As department stores go on life support, can experiential shopping, sharpened curation save them from flatlining?

[SINGAPORE] Once coveted as anchor tenants by malls, department stores are threatened by the rise of e-commerce and shifting consumer preferences.

The impending closure of Isetan’s Tampines Mall outlet, announced in May, is the latest in a series of shutterings since Covid-19.

To stay competitive, department stores should consider smaller stores with tighter product curation, as well as in-store experiences, observers told The Business Times.