Harvey Norman forays into East M’sia with first outlet
KUCHING: Harvey Norman is set to expand its presence in East Malaysia via its first outlet here at Vivacity Megamall, marking itself as the fourth anchor tenant of the mall.
We are stepping up our online in a very big way, we will provide consumers in Kuching an experience of online shopping and instore shopping as well, a combination which will ensure a seamless experience. Kenneth Aruldoss, Harvey Norman Asia managing director
Harvey Norman will take up 46,806 square feet on Level 1 and 2 of the East Atrium and carry an extensive range of household trusted products whislt striving to provide their customers with quality products and professional services every day.
According to the group’s Asia managing director Kenneth Aruldoss, this comes as the group saw more than 10,000 transactions a month of its online business coming from Kuching despite the fact that that they do not have an outlet here yet.
This led the brand to focus on providing a seamless online and instore shopping experience for customers.
“We are stepping up our online in a very big way, we will provide consumers in Kuching an experience of online shopping and instore shopping as well, a combination which will ensure a seamless experience,” he told reporters yesterday after the anchor tenant signing ceremony between Harvey Norman and Vivacity.
Present at the ceremony were guest of honour Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, Minister of International Trade and E-Commerce, Vivacity directors Sim Yaw Hang and Alan Sim Yaw Yen, Harvey Norman lead general manager Eddy Ng, general manager of electrical Bushy Martin, general manager of marketing cCommunications Eloise Sim and chief financial officer Tan Swee Ing.
When the store opens its doors to the public in November 2017, Alduross said shoppers will be able to take advantage of Harvey Norman’s ‘ click’ and ‘ collect’ section on the website which allows customers to either pick up their goods from the store itself or have them delivered to their addresses,
Harvey Norman, a trusted brand from Australia, has 260 stores worldwide including 12 in West Malaysia. Harvey Norman Malaysia started in 2003 and is looking at more expansion opportunities throughout West and East Malaysia.
According to Aruldoss, Harvey Norman has plans to expand to about 45 to 50 stores nationwide.
Harvey Norman in Malaysia is operating under Elitetrax Marketing Sdn Bhd which is fully owned by Pertama Holdings Limited, operating predominantly in Singapore and Malaysia.
KUCHING: The success story of Coramax Mall Sdn Bhd – owner and manager of Vivacity Megamall in Kuching – epitomises a typical landmark of Sarawak’s business enterprises.
According to Minister of International Trade and E- commerce Dato Sri Wong Soon Koh, this was evident as the mall has now provided employment opportunities for 3,000 Sarawakians, many of whom have come home from abroad.
“Imagine the tremendous economic spinoff exerting multiplied effects on many sectors of our economy,” Wong said during the anchor tenant signing ceremony yesterday between the mall and Harvey Norman, an Australian retailer.
Currently, Vivacity Megamall is home to 300 retail brands from all over the world.
The mall is targeting an occupancy rate of 98 per cent by the end of 2017, revealed Coramax executive director Sim Yaw Hang who added that the megamall had achieved an occupancy of 93 per cent to date.
“We are in the process of securing some popular food and bever-
Imagine the tremendous economic spinoff exerting multiplied effects on many sectors of our economy. Dato Sri Wong Soon Ko, Minister of International Trade and E-commerce
age (F& B) brands which will make the mall even more attractive to family shoppers and youngsters,” he said during his welcoming speech yesterday.
Meanwhile, Wong believed that Sarawak’s social harmony and political stability will definitely benefit the state in terms of attracting foreign investors and tourists, both domestic and also from abroad.
He said the state government will continue to leverage on this strength to attract many more investors and tourists to Sarawak and will make sure that Sarawak will continue to grow not just in terms of state growth but also in terms of higher income for Sarawakians in the years to come.