Retailers Leverage Technology to Enhance Shopping Experience

The retail experience and shopper needs are rapidly changing, and retailers and landlords are looking for ways to stay competitive well into the future. The Outlets at Tejon is making a big investment into technology as a way of enhancing the shopping experience. The technology at the center has included shopping apps, solar panels, electric car charging stations and energy efficient building systems, like lighting and HVAC. We sat down with Rebecca Swiggum, director of marketing at Outlets at Tejon, to talk about how the center is leveraging technology to improve the shopping experience and why they think more retail owners should follow suit.

GlobeSt.com: Why are you making an active effort to integrate technology at the Outlets?

Rebecca Swiggum: Technology—which includes everything from our custom app that turns the lights in the parking lots on and off to energy-efficient outdoor fans—not only provides comfort and convenience for our shoppers and tenants, but also helps us better engage with shoppers and offer them a unique and fun experience when they visit The Outlets at Tejon.

GlobeSt.com: Tell me about the technologies that you are integrating, and how they are making the shopping experience more efficient.

Swiggum: A year-and-a-half ago, we developed an app that shoppers can download. Through the app they can check in daily to win exclusive prizes instantly as well as keep up with all the latest sales and news from their favorite retailers at the Outlets. It makes it easy for us to share information and for our customers to feel engaged—whether they are at home or at the Center. We have an internal app that allows Outlets managers to control lighting from anywhere via their smartphones, and we recently installed charging stations for electric cars. Other technology we employ to provide a better shopping experience includes the use of “cool” roofs to deflect heat and portions of the exterior, while the pedestrian promenade has roofs to provide shade for shoppers.

For the last two years we have used emerging technology during the holidays to build a “Twitter Tree” that lets shoppers change the colors of lights on our large holiday tree in our Center and make them twinkle with the use of hashtags from their Twitter accounts. It was tied in with a contest that helped promote and raise money for local charities. It was a very engaging and fun campaign.

GlobeSt.com: The cost of technology integration is one of the challenges. Do you feel the increased efficiency of the shopping center experience?

Swiggum: I can’t provide exact figures, but what I can say is that the up-front costs are both necessary and beneficial for us. As we continue to grow and gain new tenants, we have been making capital improvements, and some of those, as mentioned above, are needed to keep the Outlets fresh and keep shoppers and tenants engaged. The energy-efficient technology we have added is actually saving us money and energy while also keeping shoppers cool—and happy—while shopping.

GlobeSt.com: What should retail owners considering technology integration know? What is your advice?

Swiggum: Retail owners, from shopping malls to outlets to mom-and-pop stores, should do one thing before they embark on integrating technology into their daily mix: Know your audience and how they like to shop. Do they want to hear from you on their social sites or email, or never? Do they use technology like apps to shop with? How comfortable are they using technology? (If they’re in the 18-44 range, they’re likely very comfortable with technology.) Also, how can the expense of adding more technology be justified? I believe if it helps sales and helps shoppers find what they’re looking for faster, while engaging with them and offering a fun experience, it’s completely worth it.

GlobeSt.com: What technologies are on the horizon that you would like to include in the property?

Swiggum: Though we haven’t leveraged it yet, we are excited about how virtual reality might be a game changer for shoppers, including “virtual” changing rooms, the ability to see what a product might look like in a shopper’s own living room, and marketing the Outlets at tourism conferences. We’re also looking at installing solar arrays in the parking lot instead of using electricity to light it up at night. Smart technology for business, including CRM, back office, and advertising and marketing, though not customer facing, is also a big factor for us.