Boycott Emporium Shopping Centre!

[duncaw]

I'm no Scrooge but to me the Christmas "season" does not start until 1st December at the earliest.

Yet again the Emporium has put up their revolting white pseudo "Christmas tree" in October.

No doubt it will now be there until the end of February.

I for one will no longer be shopping there in protest and I urge you all to follow my example.

[bkkjames]

I'm no Scrooge but to me the Christmas "season" does not start until 1st December at the earliest.

Yet again the Emporium has put up their revolting white pseudo "Christmas tree" in October.

No doubt it will now be there until the end of February.

I for one will no longer be shopping there in protest and I urge you all to follow my example.

hmm ok.

[G54]

Sounds like most shops in the UK. No carols??? LOL. At least the UK take them down in January.

[Geroc]

Yet again the Emporium has put up their revolting white pseudo "Christmas tree" in October.

In France, departement stores "begin" Xmas just after Halloween, and sometimes till January late ! Last year in Siam Paragon, Xmas decoration was fabulous. That's funny for kids, and surely good for business !

[mrtingtong]

Bah Humbug!

[Shotime]

Me too. Along with the Olympics in China, and Ritz crackers due to the gigantic price increase.

The world must be coming to an end.

The British pound has fallen 30%, and all they can talk about is that stupid DJ phone prank.

I'm having trouble sleeping at night. Not.

[think_too_mut]

I for one will no longer be shopping there in protest and I urge you all to follow my example.

You are late. In anticipation this (the erection of xmas tree in October)may happen, people and tourists who used to frequent the Emporium, have disappeared since March this year.

Ghost town. Shops reporting 60% loss of trade.

Now your call for boycott will kill them off, totally.

That will teach them when is the proper time for Xmas tree.

[andy1308]

Add The Mall Tha Phra to the list. They've had a tree and associated decorations up for the past week. Hearing Silent Night while shopping there last week was a little surreal.

[Carib]

I'm no Scrooge but to me the Christmas "season" does not start until 1st December at the earliest.

Yet again the Emporium has put up their revolting white pseudo "Christmas tree" in October.

No doubt it will now be there until the end of February.

I for one will no longer be shopping there in protest and I urge you all to follow my example.

Well thats one less farang at the Emporium, can we think of other reasons to get them all out? Start an early songkran or a very early chinese new year maybe??

[mezzoninny]

That's one thing I miss about Bangkok, a lot more Christmassy than my hometown will ever have the balls to be!

[bkkjames]

That's one thing I miss about Bangkok, a lot more Christmassy than my hometown will ever have the balls to be!

While I deplore the malls most of the time, the area around the Hyatt, Gaysorn is quite nice during the month of December with all the lights.

[camerata]

I for one will no longer be shopping there in protest and I urge you all to follow my example.

I wouldn't get too uptight about this, if I were you. In the UK these days they're afraid to put up Xmas trees for fear of "causing offence." The malls here are hurting, so they'll do anything to attract customers and to differentiate themselves from competitors. The recent "Lost World" event at Emporium had the place jam-packed with Thai families, as did the earlier flower exhibition. Sometimes it's nice to have some peace and quiet but I don't think anyone really wants to see deserted malls.

Incidentally, the PAD will be marching to the British Embassy and up to Emporium today to distribute photos of people with limbs blown off - an extra treat for week-day shoppers.

[bkkjames]

I for one will no longer be shopping there in protest and I urge you all to follow my example.

I wouldn't get too uptight about this, if I were you. In the UK these days they're afraid to put up Xmas trees for fear of "causing offence." The malls here are hurting, so they'll do anything to attract customers and to differentiate themselves from competitors. The recent "Lost World" event at Emporium had the place jam-packed with Thai families, as did the earlier flower exhibition. Sometimes it's nice to have some peace and quiet but I don't think anyone really wants to see deserted malls.

Incidentally, the PAD will be marching to the British Embassy and up to Emporium today to distribute photos of people with limbs blown off - an extra treat for week-day shoppers.

