By Tessa Wong
Political Correspondent
twong@sph.com.sg

 

STEP into a mall these days, and you pretty much know what kind of shops to expect.

You'll have your low-cost casualwear stores - maybe a Giordano, Bossini or Hang Ten - mixed in with mid-range brands like Topshop or Bysi.

You'll spy the usual SK Jewellery or City Chain watch outlet, and maybe a World of Sports, Times bookstore or Sembawang Music Centre.

If you're tired of seeing the same brands and products everywhere, you're not the only one.

Even the government has noticed it. Minister of State for Trade, Industry and Manpower Mr Lee Yi Shyan on Tuesday called for retailers to diversify and target more niche markets instead of catering broadly to shoppers.

One reason is that retailers here aren't being adventurous enough.

Ms Lau Chuen Wei, executive director of the Singapore Retailers Association, said that the scene could do with more entrepreneurs who refuse to head down well-trodden routes.

"There's a lot of follow-the-leader, so things tend to be same-old, same-old," she told me.

But it takes two hands to clap, and mall landlords who like to play it safe have to share some blame for this state of affairs.

Well-established chains with mass-market appeal are always a good bet when it comes to attracting shoppers to a mall.

Also, there is the assumption that such chains tend to have deeper pockets, so if the business climate turns, they are more likely to be able to cough up the rent and survive than a smaller business.

What this means is that the little guys tend to lose out. One industry player complained that because of this bias, big brands have more bargaining power when negotiating their rent.

Of course, there have been malls that strive for diversity. Newcomers like Ion Orchard and Iluma, for example, are notable for featuring many new brands.

There are themed malls too, like Velocity (sports) and Square 2 (Korean) in Novena, and Century Square (women) in Tampines.

Beyond malls, the Arab Street area has an interesting mix of independent boutiques and carpet and fabric stores, while around Club Street you can find quirky bookstores and niche designers.

But these are the exceptions, rather than the rule. It's no wonder Singaporeans regularly skip over to Bangkok or Hong Kong to browse their more varied racks.

So while retailers should innovate, landlords can help, by giving smaller businesses more of a chance too.

It would go a long way towards saving shoppers from monotony.

Read more: Go for niche segment