Pokemon Go players flock to ION but...
ION Orchard has been pulling out all the stops to lure Pokemon Go fans to the mall.
From releasing 'lures' on the game to giving free drinks to people who catch the monsters, ION Orchard clearly want to attract these players to the mall in a big way.
Hundreds, and perhaps thousands, of players have flocked to the mall to play the game since its launch on Saturday (Aug 6).
However, employees at some of the shops in ION Orchard told The New Paper that while they see more people in their stores, business has not improved.
An employee at apparels brand Promod said a lot of people have come into the store to play the game but they leave without buying anything.
"At this moment, it's good and it's fun. After a while, however, we found that it can be really irritating," she said.
Over at Topman, an employee said Pokemon Go players have been flocking to the store, but again, leave without buying anything.
"It's quite difficult for us, because we need to walk around and it can be disruptive," she said.
"They also go into the fitting rooms to just catch Pokemon, and after they finish, they leave."
People at the mall who were playing the game also told TNP that they were there mainly for the game, rather than to do any shopping.
Two 15year-old fans, who preferred to remain anonymous, said they were at ION "mainly to play Pokemon and not to shop".
Other companies, though, are finding new ways to seize on the Pokemon fever.
SGCab, a transport company in Singapore, is offering clients a private taxi to take them around Singapore and help them in their venture to catch Pokemon.
SGCab's boss, Mr Al Farid Khan, said the offer will "increase awareness for drivers, locals and tourists to look at these cab companies".
A player can hire a Pokemon Cab for $30 an hour for a four-seater.
While no one has hired these taxis yet, he said there have been e-mails and messages to enquire about the service.
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