News Feature | March 16, 2015

Malls Turning to Proximity Advertising Solutions To Boost Sales

Source: Innovative Retail Technologies
Christine Kern

By Christine Kern, contributing writer

Starwood Retail Partners joins with StepsAway to increase sales via Wi-Fi ads

Mall developer Starwood Retail Partners has inked a partnership with mobile app StepsAway to deploy its proximity advertising solution in 10 malls nationwide. The agreement will help Starwood tenant businesses such as national retailers GNC, Things Remembered, Sephora, and Express push offers and information to shoppers on their mobile phones. 

Accessed through malls’ Wi-Fi networks, StepsAway boasts that it can help malls increase sales per square foot by allowing retailers to issue offers and information as people shop. Already in use in several Taubman properties, the new agreement will expand StepsAway’s footprint in seven states.

Built on a patent-pending, cloud-based platform, the tool allows retailers to create and deliver promotions across multiple mall properties from their corporate headquarters via a single platform. Simple, convenient, and flexible, the tool also supports dynamic promotions, allowing retailers to make real-time adjustments based on fluctuating store inventory levels or sales trends.

From the consumer side, shoppers simply sign onto the malls free Wi-Fi network and then peruse deals via StepsAways SAMobile app by product category or store name. The browser-based app is compatible on any Wi-Fi enabled device including all Apple, Android and Windows mobile devices.

 “The recent holiday shopping season undoubtedly proved that mobile was a powerful force in connecting shoppers with real, in-store experiences and influencing mall purchases while consumers are ‘stepsaway’ from retailers,” says Allan Haims, StepsAway CEO.

“Our usage data has shown that shoppers are very interested in using mobile-driven offers to enhance their shopping experiences while onsite at malls,” Haims told Mobile Commerce Daily. “And while many prefer not to download native apps, our browser-based StepsAway app is accessible via the mall’s free Wi-Fi network and requires no download.”

The Starwood Retail Partners participating shopping centers will include:

  •     Parkway Plaza (El Cajon, CA)
  •     Northlake Mall (Charlotte, NC)
  •     The Shops at Willow Bend (Plano, TX)
  •     The Mall at Wellington Green (Wellington, FL)
  •     Gateway Mall (Lincoln, NE)
  •     Belden Village Mall (Canton, OH)
  •     Franklin Park (Toledo, OH)
  •     Great Northern Mall (North Olmsted, OH)
  •     SouthPark Mall (Strongsville, OH)
  •     MacArthur Center (Norfolk, VA)

StepsAway said it completed deployments to the malls in February.