Benefited by the crisis, outlets will double in 3 years

In this time of crisis, the outlets – shopping centres that sell discounted products-is preparing a vigorous leap in the coming years. Companies known for traditional shopping centers, such as General Shopping Iguatemi, and are concentrating their efforts in expansion. As the consumer is with the short budget and there is no forecast of a Pike of the economy, retailers seem to have understood that in order to grow, it must offer good bargains.
Specializing in the segment, the Brazilian Association of Outlets (About) expects the industry practically double in size until 2019. Just for the next year, the consultancy foresees the opening of four more enterprises. The projection is that these openings inflate revenue in the sector in 40% next year, to 4.5 billion R$. The end of 2019, the expectation is that the Country will reach 22 outlets, ten more than the current amount.
Although the market outlets are less developed than the shopping malls-that already has more than 500 enterprises in the country, according to Abrasce, entity that brings together companies in the sector – companies are seeing discount centres a way to grow up spending less. According to Sérgio Zukov, Director of operations at Iguatemi, build a new outlet costs R$ 150 million, while disbursements to a shopping center may reach 300 million R$.
'' Primer ''. Currently with 17 malls in the portfolio, the Iguatemi has no new opening in this sector over the next three years. Owner of an outlet in Novo Hamburgo (RS), the company provides for three more projects of the genre for years to come. The Executive says the company closely follows the classic Playbook of this type of venture, created in the USA in the years 1980: low-cost buildings, outside of city centres and in areas of high concentration of income.
One of the new ventures from Iguatemi will be opened in Porto Belo, city in the region of Florianópolis. The idea is to cater to tourists who want to include at least a day of shopping in the summer season. "We''re testing it in New Hamburg. The tour operators already include in packages to visit the lawn, a day of shopping in the outlet, "he says.
Among the more traditional shopping center companies, however, General Shopping out in front when it comes to outlet. She is the first lady of the Renaissance of the sector in the country – the Premium Outlet of the Rodovia dos Bandeirantes, in Itupeva (SP). The company has four outlets in operation today and is expected to double that amount by the end of 2018, second Alexander Davis, ceo of General Shopping.
The Executive does not reveal where the new units will be installed, but it says that all will follow the pattern established by the Premium Outlet, also present in Rio de Janeiro, Salvador and Brasilia. This standardization reveals a strategy different from that adopted the company in shopping malls. The company has large shopping malls (Shopping Guarulhos International''s case), aimed at the class C, thematic (such as Auto international Mall) and even neighborhood. In the third quarter, the company disposed of two malls of the portfolio.
With the experience acquired in the field, Day care that two decisions are critical in building an outlet: the location and the mix of shops. "It does not help build an enterprise on a road surrounded by a poor region. If the mix is less than, the outlet also won''t '' perform '' well. "
Caution in the expansion. Who passing through the rodovia Régis Bittencourt, at the time of Taboão da Serra, will be faced with a "new" outlet from this Thursday. The Taboão Plaza Outlet, however, nothing new. Actually, what happened was an adaptation of the shopping center, before the Outlet House, which was the proposal to sell furniture and decorative items with discounts. Launched about two years ago, the project never took off. So, entrepreneurs-who say they have invested 100 million R$ in the business – decided to test a new proposal.
Captained by the company Gold Sea, Whitewashed, Taboão Alexander Plaza Outlet was built from the abstraction of a real estate fund. In this new incarnation of the business, said the State, Washed goal is to attract domestic and foreign brands with a proposal for rent based on the retailer''s revenue. IE: the outlet will share the risk with the retailer. Despite the inauguration be in three days, part of the Taboão Plaza spaces is still available.
According to André Costa, founder of the Brazilian Agency of Outlets (About), this is not the only example of enterprise that, after some time, needs to reinvent itself by not attracting interest from retailers and consumers. The About, besides bringing together industry figures, is also responsible for the formatting of shopping centres – she was the responsible for the design of the first Premium Outlet, later passed on to the General Shopping.
Costa says that, in recent times, the company has been sought by shopping malls in difficulties, intending to transform their businesses into outlets. The "retrofit", however, rarely wont work. One of those rare examples is a project of Lorraine (SP), ECHO Valley, which was transformed from outlet shopping. "But it was a rare opportunity. It was a one-story building, low cost, on the edge of a major highway, which had grip with the outlet concept. "
Between shopping center, some people recommend caution with very accelerated expansion of outlets. That''s because, unlike with the big foreign brands, the Brazilian retailers have no own production for sale at discount stores, as is common in the United States. According to industry sources, this might not even be a problem now, at a time when the crisis requires that much of the production of the shops to be sold at a discount, but it can affect the quality of the projects in the future.
The JHSF, specializing in commercial ventures related to classes A and B, opened on the Castello Branco Highway, about 40 km from the State capital, the Catarina Fashion Outlet, which concentrates luxury brands as Rimowa, Ermenegildo Zegna, Burberry and Hugo Boss, says he does not intend to open new ventures of its kind in the short term, for fear that the brands do not have to meet the various outlets.
"We believe that it is possible to (expand the concept of Catherine to other regions), but we cannot ignore that the shopkeeper does not yet have the flexibility and the volume of goods required to accompany an expansion of this market in the short term," said Ana Auriemo, Director of planning of JHSF, by email.