"Technology is going to change consumer behavior very rapidly".

Eric Lind

Although a fully-fledged retail property product in the countries of Northern America and Western Europe, shopping-centers are still something new for CEE and CIS, stirring the excitement of not only consumers, but also of international developers and retailers, who are struggling to obtain a stronghold in these emerging markets. To know where we are heading, we can simply look at the experience of the mature in terms of shopping-centers countries, one of which, undoubtedly, is Sweden.

In this interview Eric Lind, CEO of Centrumutveckling, compares the shopping-centers development of Old Europe with that of CEE and CIS, enlightens about currents and latest trends in the retail industry, and delivers an insider’s perspective on the Russian and the Ukrainian markets. Stockholm- based Centrumutveckling, a consultancy company specializing in shopping-malls, city centers and retail centers since 1969, has been working in Russia and Ukraine for years now.

Why are regional shopping-malls in Skandinavia and Western Europe not much different from regional shopping-centers in Russia and Ukraine? What should developers take into consideration when implementing specialized products such as city gallerias? Which approach should retailers adopt when developing their businesses into new markets: to invest in their own properties, to lease, or to franchise? Which are the prerequisites to the success of every shopping-center project? What does a “big small” shopping-center mean? How many years do CEE and CIS need to catch up with the sophisticated retail property markets in Europe where shopping-centers are going back to city centers? Are internet sales an alternative to traditional retailing and a threat to shopping-centers? Mr. Lind sheds light on all these issues in the present interview.

You can find out also: What is the main issue that companies like Centrumutveckling have to deal with in emerging markets such as Russia and Ukraine? When will all the big retailers be present in these countries? In which cities is Centrumutveckling working at the moment in Ukraine and on what kind of projects? Why is Serbia Europe’s next emerging market for shopping-centers? What will the shopping-centers of the future look like? Which retail property products, apart from shopping-centers, are we to see more of from now on?



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