Game begins roll-out of Stylessentials clothing offering

Stylessentials will replace Game’s Fresh and Frozen offering as part of the retailer’s turnaround strategy, and will be available in all 122 stores across South Africa by July 2021.

The Stylessentials range is currently available in store only, however, Game is looking into the possibility of expanding the range to be part of its online offering in future.

The ladies and men’s ranges will feature casual wear basics such as t-shirts, vests, shorts, jeans and athleisure, while the children’s range will feature some popular movie and cartoon characters. Essentials such as socks and underwear will also be included.

Comfort and value

“We have identified a gap in the market for seasonally-relevant casual wear that is designed with the South African consumer in mind – and have taken into account customer feedback and market trends in this regard. Importantly, this range will be size-inclusive and focused on providing comfort and value, while ensuring our customer looks and feels their best,” explains Andrew Stein, VP for Game.

Deloitte’s ‘Consumer insights pre- and during lockdown’ report, released in May 2020, found that customers are more price conscious in the current environment, but also that they are judging brands on how well they are serving customer needs during this crisis.

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“Customers are looking to shop more responsibly,” says Stein.

“They are looking to shop closer to home, less frequently, and spend less time in the shops or the mall in order to keep themselves and their families safe. Game recognises this and is ensuring that our customer can shop all their essential needs under one roof, while also getting the quality and pricing that suits their needs during this difficult time.”

Growing support for local suppliers

Game is working with local suppliers and manufacturers wherever possible to ensure that the ranges appeal to and are designed for the South African consumer.

“While 90% of the range is sourced from local suppliers, about 25% of the range is locally manufactured. We would like to increase the percentage of locally-manufactured items as we progress with this offering, to ensure that we play our role in the support of local small businesses,” explains Stein.

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Neville Hatfield, Game's vice president of merchandise, concludes, “Our supply chains are solid and reliable, and we have a strong team of buyers on board. We have introduced the range in a couple of stores already, and this has been received well by our customer base in those areas. We are expecting a positive result in terms of our revenue streams from Stylessentials in the next year, as the range replaces our Fresh and Frozen offering."

Stylessentials is currently available in the following Game stores: Alberton, Amanzimtoti, Baywest, Boksburg, Canal Walk, Centurion, Clearwater, Cresta, Gateway, Fourways Mall, Gilwell, Greenacres P.E., Johannesburg City, Kolonnade, Mall of Africa, Mall at Reds, Menlyn, Mitchells Plain, Queenstown, Somerset West, Soweto, Vaal, Westgate and Wonderpark.