I AM not surprised that retailers here are being squeezed ("Department stores and disappearing shoppers"; last Tuesday).
There is a proliferation of shopping malls here. A handful of large retail chains dominate most malls, selling similar products and services.
We have an oversupply of shopping malls, which charge tenants high rentals, but not enough professionally trained sales and wait staff.
Many retailers employ untrained part-timers or foreigners, but these staff have little product knowledge and lack the communication skills to deliver an enjoyable shopping experience.
I disagree with Ms Alice Tan, Knight Frank Singapore's head of consultancy and research, who was quoted in the article as saying that on retail space per capita, Singapore is still almost one-third lower than Hong Kong.
She forgets that Hong Kong has a population of about seven million, and, last year, had more than 47 million visitors from mainland China to patronise its malls offering quality services.
I predict the decline of retail tenants here due to escalating rents, as Reits are able to monitor the turnover of tenants.
This unfair business practice results in many shop owners pulling out.
Unless the situation changes, tenants would disappear sooner or later.
To counter the rental squeeze, established brands could embark on e-commerce and online shopping at bargain prices, while reducing the number of shops it has in malls.
Paul Chan Poh Hoi
There is a proliferation of shopping malls here. A handful of large retail chains dominate most malls, selling similar products and services.
We have an oversupply of shopping malls, which charge tenants high rentals, but not enough professionally trained sales and wait staff.
Many retailers employ untrained part-timers or foreigners, but these staff have little product knowledge and lack the communication skills to deliver an enjoyable shopping experience.
I disagree with Ms Alice Tan, Knight Frank Singapore's head of consultancy and research, who was quoted in the article as saying that on retail space per capita, Singapore is still almost one-third lower than Hong Kong.
She forgets that Hong Kong has a population of about seven million, and, last year, had more than 47 million visitors from mainland China to patronise its malls offering quality services.
I predict the decline of retail tenants here due to escalating rents, as Reits are able to monitor the turnover of tenants.
This unfair business practice results in many shop owners pulling out.
Unless the situation changes, tenants would disappear sooner or later.
To counter the rental squeeze, established brands could embark on e-commerce and online shopping at bargain prices, while reducing the number of shops it has in malls.
Paul Chan Poh Hoi
