KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 21 — Metrojaya is embarking on a digital journey to integrate its offline and online stores within the next 12 months.
Its chairman Andrew Khoo Boo Yeow said the lifestyle departmental store, established in 1976, is moving in a new direction to meet the demand of consumers with refreshing next-generation concept stores.
“The future shopping experience is to engage more with customers, technology-enabled, and smaller store sizes. Customers can order online, collect their purchase in-store or get it delivered.
“Gone are the days when you have a large departmental store, about 200,000 square feet (sq ft). Our new sizing format is ideal to be between 20,000 and 40,000 plus sq ft,” he told Bernama after the grand opening of Metrojaya’s latest outlet in LALAport Bukit Bintang City Centre here today.
Meanwhile, as part of its ongoing effort to revamp the brand, Khoo said it would continue to open its next-generation concept stores in all of its existing business areas starting with Kota Kinabalu in 2023 and is planning to open new stores in Klang Valley and Penang.
He also said that given the unpredictability of the economic environment, the brand has also adjusted its overhead structure to remain more resilient and ready for any challenges.
“For this year, it would be decent, but we do not know next year.
“Whether there will be a recession or not, there are people who will still spend. So, it is about capturing the right customers and bringing in the right type of products,” said Khoo.
Its latest store in LaLaport is offering consumers some of its in-house brands including East India Company, Somerset Bay and Living Quarters. It also features brands like Bill Keith, Yani Bakthiar and Cynthia Tang.
Khoo is also chairman and chief executive officer of Malayan United Industries Bhd (MUI). MJ Department Stores Sdn Bhd is the retail arm of MUI, which runs Metrojaya outlets in Malaysia.
As of 4.20pm, MUI’s share price added half-a-sen to 9.5 sen with 9.3 million shares traded. — Bernama
