As omnichannel retailing becomes the new reality, Funan is racing ahead to become Singapore’s first online-and-offline (O&O) shopping mall integrating online, offline, data and logistics aimed at empowering retailers’ omnichannel strategy and transforming the customer experience.
Owned by CapitaLand Mall Trust and managed by CapitaLand, Funan today unveils its digital blueprint encompassing customer analytics comprising transaction and demographics data, robotic automation that includes Singapore’s first deployment of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and robotic arm in a retail setting, and a 24-hour click-and-collect drive- through supplemented by warehousing facilities within Funan.
With the benefit of being a new development, Funan has wired its hardware and software differently to plug straight into the phygital (physical + digital) world of today’s consumers.
The rise of omnichannel retailing spells new opportunities to help the retailers do more business by increasing their consumer touchpoints while maintaining a unified view of their customers.
As a native O&O mall with omnichannel retail infrastructure enabled by the latest technology, Funan is well-positioned to attract quality tenants who are able to adapt to and excel in this fast-changing retail landscape. With Funan paving the way forward, they are looking at bringing some of the latest digital innovations and infrastructure to the other malls in our portfolio.
A typical Funan customer journey begins online with an app-based booking of all the facilities within the development via the CapitaStar members’ app by CapitaLand. These services include booking and accessing the open studios in the Tree of Life experiential section, signing up for craft workshops with friends, booking tickets to a theatrical performance by W!ld Rice andreserving meeting rooms in the coworking space.
The app also comes with a smart carpark feature that allows drivers to reserve parking lots in advance, find their car and pay or redeem their parking fees. Shoppers can conveniently leave their wallets at home and make purchases using StarPay – the in-app ePayment feature on CapitaStar, while working professionals use the latest facial recognition technology for card-less access to their offices.
The coveted convenience of hands-free shopping will soon become a reality at Funan. With a simple request for Funan’s automated concierge service at participating retailers, an AGV will pick up shoppers’ purchases from the store to deposit the bags at one of the 100 click-and-collect boxes at Basement 2.
Shoppers can self-collect their purchases with a QR code sent to their phone at their own convenience, or utilise the 24-hour drive-thru collection service, which is fitted with a state-of-the-art robotic arm that can retrieve their merchandise – a huge convenience for those who can only pick up their purchases after Funan’s operating hours.
As part of Funan’s omnichannel retail infrastructure, retailers can make use of the click-and-collect lounge and warehousing facilities at Basement 4 to fulfil their online orders from CapitaLand’s official store on Lazada.SG, thus boosting the productivity of their store space at Funan.
Funan’s adoption of AGVs and robotic arm marks Singapore’s first such deployment in a retail setting. Equipped with a laser-based navigation system, Funan’s AGV can navigate the environment and human traffic effortlessly as it does not require embedded lines or magnetic strips on the ground.
To offer shoppers more personalised experiences, Funan’s digital ecosystem has been programmed to better understand their shopping habits and preferences. On top of accepting StarPay, the in-store smart terminals have the potential to boost retailers’ omnichannel strategy by integrating payment data with other data streams such as stock inventory, click-and-collect orders and customer relationship management for a truly unified view of their customers.
With more than a year to go before opening in 3Q 2019 – earlier than 4Q 2019 originally scheduled – Funan’s trailblazer status as a retail innovation platform has garnered strong interest from retailers. Experiential retail with workshops and spaces that host a variety of lifestyle programmes will complement tenants including Golden Village, Kopitiam, Climb Central, W!ld Rice, Carrie K., Keepers, FairPrice Finest, Newstead Technologies, AddOn Systems and T K Foto.
Funan is located right in the heart of the Civic & Cultural District with excellent connectivity, including a direct underpass linking to City Hall MRT interchange station.
The Funan integrated development comprises a mall of the future serving as a platform to inspire retail innovation; two Grade A office blocks that meet the needs of a variety of business, including established MNCs and co-working spaces for the mobile workforce; as well as The Ascott Limited’s lyf brand of co- living serviced residence designed for millennials.
Photo Credits: Capitaland
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