Low-Cost Fashion Chain Opens Its Biggest Store in England

Category: Business

Listening

Unlocking Word Meanings

Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.

  1. retail / ˈri teɪl / (adj) – referring to the activity of selling products directly to customers
    Example:

    A lot of customers shop at the newly opened retail fashion store.


  2. queue / kyu / (v) – to form in a line while waiting for something
    Example:

    A lot of customers queued outside the store to buy the new smartphone.


  3. customized / ˈkʌs təˌmaɪzd / (adj) – made to fit the needs of a customer
    Example:

    The store sells shirts with customized designs. You can bring your own design and the store will print it for you.


  4. value for money / ˈvæl yu fər ˈmʌn i / (idiom) – something sold at a good price
    Example:

    The house is near a lot of establishments, so I think it is really good value for money.


  5. feat / fit / (n) – an outstanding act or achievement
    Example:

    Increasing the company’s sales by 30% is an incredible feat.


Article

Read the text below.

Low-cost fashion retail chain Primark has opened its largest store in Birmingham, England, in April.


The new store is housed in a five-story building and measures up to 160,000 square feet. Its opening attracted a huge crowd of customers, with hundreds of people queuing to enter the store.


Primark’s Birmingham outlet features a modern store design, new facilities, and unique services to attract customers. The store has three food locations, beauty and wellness salons, and Disney- and Harry Potter-themed sections. It also offers Primark’s standard affordable range of clothing and accessories for men, women, and children. Additionally, the store has a section where customized clothes are printed. It also has a service that lets customers bring in old clothing and footwear for recycling.


Tim Kelly, a director from Primark, stated that customers will enjoy their experience at the new store. This is because of the store’s wide range of products and services that are all great value for money.


The opening of Primark’s Birmingham outlet is proof of the company’s continuous growth. An executive attributed this success to the continuous improvement of the chain’s customer service, as well as the store’s expansion.


Last year, Primark even saw a 3% increase in UK sales, which is considered a remarkable feat because the profit came solely from its physical stores. Unlike its competitors, Primark does not offer an online shopping service despite having over 14 million subscribers on social media. Company executives explained that online shopping entails extra expenses like shipping costs, which Primark cannot shoulder based only on its profit from discounted products.


Viewpoint Discussion

Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.

Discussion A

• Do you think that Primark’s strategy of offering mainly discounted products will be successful and profitable in your country? Why or why not?
• Do you agree with Primark’s decision to not open an online store despite having many followers on social media? Why or why not?

Discussion B

• Which do you think is better, shopping in a big store or shopping in a small one? Explain.
• What unique services do you think big stores should have? Explain.