Well Cam, if there are so many empty malls in this city, why do they insist on building more. Personally, I don't feel sorry for those who insist on duplicating everything successful until a point where differentiation and competition fail to exist and they go belly-up. Greed is a wonderful thing.

While you will see alot of people at Siam Paragon on any given weekend, take a closer look at what is being purchased besides food items, ice coffees and movie tickets. With this Friday being payday for most here, the Siam Square will be full as usual but not many big ticket items being sold. Central World is even more obvious.

Property / Mall management companies like to point to foot traffic when telling people their high rents are justified, but in reality it does come down to actual shopper versus people who think hanging out in an aircon mall is a cost-effective way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Emporium does relatively well because of it's geographic location and noticable less competition in the area. The Lost World thing did bring alot of families but in terms of actual purchasing, I doubt it had little impact.

MBK for example, despite it's obvious shortcomings, is always full - seems the owner of this mall realised long ago that Thais / majority of tourists to Thailand, are not interested in walking from one high-street fashion shop to another, despite TAT's attempts at raising that appearance of Thailand as a luxury destination.

What would be interesting is to get the opinion of people who actually rent retail (non restaurant) space in these big malls? Off topic a bit I know but in the context of early Christmas marketing, it might be relevant.

[camerata]

Well Cam, if there are so many empty malls in this city, why do they insist on building more.

I didn't say there were empty malls, just that they are hurting and we don't want to see them become deserted in the future. And the drop in customers is a relatively recent phenomenon for the more popular places like Central and Emporium. On the other hand, I really don't know how Gaysorn Plaza and the fancy new place at the Hyatt can stay in business - their stores have never had many customers, as far as I can see.

To get people to spend, they first have to get them into the malls. Personally, I think anything from Xmas trees to dinosaurs is OK if it brings in customers. The stores wouldn't be spending money on these events if they didn't work. Now, a real waste of money was the hundreds of TV screens displaying ads in some stores, but it wasn't the stores who paid for all that.

[bkkjames]

Well Cam, if there are so many empty malls in this city, why do they insist on building more.

I didn't say there were empty malls, just that they are hurting and we don't want to see them become deserted in the future. And the drop in customers is a relatively recent phenomenon for the more popular places like Central and Emporium. On the other hand, I really don't know how Gaysorn Plaza and the fancy new place at the Hyatt can stay in business - their stores have never had many customers, as far as I can see.

To get people to spend, they first have to get them into the malls. Personally, I think anything from Xmas trees to dinosaurs is OK if it brings in customers. The stores wouldn't be spending money on these events if they didn't work. Now, a real waste of money was the hundreds of TV screens displaying ads in some stores, but it wasn't the stores who paid for all that.

Don't disagree that one needs to get people to the malls in order for them to spend. However, I would say that unlike a hypermarket that always has a bunch of 'loss leaders' to get people to come in and buy (and the things they didn't plan on buying) malls are a bit different IMO.

While all those fancy events outside of Central World or Siam Paragon no doubt have a positive knock-on effect for f and b outlets, I doubt very much that many visitors to these events would say "hmm while I am here, let's go buy 3 new suits, a TV and some watches".

I don't know how Gaysorn and the other one stay open other than to say that alot of these stores (franchised) are the play things of Bangkok's rich and famous and quite honestly are more for show than for making dough.

Hiso conversation between two rich gals at Long table,"You know Priew, you should really come by and see my latest line-up of winter dresses at my store at Gaysorn."

Priew replies, "Ok, can I do it after my yoga class on Friday morning?. By the way, how is the store doing, is it busy?"

Store owner replies, "I opened this store not to make alot of money but to give us girls a place to shop where all those office girls can't afford. Besides, did you see my picture last month in Tatler, didn't you love my hair".

Not Christmassy I know but if you ever wonder how these places stay open....ho ho ho

jingle bells, jingle bells and big hair all the way, oh what time will daddy ring and take it all away?

