Photo : YIT
Digital Dynamite
Still , the retail experts insist that shopping centres can really reach new heights , if they ’ re willing to steal a trick or two from the digital world . This could mean a more engaging visit to your favourite store , for example , with your smartphone app earning you VIP points for just spending time there . And as the app learns what you enjoy , there will be plenty of special offers , promotions and the like – the best of both worlds , digital and physical , all rolled into one .
Heli Marjanen , Professor for the University of Turku , says that online shopping
20 Nordicum is such a strong phenomenon that almost all retail players are now busy trying to “ go digital ”. Nevertheless , Marjanen points out that according to numerous studies brickand-mortar stores are not going anywhere .
“ And neither are shopping centres ,” she adds .
Change You Must
That doesn ’ t mean that the shopping centres can remain the way they are , however . Having studied shopping centers for many years , Marjanen is puzzled by the fact that most shopping centers still lack a solid presence online .
“ Nobody is really providing the kind of specific , localised information that the shopping center patron is interested in ,” she says .
Then there are the more advanced concepts , such as gamification , which are causing waves in retail industry . Marjanen observes that introducing games into the shopping centre environment holds definite potential : going on a store-to-store treasure hunt , for instance , would allow the patron to get better acquainted with the offering .
“ Simply walking around the shop-