Mara Digital might fail due to inexperienced management

MARA DIGITAL the new retail space for consumer electronics and telecommunication products in Menara MARA Kuala Lumpur is officially open for business. Previously nicknamed as Low Yat 2, the space which is located on the third floor of  BUSANA Mall @ Menara MARA. Developed within 3 months time frame, MARA Digital was designed and built by WGN Scan Sdn Bhd who is also responsible to manage it. The retail space houses in total of 38 Bumiputera ICT entrepreneurs that offer variety of consumers electronic products in the form of both hardware and software as well as telco services and after sales services.

  WGN Scan Sdn Bhd the floor manager for MARA Digital.

Malaysia Critique had surveyed the location as a show of support for the first Bumiputera ICT retail space in the country, however we were left disappointed as MARA Digital lack even the most basic needs of a digital mall. The most noticeable flaw would be why is almost the entire floor selling nothing but laptops.

 

A laptop kiosk

 

Another laptop kiosk

 

A supportive laptop kiosk owner

 

Lenovo outlet selling Lenovo laptops

 

HP outlet selling HP labtops

 

And an Acer outlet selling Acer laptops

 

 Last but not least you guessed it another laptop stand

 However, the real flaw in MARA Digital planning was the lack of all of the most common items any digital mall or computer shop would have. One of it would be an item which every household and offices use which is a Wifi Access Point(AP) or a small router that is used by almost anyone, how could the management had overlooked this. Further more, there are no repair shop in the entire floor, MARA Digital is technically the only digital mall in the entire malaysia that does not offer repair services for any faulty electronics. Despite most of the tenants are clowns selling laptops, we do notice two stores that actually brings in value to the digital mall with their own unique concept.

 

NARSCO IT

 

Koperasi COOP2U Bhd

 The reason why NARSCO IT and COOP2U are considered the only tenants whom brings in value would be because only this two stores actually has their own concept compared to every single other stores which sells nothing but laptops. Guess for now Koperasi COOP2U Bhd is the Most Valuable Player(MVP) for the entire MARA Digital outshining even the floor manager WGN Scan Sdn Bhd themselves as COOP2U has the most product uniqueness and brings in best value for the digital mall.

In the event the floor manager WGN Scan should decide to restructure the digital mall MARA Digital, they should definitely keep NARSCO and COOP2U while sacking everyone else as every other tenant in the digital mall brings in no value as everyone is offering the exact same product.

Another issue that need to be strongly emphasis why MARA Digital needs to be restructured for its survival is because it does not provide even the most basic required goods any digital mall provide such as stated above a Wifi router or even simple networking device. Forget about networking devices, the mall does not even provide small accessories such as a USB thumb-drive. And there is also a huge problem where nobody does repair within the mall, how can you have a digital mall where nobody knows how to repair the products sold? The lack or the necessity goods and services would be the main reason for downfall of the digital mall as who would shop at a place where nobody is selling what the consumer needs or wants.

As for consumer support, it is convinced that MARA Digital has more than enough consumer support as it is strategically located at BUSANA Mall @ Menara MARA. There are a stream of offices at Menara MARA to be their anchor customers, so lack of customer support is definitely no excuse should the mall were to fail.

Here's some survival tips for MARA Digital should WGN Scan decide to restructure the digital mall for the sake of survival of the digital mall.

MUST HAVE ! (compulsory)

1. Hardware Store
2. Repair Shop
3. Computer peripherals and accessories
4. Mobile Accessories
5. Networking store
6. Printer store

NICE TO HAVE (Optional not compulsory)

1. Game store
2. GPS navigation store
3. Music store

 We write with absolute professionalism and is in no way biased either company wise, racially, or politically. This review was in no way biased and WGN Scan Sdn Bhd is free to contact Malaysia Critique for consultations on digital mall planning at malaysiacritique@gmail.com

Good luck to WGN Scan Sdn Bhd is managing Digital Mara and we hope you could bring Rural and Regional Development Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob's vision to a success. Malaysia Critique totally supports Ismail Sabri's idea of a Bumiputera ICT mall, however seeing how its terribly implemented and poorly management of the floor manager, it is a big disappointment as many were looking forward to shopping there. For now it is not recommended for anyone to shop there as odds are what your looking for isnt sold by anybody in MARA Digital.