Business that stays relevant, adapts to technology and connects with innovation thrives in this digital realm. As we see rapid advancements in tech and changing shopping behaviors, it is important to remain competitive to capture the eyeballs of retail consumers. Previously, Mall Maverick explored the digital basics for retail and shopping centers, in this article it will take a deeper dive into three pivotal strategies that can significantly influence the shopping center industry in 2024.
According to the 2023 Klarna Insights Shopping Pulse report on shopping habits worldwide, for the majority of people, a trip to the mall starts before they arrive. According to this report, 84% of U.S. shoppers stated that they sometimes or often research online before they go in-store. Out of those, including 40% who do it often. Furthermore, 40% of Gen Z shoppers versus 19% of Millennials believe that they will most often shop in physical stores in the next year. There is a promising trend in favor of shopping centers with Gen Z, who have entered their 20s. Therefore, merging in-store and online experiences presents retail brands with a unique opportunity to connect with this digital-first generation.
According to a December Forbes column by I/O Fund lead tech analyst Beth Kindig, social media ad spend entered 2024 with one of the fastest projected growth rates among digital advertising categories. To be part of this uphill track, three tactics can help shopping centers to capitalize on the ever evolving marketing terrain: wayfinding, tech-supported customer service like artificial intelligence chatbots, and co-branding retail store promotions on social media. Mall Maverick can be a perfect partner in this journey.
Wayfinding: Guiding Your Shoppers to Success
Shoppers expect seamless shopping experiences — online and in person — and this extends to wayfinding systems in malls guiding shoppers to stores and amenities. By synchronizing in-mall directory boards with online maps across websites and apps, shopping centers can offer intuitive navigation. This ensures that visitors efficiently reach their destinations, enhancing their overall shopping experiences.
Efficient wayfinding includes:
1. Digital Interactive: Transform your retail journey with Maverick Digital Interactive web design, a cutting-edge, digital interactive touch directory that helps navigate shoppers effortlessly. Enable logical and intuitive navigation menus to ensure that shoppers are getting where they are looking to get. Simple, well-labeled categories, search functions and breadcrumb trailers help track the path. With rapid response and clear, concise guidance, it makes finding stores hassle free.
2. Map Design: It is crucial to ensure your digital properties are well optimized for various types of screen sizes and devices like desktop, smartphone and tablet, providing a seamless experience in the shopper journey. Whether for marketing campaigns, shopper convenience or retail use, Mall Maverick clearly transforms maps into visually compelling illustrations with attention to detail and creativity integrated in every map.
3. Digital Static: Whether in-mall or online, visual cues are musts to guide the shoppers. Upgrade your mall’s efficiency with Mall Maverick’s Digital Static Map, with its user-friendly, self-serve tools; instantly updated tenant information; store locations; and hassle-free amenities. Your business deserves the best. Add the convenience of real-time updates, ensuring accurate information at shoppers’ fingertips.
By following these techniques, you will be able to increase footfall rates, enhance user satisfaction and, most important, drive foot traffic into stores. A content management system platform like Mall Maverick is designed to make sure the audience is able to navigate through the store smoothly and effectively.
“The Mall Maverick team is amazing to work with, very prompt and helpful when getting the [map] design all figured out. Thank you so much.”
—Kristi Williams, Marketing and Specialty Leasing Manager, Aberdeen Mall
Tech-Integrated Customer Service
Customer service experience for shopping centers is an important piece of marketing, as it builds a perception in the minds of retail tenants and shoppers alike. According to the PwC Future of Customer Experience Survey 2017/18, nearly 80% of U.S. American consumers point to speed, convenience, knowledgeable help and friendly service as the most important elements of a positive customer experience.
AI, particularly generative AI, is one of the most talked-about topics and has made an impact on almost every industry and business, especially when it comes to shopper interaction and use of chatbots as the next big shift of customer service delivery.
Mall Maverick recognizes this shift and is continuously evolving and becoming an integral part of the shopping center customer service landscape. In anticipation, it started aligning resources toward researching, exploring options and testing the viability, risks and rewards of AI and its integration into the Mall Maverick CMS tool.
