Taubman Centers expanding use of StepsAway technology

Taubman Centers is expanding its use of a mobile app that lets retail tenants connect with shoppers once they sign into a center’s WiFi network and offer them store-specific deals.



The shopping center developer will deploy in-mall mobile retail solution StepsAway in four additional malls by year-end, including The Mall at Short Hills (Short Hills, New Jersey), Westfarms (West Hartford, Connecticut), The Mall at Green Hills (Nashville, Tennessee), and The Mall at University Town Center (Sarasota, Florida). Taubman first used the solution last year, in six malls.



The mobile app, which is now in place nationwide in a total of 36 shopping centers operated by a variety of owners, requires no download and is accessible via each center’s free guest Wi-Fi network. On average, a retailer’s offers in a month are viewed more than 15,000 times in each mall, according to StepsAway.



Additionally, time-sensitive flash sales on StepsAway have generated double-digit percent redemption rates.



StepsAway, which launched last year, was founded by Allan Haims, a former president of Wet Seal Inc., and former senior VP of Disney Stores Worldwide.



“Since we began using StepsAway, we’ve seen a double-digit percentage increase in the volume of consumers using our free mall Wi-Fi networks and taking advantage of hyperlocal in-mall offers,” said Ivan Frank, director of digital marketing, Taubman Centers. “Expanding our StepsAway footprint is part of our larger strategy to offer a higher value digital experience to consumers visiting Taubman malls nationwide.”



Through StepsAway’s cloud-based technology platform, national retailers can create and deliver promotions across multiple mall properties and mall owners, from their corporate headquarters on a single platform.



Shoppers visiting any of StepsAway’s participating malls sign onto the mall’s free Wi-Fi network and then peruse deals via StepsAway’s SAMobile app by product category or store name. The browser-based app is compatible on any Wi-Fi enabled device including all Apple, Android and Windows mobile devices.