Why Big Shopping Malls need Smartphone Apps!

I was at the magnificient Westfield Mall, Shepherd’s Bush last night - which really is a most excellent cathedral to that most highly disciplined vocation of holistic retail.

Of course I grabbed a map on the way in, but the A3-folded-in-four-format was not particularly good for easy navigation around the mall - largely as your perspective and orientation changes so much - looking up and navigating via old school map is a little more complex than it should be.

I immediately thought of my trusty assistant - my iPhone and wondered why a proper Augmented Reality GPS-enhanced Smartphone App had not been created for this purpose. I mocked up the above visual which contains some of the elements I believe are essential to an enhanced Mall experience.

Central to the app is obviously being able to seek out and be guided, via GPS Navigation - to the appropriate store. As you pass by a store, relevant offers and promotions would appear as onscreen bulletins. All manner of services could be incorporated into the app - coupons and other incentives, as well as a fully participative interactive relationships with passing customers.

No disrespect to the information desks, but this app should be able to outshine them all. As you move around the Mall, the orientaion of the map changes, the location of your car in the car park is recorded, cinema times appear in bulletins - and of course you can fully configure the experience to tie into your own likes and preferences.

Come on you Wesfields and Bluewaters - let’s be having a decent App that makes the shopping experience even more delightful. I would of course be delighted to consult...