• This is a copy of the september post from my monthly series of articles I write commissioned by MVRO.
Recently, the official opening took place of the completely renewed Lounge 3 at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, which now provides a unique customer experience. The familiar See Buy Fly shops join with exclusive boutiques, international brands and relaxation and hospitality concepts to create a jewel in airport retail concepts. IS was allowed through Customs for a look behind the scenes.
MIND YOUR STEP! SCHIPHOL ON THE MOVE
With an expected 49 million passengers in 2011, Schiphol is one of the five largest passenger airports in Europe and is also a major player internationally. Amsterdam Airport Schiphol owns the See Buy Fly concept and beneath its umbrella there are eight active partners, known as concessionaires, each contributing retail concepts from their own specialism. I spoke to four of these partners about airport retail in general and their own expertise and passion in particular. The Schiphol Airport Retail (SAR) shops sell tobacco, chocolate and liquor. Kappé specialises in selling perfumes, cosmetics, sunglasses and drugstore products. Gerzon is the fashion retail specialist at the airport and Gassan presents a diverse collection of jewellery, watches and diamonds.
IT’S A FAMILY BUSINESS
Round 1970, a number of businesses were given the opportunity of operating a shop at the expanding Schiphol airport. From that beginning, the four partners mentioned above all continue to play an important role in Schiphol’s retail concept and are also family-owned businesses. Kappé started out as a barber’s shop at Schiphol East and Samuel Gassan survived the Second World War with only a small bag of diamonds as start-up capital for his business. You can hear pride and a connection with the history of these companies in the interviews with the current directors. Together with the family aspect, you hear a clear sense of permanence and commitment that represents a solid, secure foundation for entrepreneurship and growth in these turbulent times. It often results in long-term relationships with suppliers that lead in turn to exclusive collaborations on special initiatives, training and product launches. Gerzon even has a Hermès scarf specially made for them on display in their head office!
DOLLAR MORE IMPORTANT THAN TEMPERATURE
At a major international airport like Schiphol, there is a special dynamic and other laws apply here than in the High Street. The travel and time factor exerts a significant influence: it is important to create a good overview, a relaxed atmosphere and clarity. If these aspects are not present, the consumer is not going to shop, let alone buy. Schiphol facilitates that well by means of clear signing and attractive public spaces. In turn, retailers focus primarily on offering purchasing convenience for the traveller through their range, service and shop layout. For instance, Kappé lets visitors navigate in its shops to displays where the top 10 women’s fragrances or a selection of ‘new arrivals’ can be found, to help the customer make a quick choice. Similarly, you can select a diamond at Gassan and take it with you in the setting of your choice within 20 minutes. In addition, the ‘pick up on return’ service that applies within the EU is increasingly available so that people don’t need to take their purchases with them on the journey. The arrival of more people from China, India or other Asian countries is a development that is taken seriously by the retailers. This target group has higher expectations of shops and their range and furthermore demands better service. For example, the pearls in many of the shops are displayed at a height of 1 metre 30 – Chinese eye level! The partners focus strongly on the international character of the passengers, due to the sensitivity of part of their range to current trends. Their purchasing teams travel the world to align their procurement strategy with global trends or markets such as Asia and Russia. Moreover, fluctuations in the dollar exchange rate have a much greater influence on the purchasing behaviour of the customer than the temperature.
LOUNGE 3: INTERNATIONAL ALLURE WITH A ‘DUTCH TOUCH’
On 8 September this year, the renewed Lounge 3 was officially opened at Schiphol. The design and the international appeal of this shopping area, where all the partners have taken new, enterprising initiatives within their own area of retail expertise, is impressive. For instance, there is the first European branch of the Victoria’s Secret lingerie label and a beautiful Hermès shop, both with Gerzon as business partner, and the fifth branch of Starbucks at the airport also contributes. The chic Mont Blanc boutique is powered by Gassan and Kappé presents sunglasses from brands at least as luxurious as their perfumes. The image and range of the SAR ‘Finest Spirits & Cigars’ shop is also very much in keeping with the desire for luxury, international appeal and the power of irresistible attraction. All of this is presented with a touch of Holland in the shape of the typically Dutch ‘House of Tulips’ in its distinctive green glass as centrepiece in the lounge, and a concept such as ‘Bread!’ with its towering wall of bread also provides the ‘Dutch touch’. All in all, the retailers behind See Buy Fly really are busy tempting their customers and the common aim is to offer that shopping experience and the feeling of luxury, whether you spend 15 or 15,000 euros. Service is given a high priority and each shop has its own staff who are continuously trained. Finally, it must be said that the well thought-out retail concept created by Schiphol and its individual and specialist partners is an outstanding achievement. These entrepreneurs, each with their own range of products, preferences and strategies, have created a single retail experience through respectful collaboration. Like I said – a jewel!
DO watch the video underneath I made to illustrate this story!
