Web and mobile retail store discovery platform, booodl has signed a deal with Scentre Group, owner and operator of Westfield Shopping Centres in Australia and New Zealand that has secured all 35 Australian Westfield Shopping Centres as paying customers.
In 2015, the Scentre Group invested $2.85 million in booodl to fund the research and development required to build its web and mobile platform that helps consumers locate physical retail stores and in-turn helps retail businesses be more easily discovered. The platform now boasts $86.7 billion of shopping centre assets and is utilised by more than 150 Australian shopping centres to increase in-store visits.
booodl helps more than 45,000 shoppers to locate physical retail stores every month and the team estimates that 45,852 in-store purchases have been influenced by the platform since February 2016.
Scentre Group general manager of brand and media experience, Bill Burton said, “We see booodl as a technology and digital innovator working right at the heart of the Australian retail industry, and a partner we can work with to complement the digital presence for our Westfield shopping centres.
“We are excited to partner with booodl to engage more customers, drive visits to our Westfield shopping centres and spend with our retailers.”
booodl CEO and co-founder, George Freney.
booodl CEO and co-founder, George Freney said the deal comes at a time when the future of Australian retail remains uncertain.
“Working closely with Scentre Group, the industry leaders in using digital technology to create great consumer experiences and support tenants, will help us improve our technology to the benefit of consumers and retail businesses. Now more than ever it is imperative that businesses provide a superior customer experience, both online and in-store,” he said.
“Having a strong digital presence is critical because today’s typical shopping journey starts online—72 per cent of shoppers use their mobile phone as part of their journey to visit a physical retail store.
“Mobiles, laptops and tablets help customers find information relating to their shopping needs. Moreover, these devices are always with the customer whereas to get information from a store you actually have to travel to that store.
“Physical retailers should invest time and money into enhancing their digital presence so that not only are they attractive and informative but directive to their physical locations. They need to be ensuring that they rank as high and as wide as possible on search both organically and through paid advertising. Finally, they need to create a great digital experience for consumers by personalising content for the shopper and leveraging innovative technology,” he added.
This story originally appeared on Appliance Retailer.
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