The bet is that having a digital marketplace will entice shoppers back to the mall
People pass a large Christmas tree as they go shopping on Christmas Eve at a mall in Ottawa in 2020. Photo by Justin Tang/The Canadian Press files
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The internet didn’t kill the mall like many thought it would during the pandemic, but the owners of some of Canada’s biggest retail spaces aren’t taking any chances.
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Oxford Properties Group Inc. and Primaris Real Estate Investment Trust both have created their own online shopping platforms that mirror some of their physical properties. The bet is that having a digital marketplace that resembles Amazon will entice shoppers back to the mall, especially those jaded by the crowded gallerias and long checkout queues.
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Part of the thinking is that online shopping is now the norm, not a fallback, said Lucia Connor, vice-president of marketing at Oxford Properties, the real estate arm of Ontario Municipal Employees’ Retirement System pension fund. The government’s stay-at-home orders during the pandemic meant retail tenants and landlords had to adjust, offering curbside pickup at the mall for example, to keep revenues flowing.
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