The 'ridiculous' Kmart layout changes that are here to stay
Another day, another Kmart incident dividing the nation.
This time it’s not down to any specific products being out of stock, but it’s down to the overall shopping experience the majority of stores across Australia are now offering.
The cash registers are no longer at the entrance/exit of the store, but in the middle.
Yes, that’s right the middle.
The changes have been six years in the making, as the move of the registers was first done in one store in 2012.
However, the department store chain picked up momentum with the layout changes in 2016.
At present across the 228 Kmart stores in Australia and New Zealand 165 now have the new layout.
And it appears the new layouts are here to stay, but that doesn’t mean customers are happy about it.
Many have vented their frustrations on social media at the “ridiculous” new layout changes.
@Kmart_Australia Your store layout is ridiculous, whoever came up with this concept obviously doesn’t shop !I could have bought loads more but could not be bothered going through again.i also loathe self serve
— Sue Bennett (@suechook) July 22, 2018
I loathe the new layout at my local @Kmart_Australia even my 11 year old told me the design is horrid. Does it want to make me shop there? #nope
— Kelly Green (@gajinkei) July 22, 2018
It’s actually like a jigsaw puzzle where the pieces don’t quite fit. If @Kmart_Australia change the layout in the #PortAdelaide store, I’m out. I’ll shop online elsewhere. It’s probably the last store that they haven’t changed. https://t.co/UPQpitFrM1
— Miss Jess 🐱 (@missjess2003) July 22, 2018
Me when I walked in to my local #Kmart that has just been turned into one of the new layout ones… pic.twitter.com/HEWkF1N9EN
— Love, Anthony (@AnthoBuzzTV) June 28, 2018
Steven Mann, senior manager of corporate affairs for Kmart and Target, insisted the change was “going well”.
“The plans are till there and it’s going well,” he told news.com.au. “Any new store has the new layout and we’re slowly converting old store to the new design bit by bit.”
It’s apparently all to do with aesthetics and decluttering the entrances of stores.
“The rationale is we want the entrance of the stores to be free from clutter and inviting for people, showing off our products rather than registers,” he said.
Be has contacted Kmart Australia for comment.
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