Mara digital mall traders blame management for bad business

SM Amin SM Amin Updated 4 years ago · Published on 21 Oct 2019 11:00AM · 7 Comments

Traders at Mara digital mall in Kuala Lumpur blame building’s management for lack of business as there are no promotions nor has the building been refurbished. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Seth Akmal, October 21, 2019.

LIMITED choices of products and lack of promotion are among the reasons behind Mara digital mall’s failure, said entrepreneurs operating in the Kuala Lumpur premises.

They also blamed the management’s lack of a business-friendly attitude for the slow business, accusing them of not supplying enough products.

Trader Mohd Azim Mohd Asrop, 31, told The Malaysian Insight said business went downhill after being in the mall for two years.

When the mall opened, there were many promotions, including exhibitions at the lobby of the building, to get customers in, said Azim.

“But such promotions are no longer done. This place is now known for fabric sales. Without any promotion, no one would know that we sell computers and mobile phones.

“We need continuous promotion as we are competing with other places, such as Low Yat plaza and Pertama complex. Many people think this digital mall has closed down,” he said.

The slow business in this digital mall reflects other Mara-run digital malls nationwide.

Last week, the Rural Development Ministry said Mara digital malls in Kuantan and Johor Baru closed in December and February because of low sales.

The ministry attributed the shutdown of the two malls to disproportionate operating costs which proved unpopular with tenants.

WGN Scan Sdn Bhd is company that manages the Kuala Lumpur Mara digital mall and is supposed to supply all the traders with merchandise. – The Malaysian Insight pic by Seth Akmal, October 21, 2019.

Mara digital mall in Kuala Lumpur is operating with 11 lots and 16 kiosks, involving 11 entrepreneurs, with annual sales of RM4.67 million as of this August, it said.

The mall in Shah Alam was closed in March 2018 to make way for the Shah Alam Urban Transformation Centre (UTC).

Lack of improvements

Another trader at the Kuala Lumpur mall, Khairi Suarman, 34, said another factor people are avoiding the place is due to lack of refurbishment since the mall opened four years ago.

Customers can’t be bothered to return because of the condition of the mall, which had small business space.

“Previously there was talk of opening two or three floors to sell digital products but until now, we have not seen any such expansion,” he said.

Khairi said the digital mall still has a potential if it becomes a one-stop centre for all digital products, instead of just selling computers and mobile phones.

“The management will need to allow for the sale of a wide range of digital products, including drones and printers. Right now, we have a limited choice of printers.”

Another trader who refused to be named, blamed the management company, WGN Scan Sdn Bhd (WGN), for the failure of the digital mall in Kuala Lumpur.

WGN Scan is the sole supplier of products to traders at the mall but it could not meet demand, he said.

“There is a management problem here. We have to get our products from them but when we order, they don’t have stock.

“If we decide to get products from outside parties, we are penalised. This is an additional burden on us. They are supposed to help our business.

“We have made so many suggestions on how to improve busines, but they have all fallen on deaf ears,” he added.

The Kuala Lumpur Mara digital mall was opened in December 2015. It was the brainchild of the then rural and regional development minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

The idea was to have a mall in the Mara building in Kuala Lumpur run by Bumiputera traders, selling genuine merchandise.

It was supposed to be a Bumiputera equivalent to Low Yat plaza, which is seen to be dominated by Chinese traders. – October 21, 2019.

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Comments

  • brainless

    Posted 4 years ago by Astann astann · Reply

  • Like MAS, Tabung Haji,LTAT, etc.

    Posted 4 years ago by Watch Dog · Reply

  • Blame your turtle egg for 'sapuing' all the money and leave you to fence for yourselves.

    Posted 4 years ago by Chee yee ng · Reply

  • It is always some other people's fault....

    Posted 4 years ago by KC Yip · Reply

  • On the onset, the mall has an invisible wall that limits the number of customers from coming in. The ideology behind the establishment of such a mall is to blame.

    Posted 4 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply

  • I personally felt its not lack of promotion and lack of products as I been there twice and what makes me distant myself is price. Hence either the supplier price to you are higher or your costing in determining the net selling price is higher. To get a better deal from your supplier you ought to have volume while margin wise to me its better to make RM20 profit instead of having a higher mark up RM50 and not sell it you actually dont make anything. I hope my observation is correct but if you insists its lack of product and promotions then its best you ask MARA to provide you the customer as well.

    Posted 4 years ago by Teruna Kelana · Reply

  • Go around Malaysia, it is not hard to find many amenities built for that purpose and have long become ghost places. What a shame and undignifying.

    Posted 4 years ago by Tanahair Ku · Reply