Attacq, the owners of Mall of Africa in Midrand, has launched SHôPING, a new app to offer online shopping. The app, launched in April 2021, allows The Mall of Africa’s customer and merchant community to access the Dashpay transaction platform. the platform facilitates in-mall navigation, wallet-less shopping and cashless gift card solutions, consolidating communication channels and offering a seamless customer experience to take the brick & mortar experience into the digital space.
SHôPING is set to benefit merchants by increasing basket sizes as customers make use of a bespoke virtual currency – ZAKA – which can be earned and spent at participating stores, alongside a loyalty stamp system and Attacq’s interconnected loyalty programme.
It also changes the way visitors experience the mall, as they are able to navigate around Africa’s largest shopping centre at the touch of a button.
“There’s plenty of potential to expand the scope of the app going forward to include elements like the integration of brand-specific loyalty programmes into the SHôPING world, so that customers can earn and redeem all manner of benefits across programmes and platforms,” says Dashpay Managing Director Benjamin Powell.
Dashpay, a transaction platform products & services provider, has developed the app on behalf of Attacq.
“The arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic and requirements around physical distancing and managing visitor numbers has obviously had a massive impact on retailers in the mall environment,” says Powell.
“We’ve worked closely with Attacq to develop an app that adds value for consumers and merchants alike, and makes it quicker and easier to navigate and pay for purchases at Mall of Africa – and beyond.
“There’s plenty of potential to expand the scope of the app going forward to include elements like the integration of brand-specific loyalty programmes into the SHôPING world, so that customers can earn and redeem all manner of benefits across programmes and platforms,” says Powell.
The free multi-layer app supports Attacq’s Customer Experience strategy, which aims to put the customer back at the centre of the retail experience. It leverages the latest smartphone technology and Dashpay’s loyalty, rewards and app development expertise to curate unique experiences for Mall of Africa visitors and will be rolled out to other Attacq-owned properties in a phased approach.
“Our main objective with SHôPING was to integrate the online and offline world for an effective and incentivised user experience,” Jackie van Niekerk, incoming CEO at Attacq, says.
“We wanted to help facilitate customer product research at home in the build to that potential shopper’s planned trip to the mall. By leveraging smartphone and cloud technology we were able to deliver a personalised experience that engages the customer even before they arrive at the mall.”
SHôPING is currently available for download for Android and iOS platforms, and sign-up is quick and free.
Also read: Nedbank Super App Avo Is Bringing Digital Malls
Sandton City Mall became the first big shopping centre to offer online shopping via Nedbank’s new Avo super app.
Nedbank through its super app Avo is now allowing users to shop from digital malls.
“Avo by Nedbank is bringing digital malls to the South African market with Sandton City being the first to launch,” said the bank.
It added that this creates an immersive ‘mall’ experience in the palm of your hand.
The digital mall is a first for any digital platform on the continent, opening up a luxury shopping experience across borders.
Avo’s Click and Collect lounge feature lets users shop items from multiple stores in Sandton City, pay for goods on the app, and gives them the choice between home delivery or collection from the Avo lounge lockers at Sandton City.
7 Comments
This shift towards a mobile app and virtual currency is a game-changer for shopping convenience! It’s interesting to see how technology is transforming retail experiences. Can’t wait to try out ZAKA at the Mall of Africa!
This is a fascinating shift towards digital retail! I love the idea of using a mobile app and virtual currency like ZAKA. It seems to cater to the convenience we all seek while shopping. Can’t wait to see how this impacts the overall shopping experience at the Mall of Africa!
This is an exciting development for the Mall of Africa! The shift towards a mobile app and virtual currency like ZAKA really shows how retail is evolving. I’m curious to see how this will enhance the shopping experience and whether this trend will catch on with other malls. Tech innovations like these could redefine how we think about shopping!
This shift to a mobile app and virtual currency like ZAKA is fascinating! It’s interesting to see how technology is reshaping our shopping experiences. I can imagine this will attract a lot more digital-savvy shoppers and potentially change the retail landscape in a big way. Curious to see how other malls will respond to this trend!
This is an exciting development for Mall of Africa! The shift to a mobile app and virtual currency like ZAKA demonstrates a clear understanding of modern shopping trends. It’s fascinating to see how technology is reshaping the retail experience and making shopping more convenient. Can’t wait to see how other malls might follow suit!
This is a fascinating development! The shift towards mobile apps and virtual currency like ZAKA really highlights how shopping habits are evolving. I can’t wait to see how this impacts the retail experience in the future. Exciting times for tech and shopping!
This is a fascinating development! The shift to a mobile app and virtual currency could really change the shopping experience at Mall of Africa. I’m curious to see how ZAKA will work and if it will attract more shoppers who prefer the convenience of online shopping. It’ll be interesting to watch how traditional retail adapts to these changes!