SINGAPORE (Commonwealth Union)_One World Duty Free today announced the soft launch of its flagship Singapore Flyer store.
Nestled in the heart of downtown Singapore, the store piggybacks on the fourth most-visited tourist attraction in the country, very close by to Marina Sand & Exhibition Centre. The Moodie Davitt Report visited the store on Saturday.
One World Duty Free (ODF), which describes itself as Singapore’s first homegrown downtown duty free retailer, said that the duplex store will ultimately offer eyewear, a diverse range of liquor, as well as beauty brands, alongside selections of local favourites.
The just-opened second floor space spans 3,735sq feet, boasting what ODF called “a pure retail concept, steering away from the traditional designs of travel retail stores”. The first floor will open in Q2.
Customers can look forward to ODF stores being powered by immersive and integrated technology in the near future, promising a world-class duty free hub, the retailer said.
One World Duty Free Founder & Chief Executive Officer Keira Zhang commented, “Innovation is at the heart of everything that we do.”
“When I first founded this company, I realised competing in a male-dominated industry meant that ODF had to be different. She went on to say that they went in with the goal to disrupt, and that means the entire concept is based on deviating from what others are doing.
She said that the opening of the Singapore Flyer store is an absolute testament to that. She said they would soon integrate an optimised shopping experience through technology and automation, which speaks volumes for ODF raising the bar in the retail segment for an unparalleled level of service, making them proud to be uniquely Singaporean.
ODF has secured globally recognised brands such as Hennessy, Kweichow Moutai, Martell, Moët & Chandon, Glenmorangie, Saint Laurent, Prada, and Bottega Veneta at the Singapore Flyer store.
The company says it is adamant about not forgetting its roots, and is hence placing an equivalent emphasis on quality local brands underpinned by a diverse offer already including TWG Tea, Aroma Truffle, Tiger Balm, Kim’s Duet, Risis, and The 1872 Clipper Tea Co.
The soft opening is ideally timed for the upcoming Lunar New Year festive season, celebrating the Year of the Dragon.
News that China and Singapore have put in place a mutual visa exemption agreement (announced on 7 December at the 19th Joint Council for Bilateral Cooperation in Beijing), quickly became a trending topic on Weibo, prompting more than 120 million views and 26,000 discussion threads, ODF pointed out.
From January to October 2023, Singapore welcomed 1.13 million Chinese visitors, a number that is undoubtedly set to increase as the visa exemption is executed, the company said
ODF Managing Director Beibei Tang said this resurgent visitor base was an opportunity not to be missed.
She commented that owing to the pandemic in 2020, there was a significant drop in footfall and pax numbers and that since then, the consumer demands have evolved drastically, and they have had to alter our roadmap to target this new breed and generation of consumers.
She continued that although they were a newcomer in the industry, they believed that the Singapore Flyer opening sends a clear message that ODF is a force to be reckoned with, and was orchestrated strategically to ensure that ODF becomes top of mind among inbound pax.
Ringo Leung, Singapore Flyer General Manager said: “We are delighted to extend a warm welcome to ODF’s flagship store as our anchor tenant, furthering our vision to enhance tourism offerings for visitors at the Singapore Flyer and globally showcase the Singapore brand. He said that they looked forward to seeing ODF’s contribution to making the Singapore Flyer a more vibrant tourist hub for entertainment, dining and shopping
