SYDNEY: Westfield’s online shopping mall has launched, with 50 initial retailers currently operating through the new portal.
The site, westfield.com.au, now offers brands such as Sportscraft, Leona Edminston, Supre, Witchery, Mimco, RM Williams, Jag and Speedo. Another 50 retailers are set to join in coming weeks.
Westfield group managing director Steven Lowy said the idea was to create new ways to connect with consumers.
“The creation of an online mall is simply a new ‘marketplace’ which will complement our existing shopping centre business,” he said. “We believe the real and virtual shopping centres will become mutually reinforcing, with shoppers using both channels to find and buy products from our retailers.”
A key feature of the online mall is that it allows shoppers to search by either retailer, product, brand, price or size. It allows shoppers to interact with each other by sharing their choices and purchases via key social media sites.
Currently 150,000 products representing over 3000 brands are available, from 50 Westfield retailers.
Westfield managing director Australia and New Zealand Robert Jordan said the online mall has also attracted interest from retailers and e-tailers who are currently not operating in Westfield shopping centres.
The company reported that consumers will undertake transactions directly with the individual retailers through the central service. A flat rate delivery cost will charged across Australia. Each store offers one form of free return, either directly into a physical store or via return post. Call centre support will also be offered for customer questions.
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