Scentre Group will launch its own ‘click and collect’ service later this year as the operator of Westfield shopping centres in Australia and New Zealand builds new consumer experiences.
The company is on track to launch an aggregated ‘click and collect’ platform unveiled last year called Westfield Direct.
Scentre Group CEO Peter Allen told investors during its 2021 half year results call it had “successfully piloted an aggregated ‘click and collect’ service to facilitate our business partners connecting with customers during periods of government restrictions.”
“The learnings from this formed the basis of an aggregated ‘click and collect’ platform due for launch in the second half of this year,” Allen said.
“This will extend the Westfield in-centre experience and enable customers to have greater accessibility to our business partners, wherever they are, across multiple channels.”
Consumers will be able to shop online through Westfield Direct before collecting purchases from local Westfields or from preferred centres.
Shoppers will be able to select items from a range of categories inlcuding homewares, beauty, electronics, toys and sporting goods available through retailers in Westfield centres.
The new Westfield Direct will also be integrated with membership program, Westfield Plus which will also offer members further benefits.
Westfield originally fast-tracked a ‘drive-thru contactless click & collect’ service in April 2020 as Australia entered its first lockdown driven by the pandemic, before closing it in June 2020 as restrictions first eased.
Consumers were able to order via the Westfield website for "takeaway food orders, fresh food, everyday essentials and lifestyle items at all Australian Westfield Living Centres”.
At the time Scentre Group director customer experience Phil McAveety said the service was well-received with “dozens” of new retailers joining the platform "every day".
“We’re looking forward to seeing where the Westfield Direct service takes us in the coming months,” McAveety said.
Scentre Group reported a total of $11.2 billion in sales over the half despite lockdowns, excluding cinema and travel.
