Security alerts, delays, lost
baggage - these days the news from airlines seems to be unremittingly bad. And yet, in one area at least, things are looking up: shopping. Next week the British Airports Authority will unveil the new Heathrow Terminal 5, 22,000 sq metres of which are designed specifically to cater to the
consumer needs of the captive, bored or gift-challenged traveller. It's by far the largest
retail space in London's aviatory hub, increasing Heathrow's total shopping capacity by 50 per cent.
"Retail is the new battleground in airport development," says Nick Ziebland, the
retail director of Terminal 5. "We want to persuade people, including frequent travellers, to come early to shop but we know that frequent travellers are often sceptical about these things so we realised that we had to come up with something special."
"Twenty years ago it was enough to have duty free, a newsagent and flip-flops," says Neil Saunders of
retail analysts Verdict Research. Not anymore. According to analysts Mintel UK, luxury goods have been one of the fastest growing categories at airports. Airports from Amsterdam's Schiphol to Madrid's Barajas have upped their high-end content, while Paris's Charles de Gaulle gained over 3,000 sq metres of shopping space last year and will further increase this space by nearly 7,000 sq metres in 2008. Of the 33 brands going into Terminal 5, 14 are luxury names.
"Generally, there is a move towards premiumisation - the likes of Paul Smith, Berry Bros and Smythson have joined the luxury travel
retail stalwarts like Hermès and Gucci," says Adam Wylie, managing director of brand communications agency 23red.
To judge by recent history, it's a
profitable investment. Although BAA won't give figures on the
uplift following its refurbishment of Terminal 1, Ziebland acknowledges: "We've recouped our capital investment." Indeed, like other airport owners, BAA makes an increasing amount of its
revenue through shopping. Verdict Research calculates that in 2006 airport
retailing was worth $23.9bn globally, $10bn of which was generated in Europe.
No wonder that
increasingly brands separate out airport
retailing as a distinct channel to complement the more
traditional areas of
retail,
franchise and web. "Many brands see airport
retail as a shop window, worrying less about turnover and more about opportunities for customers to see and,
increasingly, opportunities to experience," says Wylie.
According to Saunders: "Male business travellers in particular have less time, so they want to shop quickly, which means
retailers have to offer edited-down versions of their usual stock. But airport
outlets do allow brands to
target their offers to affluent male customers who have less time and interest in shopping on the high street."
Customers such as Mark Stanley, for example, a
solicitor and a regular airport shopper. "I tend to get to airports early to avoid stress so I'll often buy a shirt or some toiletries or a present for my kids while I'm there," he says.
"Airports are now important to us as a luxury brand," says Jan Luijendijk, European sales manager for Mont Blanc, which will have a freestanding "island" store at Terminal 5.
Still, Chris Mellor, a director of legal training consultancy VinciWorks, is sceptical. "I've travelled 100,000 miles a year in the past, but I only tend to buy things like travel plugs at airports or sometimes a present for an anniversary," he says. "I'd really want to know what they're going to do at T5 to encourage me to buy a watch."
Thomas Pink, for one, has
decided to offer an LCD display from Reuters and a fridge containing Pink Drink, the brand's own mineral water, in their 110 sq metre Terminal 5
outlet.
"We might also provide a self-service system where time-pressed customers could scan their own products and pay by credit card, with perhaps a made-to-order service for those who have more time," says managing director Jonathan Heilbron. "We regard this as a flagship store."
Meanwhile, customers of jewellers Tiffany & Co will be able to view the collections in an
elegant private sales salon. The boutique will also showcase jewellery and objects from the company's design
heritage collections.
Those venturing into the Links of London store will find special Links T5 products and be able to use an interactive "charm bar" to design their own charm bracelets and pendants - or charm bracelets and pendants for their partners, daughters, nieces ...
