To keep the business flowing, shops in Sim Lim Square employ a variety of tactics to attract customers, such as creating a low-pressure environment for them to find their gadgets.

 

NUPhoto is one of the shops that adopts such an approach. The owner, Alvin, assures his customers that when they purchase from his shop; they are also purchasing good service.

 

“We don’t do a “one-time sales” kind of thing where they just come to our store to buy and that’s it. We always assure them that if they ever have a problem, they can always feel free to come by and learn more about the products,” he said. “As such, we always have regular customers who drop by and have a chat with our staff, sharing their experience, so this is how we build up our referrals and regular customer base.”

 

Ben Electronics maintains a loyal customer base by having good service and keeping their prices low.

 

“To me, attitude matters more than prices, because if customers are comfortable with you, they will keep coming back,” says 62-year-old owner Andrew Lim. “Of course, I try to keep my prices competitive, but you also need to be friendly and reliable for the customers to return.”

 

Kristy from Zeppelin & Co. operates along a similar line. “Regular IT shops lack the human touch as customers feel like they are almost obligated to buy”, said Kristy. Instead, she and her crew welcome customers to try out products without pressure to buy. To her, true customer service is treating the customer as a friend.

 

Another tactic is to give a sense of assurance that the shops are knowledgeable and interested in electronics.

 

“I always frequent shops like Unicell and the gaming shop because they often offer good discounts, and they also know their stuff,” shared Chua Wen Bin, a 23-year-old business owner. “Although people say Sim Lim has a bad reputation, it doesn’t affect me because if you return to the shops you are familiar with, you can be sure you won’t be ripped off.”

 

Shops have also started working with each other to create joint promotions and events in a bid to draw new customers.

 

NUPhoto’s Alvin says, “These days, we try to work in a collaborative rather than competitive way, because we sell the same thing at maybe the same cost. If we try to work together to see if we can create events or promotions, we leave the customer with the option, rather than us competing and both (us and the customer would be) at the losing end.”

 

Some shops bank on quality to attract loyal customers back. Premium resellers like Nubox and ASUS get the standard price from the suppliers and sell products from established brands to ensure consistent quality for their customers.

 

Apart from the difficulty of attracting customers, the emergence of online shopping has impacted Sim Lim Square.

 

“I’ve been spending less time coming here unless I really need something urgently,” says Andrew Yap. “Other than that, I’d probably shop online… I find it convenient, I can do it from my chair, from my couch, and sometimes I get significant savings too”.

 

Computer repair shop PC Clinic’s Kenneth acknowledges the threat, but is still able to make business. “Over the years, business seems to have slowed down because people are shopping online,” says Kenneth. “However, as a repair shop, most of our customers are regular customers who have been coming back for our service.”

 

Mr Tan from Tan Electronics Pte Ltd says online shopping has not affected him at all. He says “We have many loyal customers because we focus on good customer service. Being able to be there to help them with all their needs can never replace an online experience.” By being consistent with his services, he is confident that customers will find him wherever he goes.

 

Even though many of the shops appear to sell the same items, they have created their own loyal customer bases and can keep their business running. Most of the shops we interviewed prioritize quality, instead of using counterfeit products to make a quick buck. Some shops offer joint discounts, and the human touch adds a familiar element that wins customers over from online shopping.