AMP Capital maps retail portfolio in Google Street View

AMP Capital’s shopping centres have been internally mapped for Google Street View to help shoppers navigate them more easily. 

Google Street View inside the Macquarie Centre.

The virtual maps of 18 centres across Australia and New Zealand can be accessed via Google Maps app and the shopping centres’ website so visitors can find stores or plan trips ahead of time.   

Images of the centre were captured using the Google Trekker, a camera-mounted backpack that is used to map national parks and other indoor spaces.

“This is an exciting step forward in our customer experience digital roadmap, which aims to create an easier and more digitally-enabled shopping experience for our customers, and in turn, supports our valued retailers,” AMP Capital's head of customer technology and innovation Helen Hey said.

Hey said the technology will support a growing consumer preference to spend less time browsing and to shop during quieter periods in response to public health recommendations made during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

“Physical - rather than online - retail is still our customers’ preference with 96 precent saying they plan to shop at their local AMP Capital-managed centre during the Christmas period," she said.

"Partnerships like Google Street View really enhance the customer experience."

Google Street View program manager Cynthia Wei said the 360-degree panoramic navigation technology allows people to “virtually walk paths and explore a space before they visit.”  

“While this technology is most well-known for helping you navigate outdoors along roads or walking trails, it can also be implemented to indoor spaces - and we’re excited to bring this to AMP Capital shopping centres to help Australians and New Zealanders find their favourite stores more easily,” she said.  

Last month AMP Capital announced its shopping centres and other commercial buildings will be fitted with AI technology to automatically regulate heating and cooling, which is expected to deliver a 20 percent reduction to its energy bills. 

Six AMP Capital managed buildings across Australia including the Macquarie Centre in Sydney and Stud Park Shopping Centre in Melbourne are already in a pilot phase trialling the technology.

The project is the first phase of AMP Capital’s partnership with Google Maps. 

Hey told iTnews the business is working with Google to “introduce completely new technology to indoor mapping and shopping centres” midway through 2021.