Game hopes swapping food for clothing will be a game-changer

In what it hopes will be a key part of its turnaround strategy, the Game discount retail chain yesterday unveiled a new clothing range at 22 stores across the country.

The range, called Stylessentials, will replace Game’s Fresh and Frozen offering and will be available in all 122 stores across South Africa by July 2021.

Changing the muddled business proposition

Game is part of the troubled Massmart retail group and has itself been a drag on the group’s financial performance. Part of the underperformance has been blamed on a “muddled” business proposition to consumers.

“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,” Neville Hatfield, Vice President of Merchandise, said in a media statement.

The new product rollout comprises male and female ranges and will feature casual wear basics such as t-shirts, vests, shorts, jeans and athleisure (athletic leisure wear). The children’s range will include popular movie and cartoon characters, as well as essentials such as socks and underwear.

New offering well received, claims Game

“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,” Hatfield said.

The company’s media statement indicates that Game’s new strategy ties in with business consultancy Deloitte’s ‘Consumer Insights Pre- and During Lockdown’ report, released in May.

“This 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,” Game explains.

Identified a gap in the SA market

Andrew Stein, Vice President in charge of Game stores, said: “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.”

According to Stein, the range has significant local content and the intention is to increase this with time.

“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,” he said.

“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.”