PREIT ventures into e-commerce with back-to-school program

PREIT, one of the many big mall owners whose shoppers have been doing more shopping online, has decided to follow them there.

The Philadelphia-based REIT that owns The Cherry Hill Mall and, along with Macerich, Fashion District Philadelphia, has launched sMALL Surprises, a curated box concept in which professional stylists put together merchandise for K-to-8 kids heading back to school.

Shoppers can visit a website and take a short quiz to inform a selection that will include sensory toys and games, trendy accessories, sanitizing necessities, activity cards, stickers, and a few cool school supplies. The resulting packages will be shipped anywhere in the United States.

Two options are available: a Fun Pack of at least four items and an Awesome Pack loaded with fun items for younger students. 

“This cutting-edge initiative provides surprise and delight to our shopper community during these uncertain times and helps ease the return to a vastly different school year,” said PREIT CEO Joseph Coradino, who claimed that his would be the first mall owner to launch such an e-commerce initiative.