Catch Group doubles occupancy at Chadstone

Four weeks after opening its first ever bricks-and-mortar superstore at Chadstone Shopping Centre, Catch Group, the owner of retailing website catch.com.au, is doubling its occupancy.

Catch executives decided within the first days of trading at Chadstone to extend the retail store size to 1000 square metres.

Co-founder Gabby Leibovich said the group has been overwhelmed by the amount of foot traffic and sales already generated because of the Chadstone outlet.

“The crowds just didn’t fit into the store,” Mr Leibovich said, adding that the extension has been taking shape over the past fortnight.

The online retailer filled space formerly occupied by Toys r Us which went into voluntary administration earlier this year. As well as the retail space Catch Group occupies an approximate 1500 sqm “back room” warehouse. Last month it was reported Catch Group had committed to a 22,000 sqm warehouse near to another it occupies in Truganina, in Melbourne’s west.

It is forecast that one million visitors a week will visit the Chadstone centre in December.

“That’s a huge amount of people who get to experience catch,” he said.

“Our aim is to make them aware of our extended offering of two million products available online, so they also get a printed Catch catalogue and a voucher to shop online. This store is building on the solid growth we’ve seen in the Catch brand”.

The world’s biggest online retailer is opening another bricks-and-mortar store.

Established in 2006, catch.com.au delivers more than 8000 products a day to some 1.1 million active users. Amongst other products, it sells electronics, fashion, health and beauty, homewares and groceries.

Chadstone Shopping Centre is co-owned by Vicinity Centres and Melbourne businessman John Gandel.

In September, we reported that Amazon – the world’s biggest online retailer – had opened another bricks-and-mortar store in the United States. The store, Amazon 4-star, sells products rated 4-star and above on its website.

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Marc Pallisco

A former property analyst and print journalist, Marc is the publisher of realestatesource.com.au.