Page 20 - Sphere No.25 (Aug 2009)

18 SPHERE
Hong Kong and is a consistent experience.
“Watsons have made the most of their time in
China building deeply-entrenched relationships
with its customers. Watsons were early to the
market and have timed entry to the right places
at the right times. They have a very clear, tested re-
tail concept. Most importantly, they are exceptional
both in terms of city selection and the right locations
in each city.”
Another major string to the company’s retail bow is the Wat-
sons membership club, which will have four million members
by year end, most of them under 35. As well as accumulating
loyalty points, members are alerted to special offers and are in-
vited to try new products arriving in stores.
Customer service is also very important, whether it is well-
trained and friendly staff, or customer-friendly store layouts
that allow easy product identification. Each of the stores is
carefully designed to appeal to young female shoppers, starting
with the instantly-recognisable pale turquoise logo. Inside, the
style is deliberately feminine, using subtly light colours that will
appeal to young, beauty-conscious women.
The layout of the aisles, shelves, islands and tills is also care-
fully planned to match local tastes and shopping patterns. Skin
care products, for example, are placed right at the front of the
store; health products are arranged so customers can have a
closer look at the packaging; cosmetics are sold from well-lit
counters, so that different colours stand out.
Clockwise from above: Watsons now has stores in 69 cities in
China; men are starting to splash out on grooming products;
well-trained staff are on hand to help customers; the layout
of each store is planned to match local tastes.
Customers looking for a certain kind of eye shadow,
colour of lipstick or type of shampoo can call on the well-
trainedWatsons employees for advice. In fact, all staff are
fully in tune with the likely needs and wants of twenty-
something women, the core Watsons demographic.
And it’s not just the women who are prepared to
spend money to look and feel good. The men of China,
generally far less fashion conscious than the fairer sex,
are starting to splash out on grooming products, a new
and growing phenomenon.
Elsewhere, men who spend heavily on deodorant,
facial creams, cologne and hair gel are known as me-
trosexuals; the poster-boy figure for the movement is
superstar footballer David Beckham. The launch of
Man code, an own-brand skin care range by Watsons,
has shown that there is a whole metrosexual commu-
nity of men in China, ready and willing to splurge on keeping
their skin in good shape.
“We think the men’s growth rate is about 40 per cent a year,”
Another major string to the company’s retail bow is theWatsons membership club,
which will have four million members by year end
Sichuan Shaanxi Hubei Gansu Hunan Hebei Henan Anhui