ARGENTINA. The fourth instalment in the ‘All Eyes On’ communication series – presented by the seven sunglasses suppliers behind the Sunglasses Workshop and Awards – features London Supply.
The retailer, one of Latin America’s travel retail pioneers, claimed the 2016 Sunglasses Awards Retailer of the Year (Under US$2 billion) award.
The Argentinean company, founded in 1942, has a presence in five South American locations. These include its flagship duty free shop in Argentina’s Puerto Iguazu duty free zone.
A store revamp in 2016 more than doubled retail space from 4,000sq m to 10,000sq m.
Before the changes, eyewear was presented in a walk-through format, with items kept under lock; customers could only try the products with store staff assistance. Following the revamp, the eyewear section now features a standalone concept with an engaging store front: a larger-than-life sunglasses frame. In-store, shoppers are able to try on eyewear thanks to open-shelf merchandising, segmented into lifestyle, fashion and luxury brands.
The permanent space is boosted by a pop-up event area, featuring catwalk shows and dance performances, and outpost promotional sites.
Warehouse-to-store supply has also been improved. A redesigned restocking system offers shops direct and fast access to products, ensuring that inventory is up-to-date and well-stocked.
The investments by London Supply led to a +50% increase in sunglasses sales in 2016.
De Rigo Duty Free & Licensor Boutique Sales Alessandra Piccin said: “It is truly impressive to see how far the duty free Shop in Puerto Iguazu has come since opening in 2002.
“London Supply not only doubled its space, but also made tremendous improvements in both shopper experience, in-store environment and back-of-house processes. As a result of the investments by London Supply and their brand partners, the sales growth in 2016 was very impressive.”
London Supply President Teddy Taratuty added: “As Puerto Iguazu is a vacation destination, sunglasses are a popular tourist purchase, making it an important category.
“To stay relevant for our shoppers, we increased the visibility of the eyewear section and revamped it to improve their shopping experience. We are honoured to have achieved this award and remain highly motivated to continue to grow the category.”
NOTE: Nominations/entries for the 2017 Sunglasses Awards are open. The seventh edition of the Sunglasses Awards is co-sponsored and co-hosted by sunglasses suppliers De Rigo, Essilor, Kering Eyewear, Luxottica, Marchon, Marcolin and Maui Jim. The Sunglasses Workshop and Awards will take place on Tuesday 3 October, from 5.30-7.00pm at the Scene in Cannes.
PREVIOUSLY FEATURED IN ALL EYES ON:
