Hi,
My name is Jim Antonopoulos. I represent my father from Antons.
We have over 30 years experience in the market .We run our own shops outside, and we run an online business on ebay. At the market we sell a very big range of table linen and accessories.
We are managing to stay afloat as we have a point of difference in items we are selling. The fact it is my father and myself only which means customers will get the best and most experienced service possible as we have done this for over 30 years. We get customers coming from the internet to collect goods, and we get customers from Altona (were one of our shops is situated) and visa versa.
We are managing to stay afloat as we have a point of difference in items we are selling. The fact it is my father and myself only which means customers will get the best and most experienced service possible as we have done this for over 30 years. We get customers coming from the internet to collect goods, and we get customers from Altona (were one of our shops is situated) and visa versa.
THE MARKET, (THE GENERAL MERCHANDISE SECTION) DEFINETELY DOES NOT ATTRACT THE BUYER IT USED TO GET. ALSO WITH ALL THE DUPLICATION IN A PARTICULAR CATEGORY, THE DOLLARS MIGHT BE THE SAME THAT IS BEING SPENT BUT IT IS BEING SPREAD OUT AMONGST MORE RETAILERS.
Where do I start? The market conditions are tight but we, at the market, always had an advantage. Smaller costs and overheads and point of difference items. Now, what I hear is that the market is tacky, overpriced and there are too many of the same things.
****Rents have just gone up.On what basis have they gone up? Has the market had a facelift to improve the general look—NO!
**** Has the lighting improved? Absolutely atrocious . Especially a couple of weeks when it rained heavily. We barely could see - very embarrassing when customers start saying “Whats going on?” What impression does that leave?
****Between rentals for tables, boxes,carpark, rent,damage due to weather conditions, the market is getting to the point of being more expensive than renting shops. Actually, I know for a fact (as I deal with Stockland, Lendlease and Colonial) that rents outside are actually going backwards. New rents and deals are being done to stay competitive and keep traders profitable or more to the point to try and keep centres filled.
****The service we get from shopping centre justifies the rents we pay most times. We get perfect climate, complaint resolution, pretty good tenant mix, free car park for tenants.
****On a year on year basis how are people doing? Lets take away the addition of all the unnecessary duplicated shops(coffee shops, etc) which obviously has contributed to growth in sales, how are sales going? ON A STORE TO STORE BASIS HOW ARE WE GOING?
****Traffic flow figures have always been deceptive.The quality of people we are attracting is getting worse. What I mean by that is, the amount of people coming to shop properly as a destination point is rapidly decreasing. Only when we get a few tourists in do we do okay.
****I WANT TO KNOW WERE THE IMPROVEMENTS ARE? People are coming to market to waste time, drink coffee and sit and vegetate. We have made it a social occasion rather than a shopping experience.
Where do I start? The market conditions are tight but we, at the market, always had an advantage. Smaller costs and overheads and point of difference items. Now, what I hear is that the market is tacky, overpriced and there are too many of the same things.
****Rents have just gone up.On what basis have they gone up? Has the market had a facelift to improve the general look—NO!
**** Has the lighting improved? Absolutely atrocious . Especially a couple of weeks when it rained heavily. We barely could see - very embarrassing when customers start saying “Whats going on?” What impression does that leave?
****Between rentals for tables, boxes,carpark, rent,damage due to weather conditions, the market is getting to the point of being more expensive than renting shops. Actually, I know for a fact (as I deal with Stockland, Lendlease and Colonial) that rents outside are actually going backwards. New rents and deals are being done to stay competitive and keep traders profitable or more to the point to try and keep centres filled.
****The service we get from shopping centre justifies the rents we pay most times. We get perfect climate, complaint resolution, pretty good tenant mix, free car park for tenants.
****On a year on year basis how are people doing? Lets take away the addition of all the unnecessary duplicated shops(coffee shops, etc) which obviously has contributed to growth in sales, how are sales going? ON A STORE TO STORE BASIS HOW ARE WE GOING?
****Traffic flow figures have always been deceptive.The quality of people we are attracting is getting worse. What I mean by that is, the amount of people coming to shop properly as a destination point is rapidly decreasing. Only when we get a few tourists in do we do okay.
****I WANT TO KNOW WERE THE IMPROVEMENTS ARE? People are coming to market to waste time, drink coffee and sit and vegetate. We have made it a social occasion rather than a shopping experience.
***As in any business we face competition from not only other retailers but also other shopping centres and other entertainment venues..Have we not lost our way? While other shopping centres have added many benefits to their mix, the market has only added the same old and tired shops. Where is there a child play minding centre were mothers can leave their kids for a couple of hours while they shop?
***I DEFINETELY THINK THE MARKET PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DIRECTION OF THE MARKET NEED TO BE REPLACED, OR SAT DOWN WITH THE BLOODY MAYOR AND LISTEN TO THE TRADERS AND ACTUALLY RESPOND TO THEIR CONCERNS.
***I CHALLENGE THE LEASING REPRESENTATIVE TO SIT DOWN WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MARKET AND ANAYLISE OLD AND NEW TENANTS. WE WILL ONLY IMPROVE BY IMPROVING OUR OFFER....HOW HARD IS THAT TO UNDERSTAND...PEOPLE COME TO SEE BEAUTY, CLEANLINESS, POLITE TRADERS,ETC. THEY WILL COME BACK.
****I WOULD PERSONALLY LIKE TO SEE US TARGETTING LOCALS BUT FRANKLY MANY THINK THE MARKET IS TRASHY AND SHIT. HOW DO WE CHANGE THAT? BLOODY LISTEN.
REGARDS
***I DEFINETELY THINK THE MARKET PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DIRECTION OF THE MARKET NEED TO BE REPLACED, OR SAT DOWN WITH THE BLOODY MAYOR AND LISTEN TO THE TRADERS AND ACTUALLY RESPOND TO THEIR CONCERNS.
***I CHALLENGE THE LEASING REPRESENTATIVE TO SIT DOWN WITH THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE MARKET AND ANAYLISE OLD AND NEW TENANTS. WE WILL ONLY IMPROVE BY IMPROVING OUR OFFER....HOW HARD IS THAT TO UNDERSTAND...PEOPLE COME TO SEE BEAUTY, CLEANLINESS, POLITE TRADERS,ETC. THEY WILL COME BACK.
****I WOULD PERSONALLY LIKE TO SEE US TARGETTING LOCALS BUT FRANKLY MANY THINK THE MARKET IS TRASHY AND SHIT. HOW DO WE CHANGE THAT? BLOODY LISTEN.
REGARDS