Consumers become mobile targets for struggling shops

SHOPPING centre landlords are fighting back against falling sales with the use of social networking technology, with the specific aim at drawing customers back to spending.

By InvestSMART · 16 Aug 2011

By InvestSMART ·
16 Aug 2011

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SHOPPING centre landlords are fighting back against falling sales with the use of social networking technology, with the specific aim at drawing customers back to spending.

While this means the now familiar alert "beeping" from mobile phones will increase, it will also let shops tag and target potential shoppers, as they move about the centre.

Westfield has launched a Facebook Check In page, while AMP Capital Shopping Centres has developed an iPhone application.

The new social media networks will allow the mall owners to alert a shopper to deals and discounts when they check in to an area or when they are passing a shop.

Westfield's general manager of marketing, John Batistich, said the launch of Facebook Check In Deals throughout Westfield centres would help to bridge the gap from online retailing to bricks and mortar stores.

Meanwhile, at AMP Capital shopping centres such as Warringah Mall on Sydney's northern beaches, visitors will now have access to a new technology, QuickerFeet.

Stuart Langeveldt, the head of marketing and communications for AMP's centres said QuickerFeet would enable consumers to view in-store deals and promotions in the area immediately around them.

QuickerFeet will be used by brands including Lorna Jane, Event Cinemas, General Pants, Billabong, Thredbo, AMF Bowling and Rydges Resorts.

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Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…

What mobile strategies are shopping centre landlords using to draw customers back to spending?

Shopping centre landlords are using social networking technology and mobile apps to alert and target shoppers with deals and discounts. The article says landlords plan to use Facebook Check In pages and iPhone apps so stores can 'tag' shoppers as they move through centres and send real-time offers to encourage spending.

What is Westfield's Facebook Check In Deals and how does it help bricks-and-mortar stores?

Westfield has launched a Facebook Check In page called Check In Deals that lets shoppers receive alerts and offers when they check in at a Westfield centre. Westfield’s marketing manager John Batistich says the tool is designed to help bridge the gap between online retailing and physical stores by bringing online-style promotions into the shopping centre environment.

What is AMP Capital’s QuickerFeet app and where is it being used?

AMP Capital has developed an iPhone application called QuickerFeet, which is being rolled out at centres such as Warringah Mall on Sydney’s northern beaches. According to AMP’s head of marketing Stuart Langeveldt, QuickerFeet allows consumers to view in‑store deals and promotions immediately around their location within the mall.

How do mobile check‑ins and apps tag and target shoppers inside malls?

The article explains that smartphones will increasingly 'beep' as malls use location-aware social networks and apps to tag and target potential shoppers. When a customer checks in to an area or passes a shop, the mall or retailer can send alerts about nearby deals and discounts in real time.

Which retail brands are mentioned as using the QuickerFeet technology?

QuickerFeet will be used by a range of brands named in the article, including Lorna Jane, Event Cinemas, General Pants, Billabong, Thredbo, AMF Bowling and Rydges Resorts.

What does this move to mobile targeting mean for the competition between online and physical retail?

According to Westfield’s view in the article, mobile targeting and check‑in deals are intended to help bridge the gap between online retailing and bricks‑and‑mortar stores by bringing timely, location-based promotions to shoppers in physical centres, making in-person shopping more responsive and promotional like online channels.

How should everyday investors interpret landlords’ adoption of mobile marketing technology?

The article suggests shopping centre landlords are adopting mobile and social technologies to fight falling sales by driving foot traffic and spending. Everyday investors may want to monitor how widely tools like Facebook Check In Deals and QuickerFeet are adopted by mall owners and tenants, as adoption could influence customer engagement and tenant performance—though the article does not provide data on outcomes.

Are there consumer experience or notification concerns from increased mobile targeting in malls?

The article notes that the familiar 'beeping' from mobile phones will increase as malls push alerts and offers, since shops will be able to tag and target shoppers as they move around. This suggests consumers can expect more real‑time notifications and promotions while visiting shopping centres.