Shopping Centers Today is the news magazine of the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC)
Issue link: https://sct.epubxp.com/i/74664
THE COMMON AREA Saks targets Asian tourists As debt- straddled Europeans increasingly forgo foreign excursions, U.S. retailers that tradition- Center for Strategic and International Studies. SAKS WANTS TO ATTRACT MORE INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS TO ITS NEW YORK CITY FLAGSHIP. The upscale department store chain is also forg- ing ties with companies such as Affin- ity China, the ally rely on a brisk tourist trade are targeting visitors from other regions, especially Asia and Latin America. Saks Fifth Avenue is upgrading systems in its 45 stores to allow Asian customers to make purchases with their own foreign-issued debit cards. The chain has seen the number of visitors from China, India and Canada grow faster than others in recent years. "With the potential growth of international tourism, Saks Fifth Avenue has established opportu- nities to expand our customer base by targeting the foreign shopper with the same customer-centricity it uses with domestic customers," said Kathleen Ruiz, vice president of vendor and store marketing and public relations, at a conference sponsored by the High and low Target and Neiman Marcus are joining forces for the holidays, produc- ing a limited-edition collection of hol- iday-themed merchandise to be sold in the Minneapolis-based discounter's stores as well as in the Dallas-based luxury emporium's stores. The collec- tion will launch Dec. 1. "Target and Neiman Marcus are known for charting new terrain, and by joining forces for the holiday season, we've set the stage for a rede- fining moment in retail," said Gregg Steinhafel, chairman, president and 10 SCT / AUGUST 2012 invitation-only network of luxury shoppers that circu- lates news about promotional events and sales. Saks is also buying in-flight advertising on airlines that serve tourists from Asia and Latin America, said Ruiz. Saks is also in the process of recruiting more bilin- gual sales associates and managers and will provide non- English-speaking customers with iPads to help them navigate the stores. The chain's New York City flagship sees the most foreign tourist traffic of all its fleet, followed by Miami; Las Vegas; Beverly Hills, Calif.; San Francisco; and Boston, in that order. CEO of Target. "This collaboration is unlike anything Target has done be- fore, and we are confident our guests will be thrilled with this extraordinary collection that features some of America's most preeminent de- signers." The Target + Neiman Marcus Holiday Collec- tion contains an eclectic mix of some 50 products, with prices rang- ing from $7.99 to $499.99 and most items costing less than $60. Diane von Furstenberg, Judith Leiber, Os- car de la Renta and Tory Burch are among those that created pieces for the collection. SCT