Many of the 14 retail outlet centres currently operating in Poland will be forced to undergo qualitative change, such as boosting their premium offer, in the face of rising competition, according to a report due to be released on Monday at the annual ICSC European conference in Warsaw.
The report entitled, 'Bargain hunting. Potential of outlet centres in Poland', is published by Colliers International and research agency IQS. Based on a consumer survey, the report looks at the perception of outlet centres among Polish consumers, and provides a profile of a Polish 'bargain hunter'.
Key elements of the profile are that customers in smaller towns visit retail outlet centres 'much more frequently' and that outlet centres have a more 'male' profile than regular shopping centres.
Male shoppers
The typical Polish customer visiting outlet centres is a man aged 30-50 originating from a medium-sized city, with education at the level of at least secondary school.
Shops with fashion, shoes and sports equipment are most often visited, and Adidas, Puma and Reebok are most often present in Polish outlet centres.
'Outlet centres are very popular among “smart shoppers”, not only in Warsaw but also in regional cities,' noted Katarzyna Michnikowska, associate director of research and consultancy services at Colliers International.
Customers in smaller towns, like Lublin or Bialystok, visit outlet centres much more frequently than dwellers of larger agglomerations and use the outlet offer more intensely, she added. 'Inhabitants of smaller towns are more spontaneous in their shopping and much more frequently buy something they had not planned to buy. Following the trend, developers plan new outlet centres in Rzeszów, Bydgoszcz or Torun.'
According to IQS, the top 5 brands visited in outlet centres are: Adidas (30%); Nike (24%); Reserved (23%); Puma (14%); Big Star (10%) and House (10%).
'Nowadays, most of Polish shoppers are conscious of how the modern trade operates and what they can expect. Polish customers perfectly know, how to assess the available offer, what they want and need and expressed it simply during the research on outlet centers,' says Agnieszka Kowalewska, shopping center research manager at IQS.
The report also provides key rental facts, lessons to learn from abroad, as well as the threats and opportunities for the sector in Poland.
