An international client was planning to develop a large mall in a suburb of Beirut. The client wished to gain in-depth information on the market supply and demand of retail real estate in Administrative Beirut and Mount Lebanon. In order to reach the client’s objectives, InfoPro utilized a multi-faceted methodology which included reviewing all available credible sources through desk research, conducting face-to-face interviews with consumers residing in the catchment area under study, and conducting in-depth interviews with retailers, retail real estate developers, and real estate brokers. The desk research helped InfoPro identify the population distribution and growth in the catchment area under study. The face-to-face interviews helped identify the shopping patterns of consumers and also their retail expenditure which in combination with the desk research allowed InfoPro to forecast the retail expenditure of the entire catchment area. The in-depth interviews with retailers, revealed insights such as their preferences with regards to the amenities / services to be provided by malls, the optimal outlet size for their retail category, preferred neighbouring outlets among other issues which allowed the client to decide on the optimal retail mix. InfoPro was also able to identify the price they paid per square meter whether in a mall or in a street front outlet which would eventually allow the client to allocate their price strategy. The credibility of the information provided was verified by also conducting interviews with retail real estate developers and real estate brokers.
