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· Posted on
February 21, 2024

Westfield gives us all another excuse to shop with the new Westfield Direct

The lines between physical retail and digital retail are starting to blur before our very eyes...

What's the key learning?

  • Scentre Group (the guys who own Westfield) is introducing Westfield Direct - an online one-stop-shop from retailers that are already operating in the Westfield shopping centres
  • So, consumers can make online purchases from over 100 retailers all in one place
  • Since COVID shut down the activity of most Aussie shopping centres, the focus on building an e-commerce marketplace has become even more important.

Background: Aussie Westfield centres are owned by real estate company Scentre. And despite it being a tough year for retail, Scentre Group recorded a 28% increase in its half-yearly profit for the six months to June 30.

What happened: Now, Scentre is introducing Westfield Direct, an online one-stop-shop from retailers that are already operating in the Westfield shopping centres.

What else: Essentially, consumers can make online purchases from over 100 retailers all in the one place. Then, they can collect that purchase from a Westfield Direct pick-up point (which is in the Westfield shopping centre), or get it delivered to your house instead.

So what's the key learning?

💡The lines between physical retail and digital retail are starting to blur before our very eyes. We have Amazon (an online-only marketplace) planning to open a physical store...and now the opposite for Westfield.

💡As we know, COVID shut down the activity of most Aussie shopping centres over the last year. So, for shopping centres, the focus on building an e-commerce marketplace has become even more important.

💡According to a 2018 consumer survey from eMarketer, nearly half of all shoppers begin their online search on a marketplace - rather than a store. Now, Westfield has a ticket to play in the digital game. And, it gives small and big retailers another opportunity to build awareness and distribution via another website.

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