Advantages of a shopping centre

This shopping centre will make a real impression: 58,000 m2 of selling space plus 12,000 m2 of specialist selling space, 150 shops, up to 30,000 customers on some days of the week. Located in close proximity to the new A5 / A1 motorway junction. Completion of wide-ranging public consultation processes. Successful completion of an environmental impact assessment. And a great deal more – the new shopping center currently being developed in Gerasdorf near Vienna is in many respects a showcase project. So it comes as no surprise that 280 applications have already been made for the 150 rental contracts available – everyone wants to be present in this high-performance retail center.

Marketing and site management advantages

In Gerasdorf the advantages for retailers are clear. But let us consider why a retailer should rent premises in a shopping centre instead of opening their business at a convenient location somewhere in town. In my opinion the answer is simple: in a shopping centre the retailer can deal with professionals who assume responsibility for many of the tasks that can make day-to-day business so tiresome. Marketing and site management are superb in well-managed retail centers, ensuring strong footfall and sales.

Convenience for retailers and consumers

In addition consumers enjoy a level of convenience that is otherwise hard to achieve. Parking problems, for example, are highly unlikely in a well-run shopping centre. Uniform opening times, a comprehensive offering and a host of additional services – from hairdressing to cafés – also play an increasingly important role in attracting people to shopping centres, thereby raising the profile of the retail landscape in town centres. Convenience is also a key factor for retailers – for the management of a retail centre deals with many of the tiresome and time-consuming aspects of the day-to-day running of a business (essential repairs, for example). This means more time can be devoted to the customer and selling. These are all considerable benefits.


Complete story in PDF-Format:
K200809_Heinisch.pdf (371 KB)