Offline stores like online malls... Urban outlet 'NC Sin Guro Branch'

E-Land Retail Opens Eighth Store in Seoul
NC Shin Guro Branch Newly Opened

Showhost Conducts Live Broadcasts In-Store
Naver Popular Product Link Store Also Available
Convenience Facilities Arranged for Housewives in Their 30s
30-Minute Delivery Service for Food Hall Products

On the 11th, a show host is conducting a live broadcast at the NC Shin-Guro branch on the 1st floor in Guro-gu, Seoul.

[Asia Economy Reporter Seungjin Lee] E-Land Retail has opened its eighth store in Seoul, the NC Singuro branch. Despite the overall downturn in offline retail due to the development of the online industry and the impact of COVID-19, the company has taken on a new challenge. With a city-type outlet as its weapon, it plans to establish itself as the representative shopping mall in the southwestern area of Seoul.

Differentiation Strategy through 'Omni Store'

The newly opened NC Singuro branch on the 11th was bustling with customers. Considering the COVID-19 situation, E-Land did not hold any special opening events. After the AK Plaza Guro branch, which had closed last August, reopened exactly one year later, local residents visited in large numbers with high expectations. With a total floor area of approximately 100,393㎡ (30,369 pyeong) and a sales area of 42,519㎡ (12,862 pyeong), spanning from basement level 1 to the 7th floor, it is the largest shopping mall in the southwestern region of Seoul. A total of about 270 brands, including 220 fashion brands and 50 dining and other brands, have been established.

From the first floor, efforts to differentiate from existing department stores and outlets were evident throughout NC Singuro. A key feature is the omni stores that allow consumers to move seamlessly between online and offline. Upon entering, customers are greeted by a pop-up store of overseas luxury brands. A show host is stationed at the store, conducting live broadcasts in real time. Some customers watched the live broadcast on their mobile phones in the store to receive real-time discount benefits.

The 'Linkrank' store, where popular small home appliances and living products from Naver Shopping can be experienced, also caught attention. Customers can try products in the store and then make payments to have them delivered to their homes.

Maximizing Stores and Amenities for Core Customers

NC Singuro has set local women in their 30s as its core customers and secured many related stores and amenities accordingly. Starbucks and cafes are located on each floor from basement 1 to the 3rd floor, and the 2nd floor is dedicated to women's casual wear, clearly targeting the core customer base. Additionally, the only permanent jewelry discount store in Seoul is located on the first floor, also targeting female customers.

The 4th floor is dedicated to infant and children's stores, making it the largest single category area. The strategy to attract women in their 30s is prominent. In fact, the busiest floor on that day was the 4th floor, with many family customers pushing strollers. The 4th floor also features numerous spaces where customers can stay with their children, such as a baby lounge and a kids' library, and many customers were seen resting there.

NC Shingu-ro Branch has introduced the 'Same-Day Delivery' service, delivering Food Hall products within 30 minutes to customers living within 2 km nearby. The photo shows customers entering the NC Food Hall on the basement first floor of NC Shingu-ro Branch on the afternoon of the 11th. Photo by [photographer's name]

Challenging the Three Major Hypermarkets

NC Singuro also competes with the three major hypermarkets nearby: E-Mart, Lotte Mart, and Homeplus. The NC Food Hall located on basement level 1 is smaller in scale compared to general hypermarkets but offers a similar range of products. E-Land's Hyper Division, which operates Kim's Club, has its private brand (PB) 'Off Price' in the store, allowing customers to purchase essential daily goods at reasonable prices. The store introduced an 'Immediate Delivery Today' service designed to deliver food hall products within 30 minutes to customers living within 2 km of the store, differentiating itself from nearby hypermarkets.

The basement 1st floor food court, with more than 20 food and beverage stores, also opened a new American-style ultra-low-price deli store called 'Oitz,' attracting customers. Oitz sells menu items such as pizza, chicken, hot dogs, and fried rice starting from 1,000 KRW. Even shortly after 11 a.m., the food court was so crowded that it was difficult to find empty seats.

A housewife, Seo-young Kwon (37, pseudonym), who visited the restaurant with her four-year-old child, said, "There weren't many suitable restaurants near my home, so I always had a hard time deciding when I wanted a simple meal out. Since there are many restaurants and a mart inside the store, I think I will visit often in the future."

However, there were some regrets regarding the brands in the store. Although a permanent discount store of Samsung C&T Fashion Division is located on the first floor, there were relatively few brands for male customers. Most brands are mid- to low-priced, making it difficult to find a somewhat luxurious atmosphere compared to general department stores. The fact that the brands and floor compositions are popular and friendly is considered an advantage.

An E-Land Retail official said, "External brand permanent stores offer an average discount rate of 40%, and for some E-Land Retail brands, an additional 20% discount is provided. We will introduce a new dimension of city-type outlets that showcase the advantages of both online and offline at once and establish ourselves as the representative shopping mall in the southwestern area of Seoul."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.