Case Study : Opening Retail

Mar 4, 2021

BACKGROUND

Twelve months ago, Prism Supply Chain Solutions were contacted to assist in the timely, efficient operation of opening a retail store in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. 

Whether you are working with a brand principle or are representing your own brand and planning to rent / own a retail store, a significant amount of planning needs to be done. Following the below process accurately will ensure the project is successful and completed on time. 

SOLUTION 

1. Research locations considering consumer traffic, easy access and surrounding similar business. 

2. Evaluate and view commercial opportunities in the desired location. 

3. Set up your Dubai operating company to enable you to enter into the lease or the sale and purchase agreement for your chosen premises.   Be clear with the mall or developer on your required handover date and confirm that this is a material term of your contract.

4. Considering lead times, the product and marketing teams should start planning based on capacity and working on the brand journey to be communicated, marketing assets can be mocked up. 

5. Product assortments and RBM (Retail Brand Marketing) plans should be approved by managers / brand principles. 

6. Liaise with project manager sharing specifications to start designing layout, placement of fixtures and fittings, and service areas, if necessary. 

7. Brief agencies / contractors to start producing material samples and mock-ups of fixtures and fittings. 

8. Review and approve quality of mock-ups to go ahead with production.

9. Ensure approvals are taken from brand principle if representing a brand. 

10. Agency / contractor can go into the unit to begin works. Based on all approvals the project manager should always be on site to ensure smooth operation. 

11. Merchandise planning can start to ensure products arrive at the unit ready to merchandise. 

12. On completion the retail unit can now be handed over to the retail merchandising team to begin merchandising. 

13. Once visual merchandising is almost complete, the brand marketing team can assign their agency to complete the brand marketing communication, installing graphics, POPs (Point of Purchase) and installing any digital content.

PRISM are experienced project managers and consultants operating in the UAE and beyond.  We have specialist knowledge across a broad range of sectors including retail.