Shoppers check out the latest designs at Dagon Centre in Sanchaung Township.

YANGON residents prefer shopping at supermarkets instead of retail outlets and see going to supermarkets as part of a new lifestyle, the managers of several local supermarkets say.

U Tun Kyaw Soe, the marketing manager of Sein Gay Har Super Centre on Pyay Road, says shopping at supermarkets is now a popular lifestyle choice and his customers are from diverse economic backgrounds.

Sales of foodstuffs, clothes and home utensils always top the list of best-selling items at Sein Gay Har, he says.

“We have to fight for customers in this increasingly highly competitive market,” he says. “That’s why supermarkets are trying to attract customers by providing merchandise at reasonable prices and high qualities. Some even have membership clubs that offer discounts,” he says.

Daw Hnin Thet Swe, the manager of BAK shopping centre in downtown Yangon, says being location can mean everything. She says that although the centre only opened last month it is receiving “more customers than expected”.

“Because ours is located near many workplaces and schools in the downtown area, people regularly drop in on our centre,” Daw Hnin Thet Swe says, estimating that an average of 1000 people visit BAK everyday.

One-third come to enjoy beauty treatments, while the rest are there to shop, she says.

Daw Hnin Thet Swe says she’s noticed that an increasing number of young people – mostly between the ages of 20 and 25 – are coming to BAK, with about 75 percent of shoppers being middle class.

“It’s become a fashion. People, especially young people, are interested in new things and when we opened our centre they came here to find out how ours differs from others.”

Ko Tun Kyaw Soe says the quality of service in local shopping centres is still lagging behind that elsewhere.

“In supermarkets abroad, it is a highly competitive market.

“Customers can also get information via different sources so supermarkets try to lure customers by offering services like hire-purchases and credit cards. But we are still way behind in technology and knowledge,” he says.

Daw Hnin Thet Swe says local supermarkets have improved over the past decade –especially in decoration and presentation – but they still need more work.

“One advantage here is our mentality. Competitors overseas use better technology and can rely on higher investments,” she says.

Ma Thiri Zaw, a 21-year-old shopper says variety is one of the reasons she loves to go to shopping centres, although it’s not the only one.

“Shopping centres have been improving in decoration,” she says. “And if you want, you can get beauty treatments before or after you go shopping.”

She says she only would like to go to small retail outlets is she knew the owners and was sure she wouldn’t be cheated.

Ma Thiri Zaw suggests that supermarkets can be made more attractive if staff displayed goods in a stylish way.

“I’d suggest that they only use displays for products that people actually want.
“And they should use softer lighting like they do in shopping centres abroad. Finally, it would be really nice if the salespeople treated customers nicely, even if they are not buying.”