Shopping Streets (IV) - Orchard Road, Singapore

I was flabbergasted when I read the headlines "Poll: Orchard is world's top shopping strip" (Straits Times, 10 Jan 2012).  It came out top in cleanliness, top in quality retail staff and friendliness.

My first thoughts were No Way!  Better than Ginza, better than The Stroget, better than London?
Then I thought, yes why not? After all the survey was done by the french Presence group. I work in market research for a local media company and we know Presence. They are renowned for their mystery shopping as, for example, AC Nielson is for TV ratings. So there's no reason for me to doubt the results.
It was just a typical case of not accepting the prophet in your own country.

The ION at Orchard Road, Singapore.

I must admit it was a surprise but Orchard Road has, especially the past few years, seen some spectacular malls coming online. I must admit too that perhaps I was a bit jaded initially.
I have always sung praises about the Japanese stores and the way they attend to your needs. Singapore's store staff have a long way to go before coming near the Japanese levels. But according to this survey they are better? At least according to their international group of mystery shoppers.

I'll do a more detail write up on the shopping along Orchard Road at a later date. Promise.
Now that Orchard Road is at the top, it deserves more from me at least, being my home base.