Liverpool has opened a store in San Miguel de Allende. Well not actually in the historic center but in the new mall where the Gigante Grocery opened earlier this year. Liverpool is the Mexican Macy's. They offer clothing for men, women and children, as well as appliances, consumer electronics, and home furnishings. Liverpool operates some 60 department stores in Mexico's largest cities where they cater to an upper-income customer base. Liverpool also owns and manages malls and is one of the largest issuers of credit cards in Mexico. The store in San Miguel is just one of the seven stores that they are opening this year. 
This store is not a large department store. It is just one floor although it looks like they could expand and add another story if there is a need. It is beautifully merchandised. You would be hard pressed to tell the difference between it and any Macy's or Lord & Taylor that you walked into in the United States. Except for one thing......the prices. They are higher.When we were walking around checking out the store, it seemed to me that the prices were about 1/3 more than we would pay in the US, and in the case of a Television that we have been pricing, it was 1/3 more than the prices in Costco and Walmart here in Mexico. Another thing that I have noticed about Liverpool in Queretaro and certainly here in the new store is that nothing is on sale. If you are like me, when I walk into a store I always look for the sale racks and I really, really have to want something to pay the full tag price.
I'm sure that Liverpool did their research before building the store but I hope that they weren't counting on the expats to carry the store. So let's hope that there is a Mexican upper-income customer base between San Miguel and Celaya and Mexican tourist who can make the store successful.
3 comments:
There is a Liverpool in Cancun in the giant mall over there. They have some really nice stuff but, like you said, waaaaay expensive. I do like their candy department though! I think brides really like the store. They have a bridal registry just like in the USA where you can get a print out of all the things the bride has selected. I know this because the bride of the one wedding we were invited to made sure to tell us! (yes, we bought her gift there. They even wrapped it and delivered it to her on the island. We never saw it again after we walked out of the store. Nor, typically Mexican, did we ever receive a thank you.)
We have a Fabricas de Francia here in Mazatlan which is owned or a part of Liverpool. The Liverpool truck delivered our bed, anyway.
But what we have been told is that they really don't do sales except a couple of times a year they do a sale where you pay the full price and they give you "moneda electronica" - for 15% - 25% of the purchase price. Everyone here in Maz waits for those sales to buy anything. Of course you have to use these cards in their store, but it is better than nothing.
Here in Maz it was the only place we were able to find flatware that wouldn't bend!
Ah yes, the candy department in Liverpool is to die for! and, they always have young ladies standing around handing out samples of truffles and other goodies.
I thought Liverpool was high end until I went in a Chapur in Merida. IF Liverpool is Macy's then Chapur is Neiman Marcus. It's more expensive as well, I priced the same refrigerator in both and Chapur was a couple hundred pesos higher, not a lot but enough to set them apart I guess.
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