Despite industry-wide challenges from sluggish domestic demand, Shinsegae Centum City Department Store is doubling down on its VIP strategy, reporting a 70% increase in sales to high-tier customers over the past five years.
The store recently unveiled its new VIP-exclusive lounge, Upper House, on the 5th floor, designed for its newly established Black Diamond members, customers who spend over 120 million won annually.
The lounge, styled after a yacht club, offers a view of the Suyeong River and private meeting rooms, along with signature cocktails and special desserts created in collaboration with a Michelin 2-star restaurant.
Shinsegae is also enhancing personalized services across all VIP levels. A second Personal Shopper Room (PSR) was opened on the 2nd floor, tripling the number of dedicated staff. These rooms offer curated, one-on-one shopping across categories from fashion to electronics, with senior consultants conducting detailed preference interviews in advance.
Additional benefits for Platinum-level customers and above include redeemable VIP points at nine Michelin-starred restaurants, including Mori in Busan.
For Black Diamond members, a Four Hands Dining event with Michelin chefs is planned for later this year.
