South African retailers and shopping centres have openly embraced the technological boom.
This is according to the South African Council of Shopping Centres (SACSC), a non-profit organisation focusing on enhancing the shopping centre and retail industry in SA.
"Retailers in SA have begun to embrace technology. The possibilities that come with technology are endless," says Amanda Stops, CEO of SACSC.
She notes there are a number of South African retailers that have embraced technology in all its forms.
"South African retailers are as resilient as they come. Even through tough economic times, many have soldiered on successfully. Now, with the advent and constant advances in technology, South African retailers and shopping centres have begun to explore and maximise this technological surge.
"It is exciting to see both retailers and shopping centres have embraced technology. It is not a matter of technology or online stores replacing the physical counterparts but rather how the two can complement each other in a harmonious way. The retailers and shopping centres of the future will be those who get the balance just right and who maximise technology and most importantly understand the ever-changing needs of the customer," she notes.
Menlyn Park in Pretoria is one of many that has welcomed this evolution, says SASCS.
Tech advancements such as dedicated charging stations for electric and hybrid vehicles, licence-plate recognition and developing an analytical parking app for mobile devices that will allow users to locate their vehicles are among the many plans Menlyn Park has in the pipeline.
The centre does head counts as opposed to foot counts, which also tag an individual with a unique number to prevent 'double-counting'.
Menlyn Park has also installed smart-metering systems which ensure accurate billings that are on time for tenants.
"Most of our tenants offer online shopping platforms for customers and this also motivates the others to follow suit," says Olive Ndebele, GM of Menlyn Park. "Energy-efficiency is also important so we have improved our technology with regards to air-conditioning, lifts and escalators. Currently, we are in the process of partnering up with Google for further technological advancements," she adds.
Amanda Dilima, retail leasing consultant for the V&A Waterfont in the Western Cape, says they too are embracing the technological age.
"We have recently embarked on an exciting project that involves voice-guided location screens in the centre which are supplemented by a mobile app. This voice guides the customer to where they wish to go in the mall in real-time. The app also provides interesting information to the user about their current location as they navigate to their destination," she notes.
Bedford Centre in Bedfordview has launched Johannesburg's first virtual reality arcade which opened its doors in October 2016. Food and consumer goods retailers Pick n Pay and Woolworths, along with clothing retailers The Foschini Group and the Mr Price Group, have also successfully jumped on the technological train, offering online shopping platforms.
Dion Chang, founder of trend research and consulting company, Flux Trends, says 2017 is the year of the drone, among other things.
He points out that if retailers and brands don't find themselves among the ones that have evolved, adapted and elevated themselves into the technological spheres and the booming e-commerce realm, they may find themselves on the back foot.
"When it comes to technology, drones are definitely as tech as they come. This year, drone technology is going flat-out and will be rolled out more intensively. In Rwanda, for example, blood samples are being delivered to hospitals via drone technology. Due to the rough terrain and inaccessibility, the only answer was drone technology. The samples get dropped via parachute to the location. Drone commerce is happening."
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