Effective strategic mall positioning of shopping centres in Hong Kong

Abstract

Location is definitely one of the determining factors rooted in the minds of developers in the first step of developing a shopping centre. Nevertheless, there are lots of others factors which affect the success of a shopping centre. Even a shopping centre stands in a prime location, it is difficult to sustain its competitiveness without the effort of other factors. An effective strategy of mall positioning helps a shopping centre to sustain the competitiveness, especially in Hong Kong, with cutthroat competition among the shopping centres. Newly built shopping centres continue to appear which threatened the aged shopping centres directly. Shopping centres must find an effective method to face the challenging environment as well as to sustain its edge, especially the district shopping centres. As the aged shopping centres face the problem of deteriorating building conditions and inadequate entertainment facilities, an effective strategy of mall positioning helps the aged shopping centres to improve their competitiveness in the community. This research paper is investigating the strategy of mall positioning of the selected shopping centres, namely D・Park, Tsuen Wan Plaza and OP Mall. In order to find out the effective strategy of mall positioning, a survey was conducted to the shoppers and the management office, aiming to understand more on different perspectives. It is important to obtain the opinions from the shoppers, as they affect the income of a shopping centre directly. To understand their preference, the survey conducted is based on five significant factors of effective strategy mall positioning, which consist of accessibility, design and shopping environment, marketing strategy, property and facility management services and leasing strategy. The second part of this research paper is investigating leasing strategy is the most important factors among these five significant factors of effective strategy mall positioning. Three selected shopping centres as a case study to examine the effective strategy mall positioning based on the these five significant factors. Last but not least, the last chapter of this research paper provides some recommendations about the strategy mall positioning in Hong Kong such as changing the trade mix of the shopping centre by following the trend and improving the shopping environment to create an enjoyable shopping atmosphere. Also, it includes some recommendations for further studies. Opinion of retailers may provide another insight of strategy mall positioning. In order to retain the name of shopping paradise of Hong Kong, shopping centres could sustain their competitiveness by adopting the effective strategy mall positioning, it is the responsibility of the mall operators to provide a comfortable shopping environment and remarkable shopping experience to the shoppers.