Sonae Sierra has just launched a free Drive-In service in the shopping centers it manages in Portugal, to offer visitors the possibility of conveniently collecting their purchases without leaving their car, after having placed their order online or by phone.
To date, 82 brands have participated, present in 143 stores. Collection points are located in the parking lot of each shopping center.
Cristina Santos, Director of Asset Management at Sonae Sierra for Portugal and Spain, highlights that “ innovation, flexibility, and proactivity have always been part of our DNA. From the very beginning, we have been responding to the pandemic situation we are experiencing, developing new concepts to meet the new needs of visitors and retailers. The lockdown altered behaviors, but omnichannel was already a trend that, within the new normal, has taken on greater importance, as the connection between physical stores and their digital version is now essential .”
Sonae Sierra
Sonae Sierra continues to develop tools to support retailers and create alternative shopping experiences for visitors. Soon, it will offer a service that allows users to see, through the center's website or app, the level of foot and car traffic, enabling customers to better manage their visit.
In March, the company activated an e-commerce platform to allow all retailers in the shopping centers under its management to maintain their business, free of charge, even in cases where their physical stores were closed or they did not have any online sales channel to date. The outcome of this measure has been positive and has particularly helped smaller retailers. In total, 76 brands have already joined.