Based on Mall Maverick’s research, here are ways AI chatbots can benefit shopping center customer service:
1. Faster Routine Inquiries: AI chatbots can be very useful in improving inquiry response services like those around product information, mall hours and directions; answering FAQs; and freeing up human resources. These generative AI-powered customer assistants can handle a wide range of shopper inquiries, providing instant responses and personalized assistance 24/7. In a global survey of content marketers, Statista found that 46% of marketers would start using AI if there was real proof that content generated was real and would improve results. Another 35% wanted AI more to become more flexible, such as recognizing their tone of voice and engaging with the audience.
2. Improvised Marketing Efficiency: AI chatbots also can be fairly efficient in enhancing marketing campaigns. AI can be used to engage with shoppers by building a conversation around the campaign, delivering personalized recommendations, putting up promotions and user-based content, and driving gift card sales or shopping center loyalty programs.
3. Scalability and Cost-Effectiveness: AI chatbots, unlike humans, can handle an unlimited number of inquiries simultaneously, resulting in high engagement rates and high scalability. Additionally, these chatbots require minimum operational costs compared with human resources. However, they do require monitoring for discrepancies and serious issues requiring human communication.
One common theme Mall Maverick noted throughout its research is that businesses need to strike a balance between tasks performed by AI chatbots and humans. Even though AI is the need of the hour to stay relevant, overreliance can lead to impersonal interactions, causing shoppers to feel alienated in certain circumstances.
“This shift towards AI highlights the potential of chatbots as an effective tool for customer service. As we explore AI integration into our Mall Maverick CMS tool, we’re committed to maintaining best-in-class shopper engagement solutions, so we are very mindful of balancing the promise of AI with our commitment to quality.”
—Yvette Elliott, COO, Mall Maverick
If you are considering an advanced customer service tool, Mall Maverick can either provide you with widget integration options in the CMS or discuss new tech-integrated solution options to elevate the quality of support, enhance personalization and achieve greater scalability.
Co-Branding Store Promotions
Collaborating with retailers on social media promotions holds an important digital marketing opportunity for shopping centers. HubSpot confirms that marketers will invest in social media channels for 2024. By leveraging retailer brands found within your shopping center, you can tap into their digital audiences and leverage their social media reach to connect with brand-conscious shoppers and you can increase in-store purchase intentions.
Benefits of co-branding store promotions:
1. Reach Expansion: Partnering with retail brands exposes you to a larger audience with similar interests and demographics. This can help in increasing visibility of shopping centers and achieve potential shopper acquisition. According to a January 2023 post by Statista, 50% of the founders and senior executives of online businesses worldwide who responded to a survey by payment systems provider Stripe stated that they used social media to promote their products internationally.
2. Cross-Promotion Opportunity: Collaborative social media partnerships allow you to promote each other’s product or services in a way that may look seamless and that introduces shoppers to new offerings and can lead to improved in-store traffic and brand engagement, enticing even budget-conscious consumers.
3. Credibility and Social Proof: The coming together of two brands with a positive image and credibility leads to increased trust among shoppers and to higher conversion rates. Thus, shoppers are more likely to choose your business and share loyalty. Thus, a collaboration between a retailer and a shopping center leads to greater engagement and sales for both businesses.
“Before Mall Maverick, posting promotions on mall websites wasn’t a priority for the business. With the Retail Mall Maverick network, we are consistently getting our promotions posted to over 95% of our shopping centers!”
—Val Ottati, then-Marketing Communications Specialist, FGL Sports/Sport Chek
Successful co-branding requires clear communication between both parties. Thus retailers and marketing directors should leverage the Mall Maverick Content and Promotions Automated system to publish, track the data and analyze performance of the co-branded retail promotions to optimize on future collaborations.
Relevance: The Path to Grow
By prioritizing wayfinding, leveraging new technology for customer service and collaborating with retailers on store promotions, your shopping center will be able to stay relevant in the new digital landscape effectively and efficiently.
The Mall Maverick Omnichannel CMS is continuously growing and innovating, with 15 years of experience in delivering the best-in-class shopper engagement software. If you are looking for a CMS for your retail and shopping channels to help engage the right target shopper and right tenants, it is essential to merge your shopping center goals with technology to maximize the return on investment for your property, all ensuring your center remains competitive in today’s era of dynamic retail. Contact Mall Maverick here.
