Viviana Mall refreshes retail mix, introduces aspirational brands to ensure consumer loyalty

Thane’s Viviana Mall, which has close to 232 brands, has refreshed and reshuffled its retail mix by reintroducing / replacing 15 brands.
Talking about this new mix, CEO, Viviana Mall, Sunil Shroff told Indiaretailing Bureau, “This year we have reshuffled and refreshed 15 brands. We have got new F&b choices in the mall including SodaBottleOpenerWala, Irish House, Naturals Ice Cream and Boston CupCakery. In other categories, we have introduced ALDO and we are soon roping in Swarwoski. So, we have been getting the brands which have been aspirational for our customers who have been regular at the mall from past three years.”
Despite introducing new F&B options, fashion as a category continues to dominate the charts. The mall has introduced brands like Nalli, which is not present in any other mall in the country.
To ensure that shopping is easy for consumers, the mall has stuck to implementing practical zoning ideas.
Talking about how Viviana has strengthened its zones, Shroff said, “Floor wise and section wise we have tried to stick to one category. For example, our kids’ category is predominantly situated on the second floor in that zone. Consumers like this since this floor has now become a marketplace for all things kids. One doesn’t need to traipse through the entire mall to find kidswear and accessories.”
Enhancing Customer Experience
In this day of cookie cutter uniformity, when it comes to garnering consumer loyalty, customer experience seems to be the buzzword. Yet, putting the customer at the centre of business and creating delightful experiences across the buying journey is not as simple as it sounds.
Shroff explained, that his mall – like every other mall has to work hard to win loyal consumers, and for this purpose, a lot of promotional and marketing activities need to be planned.
“As far as marketing initiatives go our calendar is very vibrant and out of 365 days, more than 320 days are event days. When we say event, most of our calendar operates around incentivising and giving back to the customers in the form of delight. Actual prizes worth Rs 1 crore are distributed as giveaways to the customers who are shopping in the mall.”
He further added, “We have days dedicated for events in collaboration where we promote categories in the mall like Tuesday is for food, Friday is for entertainment, and so on. All the brands falling under the category, participate actively in the campaign.”
Technology – Shaping the Future of Retail
The technology collective is breaking new ground and transforming every aspect of the retail environment. The alchemy of data is here to rule and empower companies to explore unmapped territories. From warehouses to e-wallets, the next big wave sweeping the world of retail rides on the exponential infusion of breakthrough technology in all facets of human life. And malls are also not new to this.
Shroff said, “We as mall owners need to adopt technology in every stage where ever possible to aid customers in understanding the mall better. That is one good thing that every mall needs to do.”
Elaborating on the technological advancements at the mall, Shroff said, “We have started touch-screen directories, our website is being redesigned. We are also looking forward to interacting with our retailers through the same platform.”
FEC and F&B – Major Crowd Pullers
The idea of adding major Family Entertainment Centres (FEC) and expanding F&B sections in malls has been gaining popularity rapidly over the last few years. Several new malls have been constructed around the country, with substantial square footage allocated to FECs and F&B. They substantially extend a mall’s draw, lengthen shopper stay and even increase revenue for other tenants.
“F&B and FEC are drivers for 365 days. So one has to be very careful while choosing the combination of these two categories as this makes the customers comfortable every day,” concluded Shroff.