Shopwise Alabang refresh targets changing consumer preferences

Insider Spotlight

• Shopwise is updating its original Alabang store to respond to consumers seeking greater product variety, convenience and discovery
• The refreshed format expands international grocery, beauty and wellness choices while retaining local staples and private-label products
• Wider aisles, improved navigation and a modern-industrial design reflect retailers’ broader push toward more experiential physical stores
  
  
  
  

Nearly three decades after establishing its first Philippine store, Shopwise is betting that a broader international assortment and a more convenient, discovery-oriented shopping experience can keep its supermarket format relevant as consumer preferences evolve.

The retailer on Oct. 7 reopened its Shopwise Alabang store at Festival Mall, the same location where its Philippine story began in 1998, after refreshing the branch with wider shopping spaces, a modern-industrial design and an expanded range of local and global products.

Revamped store design 

Physical retailers are increasingly using store design, assortment and convenience to give consumers reasons to shop in person, rather than treating supermarkets purely as places for routine purchases.

Shopwise's revamped Alabang store reflects that approach through wider aisles, easier navigation and more comfortable spaces intended to encourage customers to browse and discover products.

More international products

International products are a bigger part of the proposition. The personal care and beauty section carries brands including Fino, Tsubaki, Anua and CeraVe, targeting demand for global skincare and wellness products.

Its grocery assortment includes Arizona beverages, Garofalo pasta and sauces, and Massel plant-based and natural stock products. Shopwise also carries Meadows alongside its Brighter and Hearty private brands. The bakery section has similarly been expanded with more freshly baked products.

No membership fees

Shopwise is balancing that push toward newer products and experiences with the value proposition traditionally associated with supermarkets. The company said customers can continue accessing discounts and promotions without paying membership fees.

A five-day sale running from Oct. 7 to 11 accompanies the reopening, with P199 deals, buy-one-take-one offers and discounts of up to 60 percent on selected categories.

‘Special place in our story’

 "As the first Shopwise store, Alabang holds a special place in our story. With this refreshed and elevated store, we honor the generations who have grown with us while creating new opportunities for discovery, value, and meaningful experiences for our shoppers," Shopwise deputy general manager Diana Prince Ang said in a press statement.

The Alabang overhaul gives Shopwise a testing ground for marrying its heritage with the broader retail shift toward experiential, internationally oriented shopping. —Vanessa Hidalgo | Ed: Corrie S. Narisma