not be given a chance to overlook the promotions or brands available in Isetan Scotts at every level.
The structure of Shaw House, a clear round structure at the heart of the main escalator allows the consumers to have obvious view at the international brands, restaurants on the respective levels, the Promotion Gallery on the third level and what’s new and hot at the Event Hall on the fourth level. Clear lightings are lit throughout the whole store making it impossible to see anything at a glance, the sign boards of the respective brands are well positioned enough not to be missed from any corner.
The fourth level is clearly divided into the household section, with tableware, kitchenware, home appliances, etc, clearly positioned on one side and the children’s section, clothing, toys, electronic game section located on the other side along with the famous Hello Kitty merchandises and an exclusive stationery section which offers kawaii Japanese stationeries. Other than promotion events and Japan fairs that they held regularly, Isetan does not forget special holiday’s seasons like Halloween, celebrated annually on the 31st of October.
A special Halloween section was designed at the fourth level right beside the inner escalator between the household items and toys section. Special demonstrations of household appliances are available at the household departments, where you can see and feel for yourself the sharpness of the knives collections at the kitchenware section, or smell the fragrance from the air fresher that clears any polluted air, or feel the softness of the exclusive bed sheets at the bedroom section.
Right at the main entrance, joint events with cosmetics, beauty skincare products, can be seen, where consumers are given a chance to have makeovers by elite makeup artists. Both the Event Hall and Promotion Gallery holds regular price appealing offers to yearn for. Consumers are always given the chance to see, feel, taste and smell for themselves true to what Isetan Singapore has promised and states in their vision, “Only by sharing with others – our feelings, our ideas, and our joy – can we create new and better lifestyles for tomorrow. ”
REFERENCES
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- The Isetan Singapore, (123 years of Excellence, Newsletter) Available at: http://www. isetan. com. sg/newsletter/index. jsp? newsletter=123 (Accessed 16th October 2009)
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- Mango, 2009, Behind the Brand Available at: http://mango. com/oi/index. html (Accessed 17th October 2009)
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