[ironhut]

Okay,...

...so there's the State of Emergency declared that shed 20-some countries away from Thailand.

...PAD demonstrators are marching down Sukhumvit Road to the Emporium as I type this.

...and the global financial crisis is hammering the funds of Euro, American, and Aussie ExPats and potential tourists not scared of the Thai government's antics.

Now we have someone telling people to boycott the Emporium shopping center because they put up a Christmas tree too early for their tastes?

What...this person doesn't think the three above issues listed are enough? I guess when Emporium reports their losses, he can officially shout from the rooftops that he played a part in keeping people from walking through their doors...all because of of their attempt to be festive and put up a Christmas Tree a wee bit too early.

Unbelievable.

[orchis]

Paragon has their balls out already as well.

[Captain Chaos]

Lights are up in Orchard Road in Singapore too - and Isetan dept store have their hideous Edwardian style 'Christmas At Home' posters up too ...

Too early imho

CC

[jdinasia]

I'm no Scrooge but to me the Christmas "season" does not start until 1st December at the earliest.

Yet again the Emporium has put up their revolting white pseudo "Christmas tree" in October.

No doubt it will now be there until the end of February.

I for one will no longer be shopping there in protest and I urge you all to follow my example.

LOL .. I guess the food court will no longer be getting your business!

Those things often go up at the beginning of high season and come down at the end .... As you won't be inundated with religious messages etc etc .... why cry about it?

(TBH I didn't notice the tree .... where is it?)

[alaina]

Angels AND pumpkins, but where are the dinosaurs?

[AlexLah]

I will keep on going to Emporium as it is the only place I know they sell Kobe Beef at 2000 THB per 100 Gram.

Taste good!

[duncaw]

Perhaps instead of a boycott I will start celebrating Songkran at the weekend instead.

I'll be the one outside the Emporium with a vat full of iced water and the powder (and yes it will be the nasty stuff that burns when it gets in your eyes)

Sawat dii pii mai!!!

And a Happy Easter to all!!

Edited October 31, 2008 by duncaw

[bkkjames]

Don't forget to save some powder for Paragon as well as I see they have their decorations up too.

[nonthaburial]

What a lot of crapola from the OP. In Manila Christmas starts with the month ending with BER. for the mentally challenged thats September when Xmas music is on the radio and decorations go up. Do I care ? no, when in foreign countries one has to bend with the wind !!

[duncaw]

What a lot of crapola from the OP. In Manila Christmas starts with the month ending with BER. for the mentally challenged thats September when Xmas music is on the radio and decorations go up. Do I care ? no, when in foreign countries one has to bend with the wind !!

Philippines is a (majority) CHRISTIAN country.

Thailand is a (majority) BUDDHIST country.

Do you understand the difference???????????????????????????????

Edited October 31, 2008 by duncaw

[jdinasia]

LOL ...

Sad to be the OP ... railing against marketing towards foreigners at one of the most expensive malls in Thailand!

Just get on with your boycott or water throwing already .....

[nonthaburial]

And your point is ??????????????? please explain the religious majorities in Singapore, Beijing and Jakarta who all follow the Christmas trends.

I have just returned fom Beijing where many areas have Xmas lights etc. The word Boycott somehow turns me to thinking of spotty Chinese youths standing outside Carrefoure shouting the same word over the French decision to give aid to Tibet.

so do some Christmas lightening up yourself

[duncaw]

I've given up, bought myself a Santa hat, and will now be taking long (all afternoon) lunches from now until February to fully appreciate the Christmas spirit.

Cheers

[bkkjames]

I've given up, bought myself a Santa hat, and will now be taking long (all afternoon) lunches from now until February to fully appreciate the Christmas spirit.

Cheers

Don't forget your little boat on Loy Kratong.

[camerata]

I've given up, bought myself a Santa hat, and will now be taking long (all afternoon) lunches from now until February to fully appreciate the Christmas spirit.

Just think of it as Buddhamas instead of Christmas.