Geneva’s retail trade experienced an upturn in September. “Attendance is stable, but as a single swallow does not make spring, we must remain vigilant,” warns Pierre Maudet, State Councilor in charge of the Economy and Security. If specialists expect the next few months to improve the economic situation in Switzerland, it is not certain that all stores will benefit.
Read also: Geneva prepares an economic offensive in the United States
Still undermined by certain consumer reflexes, against whom the strong franc has acted as a repellent, as well as by online competition, the stores at the end of Lake Geneva have decided to take charge. This Friday, on the occasion of the Digital Economy Forum organized at the Fédération des entreprises romandes Genève, the canton’s brands intend to propose avenues for improvement. A renewal that could be inspired by ideas drawn from across the Atlantic.
Bringing shopping temples to life
“Our business mission to New York last spring allowed us to identify the latest trends to attract customers. These involve working in a network and using electronic commerce as a lever, rather than confining supermarkets to the role of exhibition arcades ”, summarizes the PLR magistrate, as part of the announcement of the 2017 winners of the price for the Geneva economy. It is perhaps no coincidence that Eastside, a New York-inspired Eaux-Vives boutique, was awarded this year in the creativity category.
Merchants are also invited to work together to animate their platform
–
In the latest shopping centers of the Big Apple, the stalls that are housed there prepare their customers in particular on social networks. By allowing them, for example, to visualize their shopping journey upstream and online. “Retailers are also invited to work together to animate their platform and bring that little extra touch to attract customers,” explains Pierre Maudet.
Will we one day see pop concerts or public salsa sessions in the corridors of Balexert and at La Praille? The Mall of Switzerland, in the suburbs of Lucerne, a new 65,000 m² structure valued at over 450 million francs, seems in any case to want to adopt this kind of concept.
–
–
