Starting signal for brand stores in the People’s Republic of China: Premium products made in Germany are especially high in demand among Chinese customers. Second opening in China already scheduled for May.
From mid-March, fans of the brand will be able to convince themselves of the special comfort and high quality of BIRKENSTOCK products on one of the best-known shopping streets in Shanghai. Germany’s largest shoe manufacturer has established a presence on Huaihai Road in the Huangpu district, a central area of China’s largest city, offering a comprehensive range of products. Some 250 models from the current collection are available in a retail space covering 60 square meters. In addition to timeless classic sandals, these include sneakers, closed shoes, the popular EVA sandals, children’s footwear and models from the professional line and the Papillio brand. Socks in almost 30 different designs and colors together with bags from the legwear and accessories segment round off the product range.
Huaihai Road is one of the two major shopping streets in Shanghai. The high quality of stores to choose from makes it the preferred, traditional destination for locals. Its origins date back to 1898. The road is divided into three parts, and the official BIRKENSTOCK brand store is located in the central and largest section. The so-called Middle Huaihai Road is lined with a large number of smaller, fashionable boutiques as well as large department stores, shopping malls, hotels, and restaurants over a distance of 5.5 kilometers.
Located in the center of Huangpu, one of Shanghai’s eight inner-city districts, the store lies within a catchment area for more than 20 million residents in China’s largest city. Additionally, some of the city’s main tourist attractions bring visitors to Huangpu, such as the famous Bund (Wai Tan) promenade, the People’s Square, and the Shanghai Museum. In order to cater to the great interest of Chinese customers in particularly high-quality products from Germany, plans are already in place for a second shop opening in Shanghai. A store in the Raffles City mall in the Changning district will open its doors in the middle of May.
Following its most recent store opening in China, BIRKENSTOCK operates a total of 37 brand stores worldwide in line with its strategy to achieve modest expansion in the independent retail segment. This strategy is part of a comprehensive sales quality offensive that the company is using to familiarize end customers with the numerous positive changes to the collection and the presentation of the brand at the point of sale.
