Tesco Extra officially open in Phuket

PHUKET: Tesco Lotus recently held the official grand opening for its first “Extra” format store in Phuket.

The rebranding and re-opening of the shopping center, its main Phuket store located off the bypass road in Sam Kong, follows an extensive renovation project undertaken in the final quarter of 2013.

The development also complements the grand opening of a new, full-sized Tesco Lotus store in Chalong (story here).

Addressing changing customer needs by offering “more of everything under one roof”, the Extra Phuket store offers “Extra Range, Extra Shops and Extra Service” but at the affordable prices the popular hypermart chain is known for, including an additional 9,000 new product lines in all departments, a new pharmacy, optician, “digital shop” and “money center”, in addition to innovative services such as staff on roller skates to assist customers.

“We are building on the success of our eight Tesco Lotus Extra stores to date. Customer feedback for our extra stores has been very positive as we offer extra range, extra shops and extra service in a pleasant shopping environment,” said Tesco Lotus Property Director Sompong Rungnirattisai.

“Based on our customer research, one of the main reasons customers now choose to shop at Tesco Lotus is because we offer a wide range of products. So we have upgraded every department with over 9,000 new lines and enhanced key areas such as fresh food, bikes, toys and leisure, baby needs, new technology, and health and beauty.”

The new fresh food department has upgraded its standards with over 700 new product lines and a new international range, while the new “Digital Zone” consolidates all new technology products in a customer-friendly shopping environment.

Clothing has received a special makeover with a new display for F&F, an international fashion brand sold exclusively at Tesco Lotus. There are new clothing racks from Central Europe to F&F global standard. An LCD wall-paneling shows live fashion sets inspiring customers how to wear F&F in their daily life.

Finally, “Virtual Fitting Kiosk” allows customers to “Touch, Try and Share” how they look in F&F outfits with their favorite social media sites like Facebook or Twitter.The new “Money and Services Center” offers essential financial services including bill payment, personal loans, Tesco credit card and insurance, and a brand new digital shop bringing all the latest high-tech gadgets into one area.

The reopened complex represents 100 million baht of investment, with the final touches on the refurbishment to be completed by the end of March 2014. Still to come, there will be more shops, a new food court and a new world class shopping experience, including Starbucks, Fuji, Giordano and Air Asia. World-famous Japanese apparel store Uniqlo has now opened in the mall as an example of the new offers.

Customer services at Tesco Lotus Extra Phuket are also further upgraded with new checkout designs and the “Green Line” service of opening new checkouts when queues go past the green line. There is a new service of staff on roller skates and Segways to fetch products from any part of the store.

In addition, new parking space is zoned for special groups of customers such as the elderly and mothers with children. The car park now has more lighting and CCTV cameras, while the toilets feature diaper changing areas for the convenience of customers with small children.

“We are constantly seeking new ways to serve our customers better. We have takenlearning from our Extra stores and enhanced it even further for Extra Phuket. We are confident it will be popular among tourists and residents of Phuket who look for grocery, essential household items and services in one shopping trip,” concluded Khun Sompong. There will be customer activities including games, shows and giveaways to celebrate the opening of Tesco Lotus Extra Phuket.