Fashion & Homeware News South Africa

Game spruces up its homeware offering

Massmart retailer Game is relaunching its homeware offering and updating 75% of the range across categories including furniture, décor, flooring and lighting. The refresh is part of the brand's Retail Reimagined turnaround strategy, and the move is designed to gain Game more market share as a general merchandise retailer and improve its affordable homeware category.
Source: Supplied
Source: Supplied

“Retail Reimagined is all about transforming and improving the customer experience – not only through an updated look and feel in our stores, but also through the product lines we are offering. Consumers no longer looking to purchase homeware products in isolation but rather are seeking a complete solution that will assist them in updating and finishing their homes,” explains Andrew Stein, vice president of Game.

According to Game, its merchandise team researched the latest consumer trends to ensure the relaunched range features relevant and modern pieces, while still providing a realistic price point for the retailer's price-sensitive customers. “Many of our consumers are renting or staying in small spaces – meaning they are often looking for modern, quality pieces to refresh spaces as opposed to making structural changes,” says Stein.

Livening up product displays

In a bid to attract customers and bring them to stores, Game realised that one cannot just have products on the shelf. “We needed to find a way to create a home look and feel for our customers which is why we are creating experiential displays in some of our stores. Customers need to be able to visualise the products in their own homes while getting to grips with the textures and colours,” Stein explains.

New stands and display units will give consumers a better view of the full range on offer, while also providing an idea of how the items could be styled in their homes. The new displays are currently set up in Fourways Mall and Mall of Africa in Gauteng, with Game planning to roll this out to their flagship stores this year.

While Game has traditionally stocked items like couches, rugs and desks, the retailer states that the updated range includes refreshed, sleek pieces that work together in the home. The retailer is also offering updated ottomans, dining and display units, and side tables, while updates to Game’s lighting offering include chandeliers, pendant lighting, and decorative globes.

Something that Game has never stocked before, for example, are wing-back chairs – which it is now offered in trendy colours like ochre and emerald green. The retailer will also be bringing in a modern range of bedroom furniture, including headboards, drawer sets and easy to assemble flat-pack furniture.

“Homeware is an important part of Game’s turnaround plan especially in the general merchandise space. This relaunch will not only ensure we remain relevant in the eye of the consumer, but will allow us to gain market share, as we continue to offer unbeatable prices across our categories,” says Stein.

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