Page 41 - April 2021

ALPES THE STYLE OUTLETS
Valserhône, France
Developer: NEINVER

relevant in the new normal. We believe that one of the during these challenging times. The impact of lockdown
lasting effects of this past year will be that consumers will measures has been significant to many brands and this has
be increasingly channel agnostic, demanding a seamless required an individual and flexible approach to help their
shopping experience across physical, digital and social liquidity with different relief agreements. We have reached
channels – creating a need for an integrated omni-channel agreements with close to 100 per cent of our tenants for
approach. As always, offering a good product at a good price the first lockdown period and we closed the year with a
point is the absolute baseline, but customer expectations high occupancy rate of 97 per cent. In addition, we have
nowadays go beyond convenience. By adapting quickly and been supporting our tenants both in the reopening and
responsibly to changing customer needs, we will not only closure of their stores in our centres, providing them
be in a good position to face current and future challenges, advice and support in implementing health and safety
but be able to seize opportunities as they arise too. measures and protocols, and recommendations on sales
and marketing strategies, among other aspects.
Carlos González, ManaGinG DireCtor Moreover, the pandemic has accelerated the expansion
- neinVer of omni-channel integration to increase convenience and
The Covid-19 pandemic has brought forward a number allow easy planning of visits to the centres. To this end,
of key trends that were already reshaping retail and has NEINVER launched a virtual shopping service across its
put strong pressure on many physical retail formats. Outlet entire portfolio allowing customers to directly contact the
centres have not been immune to the pandemic’s impact, stores at the centres in order to shop or explore items
but they have proved that their business model is more without physically being present in the store. Also, in a
resilient to market disruption than other retail channels. time in which the most important factor for success is
This is due to a combination of factors, such as brands’ listening to the consumer, new technologies are also key
excess stock caused by reduced consumer demand and a to obtaining highly valuable insights about our customers
more price-conscious consumer, because consumers’ focus that allow us to make data-driven decisions and support
on value has grown since the previous economic crisis our tenants’ strategies.
and tends to increase in times of economic uncertainty. On the opposite side, the pandemic has brought to a
Indeed, the flow of visitors to our outlet centres in Europe halt the focus on the leisure and gastronomic offer as key
rebounded rapidly whenever they were allowed to trade drivers of footfall and increased visitors’ dwell time. Once
without restrictions. the health crisis is over, we are convinced this trend will
Our first priority since the pandemic started has been regain attention driven by consumers’ strong appetite for
to provide a more socially distanced shopping experience, human connection and social experiences.
with all the necessary measures in place to guarantee Economic uncertainty and health concerns are the
visitors’ safety. Agility and preparedness to adapt quickly to two most important factors that will influence customer
changes in restrictions with short notice and to the rapid behaviour in the short term. And although strong outlet
evolution of consumer behaviour has also been key to propositions have navigated the turmoil better than other
dealing with the situation. retail channels, our continued investment in elevating the
The shared efforts and commitments between tenants shopping experience and in meeting customers’ needs will
and operators, resulting from leasing structures with be necessary to accelerate recovery and turn disruption
turnover rents and shorter leasing terms, has proven vital into an opportunity.
APRIL 2021 retail & leisUre international 41