Grand Samarkand is the shopping center that beats both Väla and Gekås, according to Market; see the article below.
“The depth of the stores’ entrances and ‘the invisible soul’ are two reasons why a shopping center in Växjö is now breaking into the top ranks in Sweden. That’s the view of Mats Jäderberg, the center manager at Grand Samarkand, which outperforms both Väla and Kungsmässan in Evimetrix’s major survey.”
Of the 335 shopping centers, malls, and retail destinations included in Evimetrix’s major survey, Grand Samarkand ranks highly in several categories. The survey is based on reviews from 6,775 consumers.
In the category “attractiveness of the mall’s design and facilities,” Grand Samarkand ranks first. In the overall Customer Satisfaction Index, Grand Samarkand ranks fourth, behind Gekås in first place, Väla Centrum outside Helsingborg in second place, and Kungsmässan in Kungsbacka in third place.
“Of course, you feel like, ‘Yes, finally!’ after hearing news like this. We’re so happy!” says Mats Jäderberg, center manager at Grand Samarkand.
The shopping center opened in 2011 in newly built facilities featuring unique architectural elements, such as a wave-shaped roof and store entrances with a sense of depth.
– It offers the opportunity to create something individual and unique, something that evokes a different feeling and has that intangible essence that can be hard to put into words.
Mats Jäderberg believes that the fact that it is clean and fresh, and that empty storefronts are quickly filled with new businesses, are two other key factors behind the high rating.
– We work closely with our store managers and sales associates, and discuss the importance of going the extra mile. Otherwise, customers might as well go home and order what they want online.
The unusual name has local roots. The commercial area where the shopping center was completed in 2011 had been called Samarkand since 1973, when Ica and Coop opened a joint venture there. By adding “Grand,” the center’s management aims to signal the shopping center’s high standards and ambition.
– We usually talk about our shopping center as if it were a theater, where every store and restaurant puts on its own show.
Now Mats Jäderberg is looking ahead, and like most shopping center managers, he’s hoping for mixed summer weather.
– Like many others, we’re very dependent on the weather. If it’s a very hot summer, many of our visitors head to the coast instead.
"Next spring, Grand Samarkand will have a new draw to attract customers. In March 2025, Eko Stormarknad will open on the lot right next to the shopping center."
Top Five
The Customer Satisfaction Index (CSI) is the average of three questions:
✓ Overall rating for the center
✓ How well the center meets my expectations
✓ How close this center is to an ideal center.
NKI:
1. Gekås Ullared
2. Väla Center
3. Kungsmässan Shopping Center
4. Grand Samarkand
5. Bergvik Shopping Center
Attractiveness in terms of the center’s design and facilities:
1. Grand Samarkand
2. Väla Shopping Center
3. Kungsmässan Shopping Center
4. Bergvik Shopping Center
5. Gekås Ullared
Source: Evimetrix
Source: Market