Real estate pros urge retailers to adopt digital strategies

Real estate professionals stressed the need for merchants to integrate digital strategies and on-the-ground operations at a meeting on the future of New York retail on Wednesday.

“The convergence between retailers’ online presence and their brick-and-mortar stores needs to happen immediately,” said David Ruddick, executive director of the Westfield Group, at an event sponsored by the Society for Marketing Professional Services, Shawmut Design and Construction and VOA Associates.

Westfield will put this belief into practice at the Fulton Transit Center, where it serves as leaseholder, GlobeSt reported. Ruddick said the company plans to deliver personalized messages to shoppers’ mobile devices based on their buying trends in the retail section of the transit hub. Those messages will alert visitors to sales and featured products within the retail complex, according to the news site.

Greg Tannor, director of the retail service group at Cushman & Wakefield, identified specialty gym Soul Cycle as a company with a winning social media strategy.

“Every instructor is on Facebook, Instagram and the like, saying when and where they’ll be appearing and posting photos or videos from their classes,” said Tannor. [GlobeSt] – Tom DiChristopher