安全警告、晚点、行李丢失--如今,从航空公司传来的坏消息几乎从来没有间断过。不过,至少有一点是越来越好:购物。下周,英国机场管理局(the British Airports Authority,简称"BAA")将会为希斯罗机场(Heathrow)"5号航站楼"(Terminal 5,简称T5)这一新的购物广场揭幕。该广场面积为22,000平方米,是特别设计以迎合那些易被吸引的、无聊的、或者需要交换礼物的乘客的需求。至今为止,它是伦敦航空中心最大的零售场地,促进希斯罗机场总销售能力提高了50%。
"零售是机场发展中的一个新战场,"T5的零售主管尼克•齐布兰特(Nick Ziebland)说道,"我们想说服人们,包括频繁飞行的乘客,早点到机场来购物,但是我们知道那些乘客经常会怀疑这些东西的好坏。因此,我们需要拿出一些特别的东西。"
"二十年前,有免税产品、定期刊物塑料人字拖的经销商就已经足够了," 英国零售咨询公司(Verdict Research)尼尔•桑德斯(Neil Saunders)表示。而现在不一样了。根据英国敏特市场咨询公司(Mintel UK)的报告,奢侈品已经成为机场里增长速度最快的种类之一。很多机场,从阿姆斯特丹史基浦机场(Schiphol)到马德里巴拉哈斯(Barajas)国际机场,均已经扩大了高端消费品的销售。同时,巴黎的戴高乐机场(Charles de Gaulle,又译"鲁瓦西"机场)于去年得到了面积为3000平方米的购物空间,2008年内将会扩展到7000平方米。而进入T5销售的33个品牌中,14个是奢侈品。
"总的来说,目前有一股追逐高价品的风潮--Paul Smith,Berry Bros和Smythson等品牌已经加入了奢侈品旅行销售的阵营,就像爱马仕(Hermès)和古奇(Gucci)一样。"品牌渠道代理机构23red的执行总监亚当•怀利(Adam Wylie)表示。
根据最近的情况判断,这是一项有利可图的投资。尽管BAA不会公布重新改造"1号航站楼"(Terminal 1)后带来的利润的上升,齐布兰特承认:"我们已经收回了成本。"事实上,像其他机场的所有者一样,BAA通过销售提高了收益。据英国零售咨询公司计算,2006年全球机场销售价值239亿美元,其中100亿美元是在欧洲。
毫无疑问,越来越多的品牌正把机场销售作为更为传统的销售渠道,如零售、专卖店以及网络的一种独特的补充。"很多品牌都把机场销售作为一个商店窗口。他们很少担心周转率,更多地是担心顾客是否会看见,以及是否有机会去体验。"怀利表示。
桑德斯说:"特别是男性商业乘客,时间比较少,所以他们想要快速购物,这就意味着零售商需要提供他们通常存货的修正版。不过,机场允许品牌商们给大量男性顾客提供特制的商品。这些顾客很少有时间和兴趣在大街上购物。"
以一名顾客马克•斯坦利(Mark Stanley)为例,他是一名律师,同时也是一个经常性的机场购物者。"我倾向于早点到达机场以避免压力,因此,我经常在那里买一件T恤,或者一些化妆品,或者一份给我孩子的礼物。"他说。
"现在,机场对于我们这样的奢侈品品牌很重要。"万宝龙(Mont Blanc)的欧洲销售经理Jan Luijendijk说道。万宝龙将会在T5拥有一个独立的"旗舰店"。
不过,克里斯• 梅勒(Chris Mellor),法律培训咨询公司VinciWorks的一位主管,比较质疑。"过去我一年旅行100,000英里,但是在机场里仅仅购买旅行用的插头或者有时为周年纪念活动买一个礼物,"他说道,"我确实很想知道T5会
怎么做,来鼓励我买一块手表。"
托马斯•平克公司(Thomas Pink)已经决定通过路透社的液晶显示器(LCD display)展示他们的商品,同时在T5面积为110平方米的销售渠道里放一个冰箱,里面放有该品牌自己的矿泉水。
"我们还可能提供一个自助服务系统,这样,时间紧迫的顾客就可以快速浏览自己需要的产品,用信用卡付款。也可能为那些时间比较多的顾客提供定制式服务,"总经理乔纳森•海伯伦(Jonathan Heilbron)说道,"我们把这家店作为旗舰店。"
同时,珠宝公司蒂芙妮(Tiffany & Co)的顾客将能在一个高雅的私人销售沙龙里观赏藏品。而一些小商店也会展示该公司原有的设计收藏。
那些逛伦敦连锁店的人们将会发现特殊的连锁T5的产品,并能用一个互动性的"魅力条"为自己或父母、女儿等设计魅力手镯和挂饰。
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