Malls embark on innovation of e-shopping platforms

GEORGE TOWN – A mall management specialist has launched e-shopping platforms in a bid to rescue ailing mall owners and their tenants.
 
ARA Asset Management Limited (ARA) associate John Tam, who is the general manager of CITTA Mall, said they are now adopting a multi-channel marketing format to boost sales.
 
ARA has set up online-delivery platforms in two of its malls in the hopes the significant change will boost sales, Tam said in a statement.
 
CITTA Mall and 1 Mont Kiara Mall have launched their own delivery platforms – myCITTA and my1MK – to match the needs of new consumer behaviour that have transformed drastically since the movement control order (CMO) was imposed in March and to address the trend of shoppers moving to online shopping platforms.
 
“The main driver for launching these mall-owned platforms has always been to support our tenants’ businesses as we navigate a new frontier in online shopping,” said Tam.
 
“This isn’t to say that it could ever replace the physical mall, but it is only a logical and sustainable step forward in these changing times.”
 
Customers can shop virtually by visiting the two malls’ websites at www.citta.com.my and www.1mk.com.my from the comfort of their homes.
 
Be it buying food or signing up for a new fitness programme, shoppers can opt for home delivery or self-pickup after making a purchase. 
 
Lower delivery fees and discount coupons are some of the incentives currently available.
 
Tam said retail businesses must now depend on multi-channel platforms to attain omnipresence of their products, even though some tenants do own their own e-commerce sites.
 
“Unlike other delivery services, myCITTA and my1MK offer local deliveries within and outside of the Klang Valley, so shoppers can choose their favourite goods from both malls regardless of where they stay."
 
Tam said ARA’s initiatives come with value-adds that are a win-win, benefiting both tenants and the malls. – The Vibes, December 11, 2020