Livingston Designer Outlet, managed by specialist asset manager Realm, has reported strong sales and footfall increases over the Easter holiday period, indicating a return in consumer confidence.
Compared with 2019, sales across Easter Holidays (1-18 April 2022) were up by 27 % (like for like) with footfall down marginally by 7.8%.
Realm reported that shoppers flocked to the outlet over the holidays with several retailers citing foreign getaways and the continuing appeal of staycations being the main factor in the rise in sales.
Commenting on their Easter trading period, Karen Stewart, outlet manager said: “Easter has been a huge success for us and we are delighted with the trading figures. The big takeaway for us is that holidays, both at home and abroad, the return of family gatherings and socialising combined with the relaxation of restrictions in Scotland have driven shoppers into the outlet who are looking to refresh their wardrobes for long awaited holidays and treat themselves.
She added: “Our range of global brands and substantial savings on offer goes some way to explain the resilience and ongoing popularity of Livingston Designer Outlet. Having weathered the storm of the last two years of trading through a pandemic, we are extremely pleased to be in such a positive position as we approach the summer season.
“We are constantly reviewing our retail mix and continue to work closely with existing retailers to ensure our offering is first class for our guests.”
Recent developments at the outlet include an extension of the existing Boss store from 2,873 sq ft to 3,800 sq ft, plus a new Joules pop-up that opened for Spring and existing brands including Molton Brown and Sunglass Hut about to start refit programmes along with new coffee shop Bakers and Baristas coming soon.
April also saw the outlet return to eventing again with its first large scale event since 2019 taking place. How to Style Live took place on 9 & 10 April and was developed to bring the outlet’s exclusive How to Style digital series to life for guests.
Over the two day event four of Scotland’s leading fashion influencers took part in trend talk and live shopping hauls. In addition, trend pods located through the outlet gave guests the chance to speak to style advisors and see new collections first hand.
The event resulted in 78% increase in engagement across Instagram and provided the opportunity to work with a variety of influencers to create authentic content.
Commenting on the event Kylie Wilson, marketing manager added: “In mall events are always compelling and it’s something we haven’t been able to execute for the last couple of years. How to Style Live has been a huge success and reinforced how much guests enjoy interacting within the traditional retail setting.
“By selecting four influencers from different age groups, with their own personal styles, we ensured we were appealing to all generations of our visitors as well as allowing several of our retailers to get involved in the event, reinforcing the wide range of brands you can shop at the outlet.”
