Robinsons to partner Grab in its online return

ROBINSONS will be partnering ride-hailing and food-delivery giant Grab in its return as an online department store.

As part of the deal, customers will be able to shop at Robinsons Online using PayLater, a buy-now-pay-later feature on GrabPay.

"Grab will also promote the Robinsons marketplace across their channels," said incoming managing director Jordan Prainito.

Mr Prainito was the former executive director of his family business Canningvale Australia, a homeware company which acquired Robinsons earlier this month.

"People will be able to benefit from the Grab loyalty programme, and some other loyalty programmes from our other key strategic partners - there's a long list," he added.

This is one of Robinsons' customer-centric efforts put in place as the company shifts into online.

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The original brick-and-mortar Robinsons was founded in 1858, but went into liquidation last October after years of falling sales; and the new online store is a separate entity from the one previously owned by the Al-Futtaim Group.

Set to launch on June 24, Robinsons Department Stores Online hopes to serve shoppers in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Australia and the United Kingdom, subject to market-specific import and export limitations, the company told The Business Times on Friday.

"For us, we will be focusing on a curated product offering, great customer service, and a good user experience on the site," said Mr Prainito.

He added that the latter has a "big opportunity for improvement" in Singapore's current e-commerce landscape, and hopes to leverage it as Robinsons' differentiating factor.

"We want to create a clean, sleek, simple user experience, with large imagery which heroes the product and brand as opposed to lots of little things all over the site that can distract and complicate the shopping journey," said Mr Prainito.

In terms of products, the company is adopting a "less is more" approach by carefully selecting brands to be featured on the site.

Robinsons Online will host more than 200 brands, including some familiar names as well as home-grown and new-to-market ones.

However, Mr Prainito noted that the brands might not sell exclusively on Robinsons' site, as the company "does not believe in restricting suppliers".

In terms of after sales services, the company aims to ensure deliveries, returns, exchanges and inquiries are handled "proactively". Robinsons will also collect customer feedback on ways it can improve its overall experience.

Looking back on his time with Canningvale, Mr Prainito noted that focus on customers is "absolutely critical" for a business.

On whether Robinsons will establish physical stores again in the future, Mr Prainito said: "Never say never. It's about the customers, and what the customers are going to want from us."

In the long term, Mr Prainito hopes that Robinsons' will stay true to its Singapore roots.

Given his background as an actor, he hopes to see opportunities for Robinsons to help foster the arts in Singapore.

Incidentally, Mr Prainito has also spent time in Singapore while studying at LASALLE College of the Arts.

"It's so early now, but once we're able to get our office set up in Singapore and start meeting people, I think, why not? It's a wonderful way for a business like Robinsons to give back," he said.