How a mobile application for shopping centres works

14-10-24Read Time: 8 min

More and more large shopping and entertainment complexes across Ukraine are launching their mobile applications to communicate with visitors and solve marketing tasks. Customers are happy to use convenient virtual assistants and thank them with more active shopping and regular visits to shopping and entertainment centres.

What is the purpose of a mobile application for a shopping centre?

A shopping centre mobile app is a multi-functional tool that performs a powerful marketing function, helping to manage visitor flows, communicate with customers, implement successful marketing strategies to increase brand awareness, build audience trust and increase cash flow.

Reach new audiences

When promoting a shopping centre brand, the first stage of the funnel can be the download of a mobile application. The customer sees the ad, installs the application, learns about the centre’s capabilities and offerings – and then decides to visit the centre for the first time. If they do not decide to come right away, the downloaded application will remind them later by sending a push notification to their smartphone. In this way, it is possible to attract new customers, generate interest in the target group and even intercept some visitors from competitors.

The return of past visitors

A mobile application is a great tool for bringing former customers back to retail and entertainment venues. You can bring people back in a variety of ways – offer a personalised discount, make a special offer, remind them of incomplete purchases, award bonuses, announce a promotion, invite them to an entertainment event, etc. Pop-up push notifications are used to alert customers to such offers.

Increase customer flow

Attracting new and returning customers increases the number of visitors to the shopping and entertainment complex. Systematic promotion of the mobile application, active online interaction with customers, use of loyalty programme tools – all this gives a comprehensive result in the formation of a constant flow of visitors and minimises problems with seasonal decline in activity.

Активная коммуникация с аудиторией

A mobile application becomes an effective tool for a shopping and entertainment centre to communicate with its audience. It is no longer necessary to use intrusive SMS messages to inform about promotions and new store openings. It is enough to place the relevant information in the application and notify the users with concise push messages.

Successful implementation of loyalty programmes

The application allows you to automate loyalty programme tools – loyalty card registration, bonus account creation, cashback accumulation, personal discount offers, etc. There is no need to obtain a plastic discount card – access to bonus accounts and other loyalty programme tools is stored in the user’s personal cabinet.

Increase audience engagement

The mobile application helps shoppers navigate the complex, find the stores and facilities they need, quickly reserve tables, and be the first to know about the launch of promotions or the opening of new facilities. Useful app options increase audience engagement, which has a positive impact on the image of the mall as a whole.

Analytics-driven development

The mobile application tracks user actions and collects a database for in-depth business analysis. This information is used to better understand the profile of the target audience, improve marketing strategy, evaluate the success of promotions and effectively manage advertising campaigns.

Application functionality for mall visitors

Interactive map. On the interactive map you can quickly find the desired store, entertainment venue, food court or parking lot. The mobile application does not just show a point, but determines the visitor’s location and builds a route. You can find an object by its name or keywords. The list can be filtered by different parameters (type of goods, direction of services, brand, etc.). Thanks to this option, no store or institution, even not very well located, will not be left without attention of visitors.

User’s personal cabinet. All information about the client is reproduced here – contacts, bonus account, data of discount cards, history of visits to stores and establishments of the shopping and entertainment center. The user has access to the section of personalized offers that take into account individual preferences – invitations to events, personalized discounts, special conditions for visiting establishments, etc. Creation of such offers is set up automatically based on the analysis of user’s actions.

News section and calendar of events. In the application, the user can find out the news of the shopping centre – opening of new outlets, launch of promotions and seasonal offers, announcements of interesting events (presentations, concerts, master classes, tastings, fashion shows, etc.). Each news item has a bright, laconic title, a detailed description and a design layout that helps to attract the user’s interest. On the news or announcement page, buttons are placed to perform the desired action – book a table, buy an event ticket, get a discount – increasing the conversion rate of advertising and marketing campaigns. You can find an event or check the conditions of promotions in the interactive calendar.

Support chat and feedback form. Ask a question about the services and structure of the mall, leave a review or complaint, report difficulties during a visit, get advice on the application – all this can be done through a special feedback form or online chat technical support. Direct communication with the administration gives visitors more confidence and trust in the mall.

Booking forms and online payment. The mobile application allows you to order services and make instant online payments – booking tables, parking, time slots for entertainment venues. The online booking functionality increases the conversion rate of the application: more users become real customers, more visits to the application become real sales. To create an online payment option, the application is integrated with payment services.

Application functionality for the Mall Administrator

Content management. The mobile app creates an admin panel with all the functions needed to manage content:

• Management of graphic and textual content;
• Editing the structure of the shopping centre;
• Make changes to the interactive map;
• Customise descriptions and galleries of shops and facilities;
• Add and delete new objects;
• Publish news and announcements.

Loyalty programme setup. Access levels are created in the application to allow store and facility owners to manage their loyalty programmes, and shopping centre management to perform global control and management. Individual parameters for launching promotions are set in the application:

• Discount percentages and groups of promotional products;
• the validity period of special offers;
• the points accumulation and deduction mechanism;
• Set up personal push notifications;
• Setting restrictions on the use of discounts.

Tools for organising events. The mobile application becomes a useful tool for the successful organisation of events on the territory of the shopping and entertainment centre. Useful tools:

• Announcement of the event on the main screen and in the news section;
• Interactive presentation of the event;
• Personalised push invitations to users;
• Online table booking, ticket ordering, event registration;
• Online payment within the application;
• Vouchers, gift certificates, promo codes for attendance;
• Regular reminders via push notifications;
• Calendar integration;
• Ability to repost to social networks to widen the audience;
• Archive of past events with photo and video reports.

Handling feedback, complaints, suggestions. The administrator receives complaints and comments from customers and forwards them to the appropriate specialists – application technical support staff, managers, marketing specialists, shopping centre security service. Communication takes place in online chat mode or through the feedback form. Direct interaction makes it possible to assess the real mood of customers, better understand their needs and identify problem areas in a timely manner.

Analysis and reporting. The mobile application creates functionality for data collection and reporting. The company selects the list of analytical functions individually, depending on the specifics of the organisation of work processes. Examples of data that can be tracked in the shopping centre application:

• Frequency of successful purchases for each property;
• Conversion rate of advertising campaigns and marketing activities;
• Intensity of new user acquisition;
• History of purchases, orders, bookings;
• Audience interests, seasonality of trends;
• Effectiveness of push mailings;
• Sociodemographic characteristics of the audience;
• average spend on different categories of goods and services;
• Customer participation in the loyalty programme;
• User interaction activity with the application;
• Audience satisfaction based on feedback and ratings;
• Behavioural factors in the application – popular features, bounce rate, depth of interaction, length of sessions and others.

API integration. The mobile application can be integrated into the shopping centre’s overall business process management system. For this purpose, the application is integrated via API with third party automation services, payment systems, CRM, accounting programmes and, if desired, the company’s website.

How to develop a mobile application for a shopping mall

A mobile application for a shopping and entertainment complex is created in several stages on a customised basis:

• Business and service line analysis;
• Audience research, competitive analysis;
• Building the structure, coordinating the mobile application functionality;
• Costing the mobile development, approving the terms of reference;
• Creation of UI/UX design, development of user interface;
• Backend programming of the server part;
• Frontend development of client interface logic;
• API integration;
• Product testing, preparation for moderation according to store requirements;
• Placing and publishing the application in App Store and Google Play;
• Technical support, promotion of the application.

To order mobile application development services for shopping malls, please contact the KitApp team. Fill in the form on the website – we will estimate the implementation time, cost of the application and send you a commercial proposal.