Kmart new fit-out - Checkouts in centre of store?!

Ljordsta on 04/12/2013 - 22:54

Hey Ozbargainers,

I was at one of my local shopping centres, Robina Town Centre, for the first time in months today, and needed to pop in to Kmart for some Christmas shopping. All around the shopping centre, there were ads advertising a newly renovated Kmart, and hey, since it was right up the mall, I figured that I should check out the store.

So, the fit-out? Nice. Very nice, very contemporary, and very well stocked for once. But what really tripped me out is this: the checkouts, apart from the customer service desk and a handful of checkouts at the front of the store, had all been shifted to the very centre of the store.

I'm no consumer expert, and I assume they've put thousands of hours into market research surrounding this: but why the middle of the store? Is this better for us consumers? Are we going to see more stores with a similar fit-out crop up from now on?

Pinch me Ozbargain, I'm not even sure if I'm awake right now. I'm just gonna wake up soon, and that Kmart is gonna go back to the way it was…

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Comments

  • YadaYadaYada on 04/12/2013 - 23:23
    +1

    My guess would be that they're forcing you to walk past more stuff to get to the checkout so you may be more tempted. Just like how Ikea's strategy was to make you walk through the whole store before you got to the checkout to tempt you!

    • Forfiet on 06/12/2013 - 03:52

      Ive been to Ikea enough though in Adelaide to know the shortcuts……

  • Sammy2000 on 04/12/2013 - 23:39
    +1

    Like JB Hifi? Sounds messy, I don't like that layout.

  • grasstown on 04/12/2013 - 23:41

    Very cool. Like myer and dj's. Though not quite. I agree probably lots of stores will follow. The register staff can do the job of floor staff, don't know whether theyll have time.

  • bargainbot12 on 04/12/2013 - 23:42
    +1

    I like the newer layouts they are more suitable if you want to stay in the store for a long period of time, but fountain gate has recently finished their renovations to the new layout.

  • itsfree on 04/12/2013 - 23:48

    I find their new store layout as confusing as a maze. One of the worst.

  • Moots on 05/12/2013 - 01:08
    +1

    I did see this at Mount Druitt, NSW. Very wide variety of new products, but 2 full time security guards even in the early mornings just to check bags as the checkout is directly up the back.

    Think someone got the blue print mixed up, they should have turned the print upside down again…

  • subywagon on 05/12/2013 - 08:23

    Pics or it didn't happen :P

    Our K-mart is a $#%t hole. I can't imagine them ever renovating it down here…

    • Moots on 06/12/2013 - 00:04

      Did you not see my comment about Mount Druitt? :P

  • [Deactivated] on 05/12/2013 - 10:58
    +1

    It'd be nice if they spent time ordering decent products again instead.

  • dudleyj on 10/06/2016 - 17:44
    +3

    Until the recent store refreshment, I considered Kmart to be the better of the Variety stores. Now that they have changed the layout they have also dropped the quality and the store look like wear-houses.

    Checkout in the midlle of the store, rubbish idea,,less chance of stopping shop lifting and not a welcoming look. This together with lower quality goods amke them bottom of the Variety store list and they seem to be competing with Best & Less. They have moved well down market.

  • tonka on 12/06/2016 - 03:22
    +3

    The new format means a security guard stops you on the way out, demands a receipt and paws through your shopping.
    I hate this, it's demeaning. Sure they need to stop shoplifting but the old way your goods weren't bagged until you left the store so there was no need.

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