It’s Low Yat that’s lost its shine, says Mara mall retailer

PETALING JAYA: Low Yat Plaza, the popular destination for a whole variety of digital products and electronic gadgets in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, is losing its shine and customers, says a retailer based in Mara Digital Mall.

Denying that the shops in the latter had recorded dipping sales and fewer number of visitors compared with when it first opened, the retailer said price and quality are two factors why Low Yat’s loss is their gain, theSun reported.

The retailer, who only gave his name as Johari, told the daily that business at the two-year old Mara Digital Mall is now comparable to Low Yat, if not better.

“A lot of our customers here claim that they had visited Low Yat first before coming over, and said they are more convinced by our products.

“The prices of products sold in Mara Digital are also considerably cheaper with up to RM200 in difference for a laptop or desktop computer, as the prices are controlled,” he was quoted as saying of the IT mall reserved strictly for Bumiputera retailers.

He added that customers had told him too that “many of the items sold at Low Yat are either not original or are refurbished”.

“I can’t be sure of the exact figures, but feedback from all the shops here have shown that business is doing well. We have built on our regular customers, who have recommended Mara Digital to their friends and families,” Johari was quoted as saying by theSun.

FMT had reported last month that some retailers had suffered a major drop in business, and had also complained about a rise in the rental at the Mara Digital Mall.

One shop owner, Zabedah Ismail told FMT that her sales this year had dipped by as much as 60% compared with last year.

She said when the mall opened in December 2015, business for the first year was encouraging with good support from patrons.

“But I do not know what happened after that. This year has been very bad. I feel that maybe it is because no marketing has been done.”

She is also upset that her RM3,500 monthly rental is going up 5%.

“This is a big burden. We will try to go on for another two or three months. If the profits are not much, we will leave,” she said.

The Mara Digital Mall was established after a highly-publicised dispute took place at Low Yat in July 2015 where an incident involving a youth stealing a Lenovo mobile phone and being taken into custody by the shop staff, was turned into a racial issue by some Malay groups. -FMT