I recently embarked on a trip to Asia with my company for a trade show, factory visits, material sourcing, and to work with our design team. This was my first trip to Asia, so I experienced many things for the first time. I loved trying the different foods (most of the time), visiting temples, learning about traditions and immersing myself in a new culture. To see some of our team's favorite things about Asia, you can read my blog for TruBlue by clicking HERE.

Shilin Night Market, loved the fried chicken!

One thing that really stood out to me in Asia was how every area has its specialty. You are travelling to Yilan? You have to try the <delicious> taro ice cream burrito with cilantro. You need leather? You have to go to the market in Dongguan, China where there are hundreds of leather shops. Looking for lightning cables? Shenzhen is the place to be.

In North America, I feel like we often do the opposite. We see a mall that is missing a shoe store, we put our shoe store there. We see a mall that already has 4 shoe stores, we avoid it because of too much competition.

So, is there something to having a mall of shoe stores? Would we be better off if instead of trying to be one of few in a market or an area, we opened whole shopping centers that specialize in a single thing? This way instead of hoping someone came to the mall for shoes, you ensure everyone walking through the shoe mall is looking for shoes. You know you have a captive audience, so you try and sell different, higher quality or better priced shoes, and rely on your strengths vs your competitors instead of trying to find your audience.

So what do you think? What pros and cons do you see?