Shoppers at Challenger’s Funan DigitaLife megastore are in for a surprise: Singapore’s largest tech retailer has been hard at work revamping its flagship store.
In a bid to drive growth, Challenger has refreshed its Funan megastore with two new experiential concepts — ‘Go Android’ and ‘Game On!’. According to Ms Loo Pei Fen, Head of Marketing for Challenger Technologies, this was done in order to provide shoppers with “a seamless one-stop destination where they can explore and learn about the products before a purchase”. Vulcan Post got a sneak peek into the retail experience.
‘Go Android!’
Android lovers, prepare to drool when you step foot into this zone. The ‘Go Android’ concept space is packed with Android devices from all the big names you can think of: Acer, Asus, Fitbit, HTC, Huawei, Lenovo, Samsung, and ZTE. According to Ms Loo, Challenger’s sales of Android devices have reached record highs in recent years, with more than 100% growth in the number of units sold in 2014. It only makes sense that the tech retailer is planning to drive even greater sales by pampering its Android customers.
‘Go Android!’ doesn’t just feature smartphones; as long as a device runs on an Android system, Challenger says, this 1,100 square feet space will stock it. This means the latest wearables, smartphone accessories, and TVs will be arrayed for shoppers to see, touch and try out. Fans of ASUS, for example, will be able to try out the latest Zenfone 2.
If you’re an Android fan, here’s one more reason to love Challenger: its new Accidental Damage Protection plan. Through this plan, Challenger customers who purchase an Android or Windows smartphone will be entitled to a one-time repair claim — perfect if, like me, you’re prone to dropping your phone. The plan kicked in on 1 April for all existing Challenger ValueClub members.
‘Game On!’
The ‘Game On!’ concept corner is set to be a haven for local gamers. I’m a non-gamer, but even I got excited about the Xbox Xperience Zone within ‘Game On!’ — a futuristic nook enclosed by three giant video walls. The 110-inch video walls provide gamers with a sensory experience like no other: with the high-quality audio and visuals, it’s easy to block out the real world and immerse yourself fully into the virtual one of your choice.
Like ‘Go Android!’, gamers can also get a hands-on experience in the ‘Game On!’ corner. The 3,000 square foot space carries a dizzying range of cutting-edge gaming gadgets and peripherals, with brands such as Armageddon, ASUS, Razer, Sony Playstation and Xbox making an appearance. In short, it has all the gizmos it needs to turn it into a playground for local gamers. But according to Challenger, the less tech-savvy can enjoy themselves here as well. Kids, for example, can play simpler games like LittleBigPlanet 3.
For the launch of this first-of-its-kind Xbox Xperience Zone, Challenger also plans to hold a 10-week competition at ‘Game On!’. The objective? To find the best Xbox One gamer in Singapore, with a grand prize of S$3,888 in cash to be won. It’s a challenge that no self-respecting gamer can possibly resist — if you’re a gamer, it’s time to get your ‘game on’.
“Our retail stores,” Ms Loo says, “must aspire to go beyond just transactions — our job is to build exciting experiential concepts to mark the beginning of each customer’s shopping journey with us.” Besides its flagship store, Challenger will be rolling out its two concepts on a smaller scale at 20 other stores around Singapore.
