Courts to revamp Tampines Megastore, refresh brand

SINGAPORE — Household retail chain Courts is undergoing a facelift for its 128,000 sq ft Tampines Megastore, with plans to expand its service offering five-fold. From November, customers will be able to experience more lifestyle choices instore, with cooking demonstrations and product showcases on the cards.

While competition from large ecommerce players like Amazon and Alibaba has increased the stakes, homegrown Courts is confident that it can take on the international retail giants in its stride.

“We see them as any other competition, and competition is healthy. It makes sure that we are on top of our game,” said Courts Singapore CEO Ben Tan in an exclusive interview with TODAY.

The brand is no newcomer to ecommerce, having launched its online store in 2003. Courts was one of the first retailers in Singapore to launch a website with transactional capabilities at that time. 

Online sales has shown “significant growth,” said Mr Tan. The company’s online and offline retail presence has many benefits, including the assurance to consumers of being able to test the products and seek advice from trained service staff. Half of all online purchases are sold on a “Click and Collect” basis, where customers buy the item online and pick them up at the physical stores.

Mr Tan added that the business’s stronghold over ecommerce players are the big domestic appliances and products. These goods are usually priced over S$500 and are big ticket items that consumers have a low risk appetite for, such as fridges, washing machines and television sets.

“Would you try a new online shop that you don’t know and spend S$4,000 buying a TV? Consumers are still scared, they are reluctant and not so risk taking,” Mr Tan explained.

Products that do well online include small domestic appliances such as vacuum cleaners, kettles, ovens, microwave ovens as well as mobile and IT products such as mobile phones, tablets and laptops.

Mainboard-listed Courts Asia announced a net profit of S$6.1 million for the group for the first financial quarter, adding its “profitability in Singapore remains strong.” 

Tackling retail problems is not new to Mr Tan. The veteran who took on the role of country chief for Courts Singapore in April has 26 years of experience in the retail industry. Starting out in 1991 in the United States for a retail company, his prior work experiences include Challenger Group and Microsoft’s retail business.

Courts retail chain has a total staff count of over 600 in Singapore and has been in the Republic for 43 years. The overhaul of its Tampines store will see changes right up to the company’s service staff, who will be trained to take customers on more personalised “buying journeys”, shared Mr Tan. 

“We will take customers through buying journeys, helping them make the right decisions rather than pushing them the product. Buying journeys are a way to teach them how to choose a sofa, a TV, a top load or front load washing machine that best suit their needs,” he said.

Level one of the Tampines Megastore will feature interactive product and cooking demonstrations while level two will showcase HDB flat samples. Customers can pick up tips on how to decorate their homes affordably with multi-function furniture, said Mr Tan.

With the relaunch, the existing suite of service offerings will also be bumped up to over 100 services. Basic services, such as the setting up of phones and replacement of phone screens will be expanded to include repair services on large domestic appliances. More customised service will see repairs being done at clients’ homes, for example.