Myer goes small to woo new customers

MYER has joined the pop-up store craze in an effort to attract shoppers in the lead-up to Christmas.

With shops now opening daily, the retailer has leased small spaces across the country to sell small gifts.

Pop-up stores have recently become entrenched in the retail landscape, with property agents tipping demand will keep rising.

Myer is selling a range of Christmas gifts from pop-up shops at Southern Cross Railway Station in Melbourne and five other shops in centres at Doncaster, Fountain Gate, Bondi Junction, Parramatta and Carindale.

Products for sale in the pop-up shops include Myer gift cards, a selection of fragrances and cosmetics and other gift ideas. The pop-up shop in the Melbourne CBD also features iPads to enable customers to browse Myer's online range and have purchases delivered.

A Myer spokeswoman said the trial was an opportunity to provide existing customers with a convenient and quick way to shop, as well as capturing new customers.

The goal is to reuse the shops for future events or to launch new merchandise.

The director of retail leasing at Knight Frank, Alex Alamsyah, has recently secured a number of pop-up leases and said he expected more to open across all capital cities.

Meanwhile, the head of retail services at CBRE, Josh Loudoun, says retail rental growth in Sydney is expected to moderate in the coming months. In a report on retail trends, Mr Loudoun said Sydney retailers were manoeuvring to relocate to prime shop fronts on high streets.

"The rate at which retailers were signing leasing deals remained slow as retailers remain cautious. International groups expressed a strong interest in prime CBD locations in Melbourne, where its high streets performed well having been dominated by cafes and restaurants," the report said.

"Brisbane also witnessed a recovery in occupier confidence in the aftermath of the 2011 floods, as completion of the Wintergarden refurbishment has attracted a strong mix of high-profile national and international retailers."