Somerset Mall H&M opening
- jessannewood
- Oct 1, 2016
- 3 min read
The crowds were already lined up outside the grand entrance. The store lights shining temptingly over the clothing racks that had yet to be attacked by mad shoppers. Luckily as a member of the media I got to miss the long queue and make my way to the coffee shop opposite to meet the H&M marketing staff and other members of the press and fashion industry. (Apparently some people were so eager for the launch on the new store that they slept in the cars the night before).
It certainly appears that the hype hasn’t died down since the first H&M store opened at the V&A Waterfront last year. The new store at Somerset Mall is smaller than that at the V&A, however, don’t let that disappoint you. While there is no H&M Home at the new store, there is still a wide range of clothing available, including the H&M+ and H&M Maternity lines, children’s wear, as well as accessories, lingerie and shoes, not to mention normal basic wear for men and women.
A tradition at the opening of all H&M stores worldwide is that the staff do a dance outside the entrance prior to the opening. This really got the crowd excited, especially considering those who were first in the queue had already been there for hours, already giving up standing to sit, and in some cases, lay on the floor. But for the first 50 customers, their wait was rewarded with a voucher to spend in store.
Despite the crowds outside, when the store finally opened for shopping at 11am, it was relatively orderly inside. They controlled the number of people who could enter the store at any one time so that you weren’t overrun with people while you shopped. And the check out process was effortless, although that may have been because I was the first person at the till.
There are some lines and ranges that will not be stocked at the Somerset Mall store, but these are available at the V&A Waterfront store. This means that if you purchase something at the V&A Waterfront H&M and want to return it at Somerset Mall, you may not be able to replace the item for the same garment, however, it is possible to return items to either store, even if that’s not where you purchased them.
I do have a weakness for fashion (and shopping), and despite having told myself that I would not purchase clothing that I really don’t need this month, I couldn’t help myself and did purchase a few things. The staff were really friendly and helpful, and I was lucky enough to be there for the store manager’s speech to the staff before the opening.
You can tell that the staff is a vital part of the business, and a point that was made several times during our tour of the store prior to the opening ceremony, was that the staff are hired for their attitude (i.e. positive, friendly, open etc.) and not based on their previous experience. Every interaction that I have had with H&M since it launched last year has been testament to this.
For those not able to make it to the opening and enjoy the discounts and specials, don’t despair, as there are currently mid-season sales on the go, which will surely have something to suit every pocket.
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