Shopping centre landlord Hammerson has extended the trial of a smartphone app designed to “blur the lines” between bricks and clicks.
Retail Week revealed earlier this year that Hammerson was piloting FindSimilar – an app that allows users to take pictures of fashion items in stores, or upload images already saved on their phones, in order to find comparable items – in its Brent Cross Shopping Centre.
The app, which has been developed alongside Cortexica, provides shoppers with a list of similar products that are based on either colour or pattern, which can be purchased at other stores in the same mall.
Following a two-month trial at the scheme in North London, Hammerson is extending the pilot to the rest of its shopping centre portfolio in the UK and France, including Victoria Gate in Leeds, Bristol’s Cabot Circus and Birmingham Bullring.
The firm said that 90% of shoppers who tried the app found it useful, while 92% said they would use it again.
Hammerson added that 94% of users said the app would encourage them to visit other stores in the centre.
The company’s chief executive David Atkins said: “Incorporating digital technology into our shopping centres is a key part of our brand experience strategy and this is a great example of our approach in action.
“Our own research shows that on an average shopping journey customers use a combination of offline and online shopping channels, and initiatives such as FindSimilar are designed to further blur the lines between the two, providing a convenient and engaging shopping experience.”
No comments yet