CONNECTED-ENVIRONMENT SHOPPING CONCEPTS LAUNCH IN CANADA

by Stephen Garner Dec 15, 2015
w.illi.am - Eaton Centre - Montreal
Interaction with the connected glass walls at Eaton Centre – Montreal

Canadian company w.illi.am/Valtech Group has launched two connected-environment concepts for real estate company Ivanhoé Cambridg at Guildford Town Centre in Vancouver and Montreal’s Eaton Centre shopping centers in order to stimulate traffic to these malls’ stores. These pilot projects will run for one month, but could lead to new connected-environment projects in 2016.

These two experiences are enhanced by having connected store display windows in the heart of the shopping centers, which were created specifically for the initiative using Android technology. They offer a visual and interactive way to select gifts for five different types of people: the brother-in-law, the mother-in-law, the colleague, the student friend and the hostess. Consumers can watch the person’s reaction to the gift selected, and if they are satisfied, they can buy the gift directly from the store.

w.illi.am - Guildford Shopping Center, Vancouver
The One Stop Gift Shop for the Christmas Season (pop-up shop) – Guildford Shopping Center

“Our marketing approach is evolving to keep pace with the shift in consumer trends,” said Tracy Smith, vice president of digital marketing and solutions for Ivanhoé Cambridge. “We need to converge online and offline solutions, using an omni-channel approach and marketing campaigns. Through these pilot projects, we offer a seamless shopping experience before, during and after consumers visit our centers.”

“This multiplatform project, including using connected store display windows, is the first of its kind in Canada,” said Ludovic Maire, retail digital strategy at w.illi.am/Valtech Group. “It redefines the shopping experience for consumers, by combining the physical space of shopping centers with the intelligent use of digital platforms.”