American Melting Pot
Nov 1, 2008 12:00 PM, By Elaine Misonzhnik
There are several ways in which a multi-ethnic consumer can be made to feel comfortable at mainstream shopping venues, some more expensive than others. Since Filipinos tend to shop as families, Jones Lang LaSalle invested in the expansion of the common areas at the Serramonte Center and incorporated Asian design elements, including bamboo trees. “Our focus group said our center was a lot warmer and more friendly,” as a result, says Sullivan. But though culture-specific design might be a nice touch, product selection, targeted advertising and bilingual services carry much more weight, according to Morse.
Research is also key, according to Green. Jones Lang LaSalle figured out how to successfully cater to its Filipino base by conducting numerous surveys, both by phone and at the mall. It also makes sense to hire a consulting firm that specializes in multi-ethnic consumers, adds Tapie.
Some touches work well everywhere. At the very basic level, U.S.-based retailers in areas with large concentrations of ethnic consumers should strive to devote a portion of their stores to popular ethnic products, the way Wal-Mart does. Additionally, property owners should consider bringing in local chains and mom-and-pop operators that focus on the ethnic population exclusively, the way La Curacao does.
It's also critical to bring in salespeople who can speak the language prevalent among local customers, and speak it well, says Dr. Andy Erlich, of Erlich Transcultural Consultants, a North Hollywood, Calif.-based consulting firm. Even if the customer speaks English, they will appreciate the sound of their native tongue. And if salespeople are not fluent, the availability of a translator can make the difference in completing a transaction.
When a customer comes into one of the stores at Queens Center and has trouble communicating, employees have the option to call the mall's guest services desk, which will send someone who speaks the customer's language, says Susan Valentine, senior vice president of marketing at Macerich.
That philosophy should also extend to signage and ethnic holiday celebrations, for example, the Chinese New Year or Diwali, the Indian festival of light, according to Morse. Macerich-owned Desert Sky Mall, an 893,457-square-foot property in Phoenix, regularly holds events such as La Fiesta de la Familia Hispaña to attract the 70 percent of the mall trade area who are of Hispanic descent. The mall also features a 100,000-square-foot La Curacao store as well as Cinema Latino, a movie theater that shows films with Spanish subtitles. “In many ways, it's simply symbolic,” Morse says. “I am a third-generation Eastern European Jew and I am not very religious, but if a retailer would have a sign saying ‘Happy Jewish New Year!,’ I would appreciate it.”
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