Bluewater debuts midnight trading as technology helps to drive consumer behaviour
The retail, leisure and entertainment destination has announced that, for the first time, around 20 brands are to trade until midnight on December 23.
Rigby & Peller, Boux Avenue and All Saints will be joined by brands including Schuh, Gap, Tessuti, Beaverbrooks, Kipling and Boots in remaining open until midnight to capture the anitipcated surge in last minute shoppers during the final full day of pre-Christmas trading. More brands are expected to commit over the coming days.
The antcipated influx of late night shoppers has been supported by data captured via Bluewater’s new mobile optimised website. Since launching Christmas online on 11 November, Bluewater has experienced a 43% increase in website users searching for information on stores’ evening opening hours, and a 31% increase in views of the ‘click and collect’ category, versus the previous four weeks.
The trend in online behaviour has also been reflected by Bluewater’s retailers, with strong sales post-7pm, and Bluewater’s carparks remaining at over 50% occupancy at 9pm Mondays to Saturdays. On 9 December, Bluewater also launched two weeks of ‘Mega Days’, with retailers remaining opening until 11pm six days a week until 21 December, which have traditionally been very successful.
Never Miss a Retail Update!Commenting on the introduction of midnight trading, Robert Goodman, Bluewater’s general manager, said, “Consumers have greater choice than ever, so it is vital retail destinations engage on both rational and emotional levels. Bluewater’s support of midnight trading, the launch of the mobile-optimised website, and promotion of click and collect reflect the changing ways consumers shop and access information”.
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