Increased foot traffic highlights where Colliers Real Estate Management Services can have an impact
Every retailer spends time analyzing and responding to consumer demand. With the pandemic upending traditional patterns of consumer behaviour, retailers have been put to the test.
At Lansdowne Centre, a Colliers-managed property in Richmond B.C., the team has shown that no challenge is too great to overcome. In fact, foot traffic at Lansdowne Centre is up 37% from February 2021 and up 25% from pre-pandemic February 2020.
Expertise in enclosed mall marketing draws shoppers
An effective enclosed mall marketing strategy was a driving force behind increased foot traffic. Bronwyn Bailey, Marketing Manager at Lansdowne Centre, said it came down to (i) market positioning, (ii) tenant mix, and (iii) innovative engagement opportunities.
Authentic market positioning
Lansdowne Centre has intentionally positioned itself as the community shopping centre, which was particularly advantageous during the pandemic.
“Over the past two years, we’ve all heard the phrase ‘We’re all in this together,’” Bronwyn said. “At Lansdowne, we could say it authentically, as it has always been part of our message. We’ve consistently shown how we care about our community, so it was easy for people to feel comfortable shopping in-person, trusting that we would do everything to keep them safe.”
Being in touch with the needs of the Richmond community allowed Lansdowne Centre to pivot more seamlessly during the unpredictability of the pandemic, as compared to neighbouring enclosed malls.
A diverse tenant mix
The tenant mix at Lansdowne Centre has been another contributor to higher foot traffic. First, a third of the tenants were deemed to be essential services. Second, the team employed strategies to ensure all tenants got meaningful exposure. In December, a new component was added to the annual gift for purchase program, which holds that if patrons spend $250 in a single day, they receive a $20 gift card to the Centre. In 2021, it stipulated that the $250 must be spent at a minimum of three stores.
“Our goal was to have patrons experience our full tenant mix and perhaps visit a store they hadn’t otherwise considered,” Bronwyn said.
Innovative engagement opportunities
At enclosed malls, marketing and communications tactics must reflect the multitude of ways consumers interact with retailers, including in-store and digitally. Traditional forms of engagement, including holiday displays, were redesigned to maximize Instagram-worthy photo-ops and minimize touchpoints to keep everyone safe.
Lansdowne Centre’s Lunar New Year celebration also prioritized consumer engagement. In honour of the Year of the Tiger, a fun twist was placed on a traditional food drive: a giant cloth tiger stuffed with food donated by anchor tenant T & T Supermarket. Patrons donated $5 to guess the weight of the tiger for a chance to win a $388 gift card to Lansdowne. The winning guess was right on target – 368 pounds! Lansdowne Centre was pleased to match all donations and a total of $5,400 was donated to the Richmond Food Bank.
As pandemic restrictions continue to lessen and new patterns of consumer behaviour emerge, retailers at Lansdowne Centre will once again be put to the test. With expertise in enclosed mall marketing, the team at Colliers Real Estate Management Services is ready to help them ace it.
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