Julien Rey: Leasing Director for "Thrillers & Fillers" at The Outlet! Company

A topic near and dear to my interests and business: Retail in Japan. Specifically the Outlet Mall industry.  This episode we hear from Julien Rey, the Leasing Director for the Outlet! Company.  Japan already has numerous outlet malls and Julien explains how his company is differentiating and innovating in this competitive market. The fascinating quantitative and psychological factors behind mall layout, location, and loyalty. The politics of space allocation, the strategies malls use to attract customers and increase "dwelling" time, and which brands are the thrillers and the fillers. It's a great listen and not just because of Julien's charming French accent, the economics behind outlet malls is thought-provoking. Other highlights from our conversation:

• The roles of a Outlet Mall Leasing Director: Retailer, Realtor, and Recreation
• The "Domino" effect created by certain brands
• The challenges of convincing brands to open a store in an outlet mall
• How to measure and what is the average outlet customer "Dwelling Time" in Japan
• Recent retail trends and innovations  you can expect to see and "experience"
• The intricate role F&B (restaurants) plays in outlet malls 
• Pricing "tricks" used by brands to maximize profits
• How Japanese outlet mall customers differ from other outlet mall cultures
• Leasing contracts: All about the  "balance of power"
• The one brand Julien really wants in his outlet malls 

The Outlets Kita Kyushu: https://the-outlets-kitakyushu.aeonmall.com/
The Outlets Hiroshima: https://the-outlets-hiroshima.com/
Laketown Outlets: https://laketown-outlet.jp/

More Now and Zen Japan episodes: http://nowandzen.jp

Grow website traffic = Zo Digital: https://www.zodigital.jp/
Great Sleep Starts Here = gugu Sleep Company: https://gugu.jp
Japan Adventures via Camper Van = Dream Drive: https://www.dreamdrive.life

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