Westfield Group has launched an iPhone application that helps shoppers digitally navigate its shopping centers in the United States and interface with retailers and their promotions.

The application is available for iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. The technology electronically maps Westfield’s shopping centers— their physical layouts, directories, detailed store information, customer offers and promotions, special events and Facebook pages—onto one digital resource. 

“Our strategy for the iPhone app is to give our shoppers a mobile shopping assistant for their visits to Westfield centers,” said Catharine C. Dickey, executive vice president of corporate communications at Westfield, Los Angeles. “Our app helps shoppers navigate the mall, know what’s on sale, find a movie show time, make parking easier, and more. 

“By delivering this added convenience, we anticipate that shoppers will choose to visit Westfield over others and more often,” she said.

Westfield partnered with Simplikate, based in Fort Lauderdale, FL, for the creation of the application. 

Simplikate is a leader in the mobile space with a focus on delivering world-class mobile experiences for physical locations.

Location, location, location
With just a click on their mobile devices, millions of shoppers can easily locate their nearest Westfield center, map the quickest path to their favorite stores and other on-site amenities, interface with retailers and their hottest deals, receive real-time updates about shopping center activities, and find the show times and movie descriptions for every cinema in the Westfield portfolio . 

The Westfield iPhone application lets shoppers access the information they need to get the most out of their shopping journey. 

Shoppers can locate the nearest Westfield shopping center by GPS along with maps and driving directions.

Additionally, users can view digitally rendered and scalable layouts of every Westfield shopping center, with the ability to identify specific stores, restaurants, movie theatres, family amenities and restrooms.

Users can use an interactive directory with the ability to sort retailers alphabetically, by category or keyword. 

App within in app
With one touch, shoppers can also call any retailer by telephone or visit the retailer’s Web site— all within the application.

Consumers can receive real-time updates, offers, events, style trends, as well as retailer promotions and discounts— all integrated with Facebook.

What is unique about the application is that users can create a personalized shopping list and mall journey composed of specific retailers, desired product types, and walking routes to each selected store.

Shoppers can map their journey throughout the shopping center according to the products they are looking for.

Information such as hours of operation, local weather, concierge services, as well as Westfield’s numerous family amenities such as family lounges, family parking, play spaces and stroller locations are available within the application.

The core demographic Westfield is targeting  is tech-savvy consumers, aged 25-54 with high income, an interest in fashion and are shopping enthusiasts. 

Spreading the word
The app will be featured in all Westfield centers via posters, directory decals, counter cards and large format banners. 

The company will also aggressively promote the app in the digital channel including its Web site, multiple email campaigns, and via social media channels such as Facebook and Twitter.

Via a targeted digital campaign, Westfiled aims to use banner ads to drive downloads of the application.

Westfiled will also be serving ads within the app.

“Although the app itself does not include a commerce feature, shoppers have the ability to view a retailer’s product selection from the retailer’s Web site all within the app,” Ms. Dickey said. “For retailers that have optimized their Web sites for the mobile channel, this is a great benefit.”