Dive Brief:
- Internet pioneer eBay is entering the mall market on a direct basis for the first time.
- The online retailer has teamed with Simon Property Group to create a "Connected Mall" that allows point-to-point navigation and personalized offers and deals.
- The approach is intended to drive more traffic into stores and help eBay and Simon collect more information about shoppers.
Dive Insight:
EBay and Simon are both canny retailers, so look for this pilot during the holidays to be expanded if it pans out. What the two parties want, of course, is more business.
But retailers like customer information almost as much as sales, so the pilot will be scrutinized for the kind of data it delivers. Meanwhile, shoppers get more bells and whistles, like mall maps available in 3D, the ability to search for what they want with just a touch of a mobile phone, and directions to the stores they seek. In other words, it's kind of like shopping online in the entire mall and something other merchandisers will be keeping a close eye on.