CapitaLand puts more focus online with new e-mall on Lazada

CapitaLand has struck partnerships with Alibaba in China and Lazada in Singapore. It will manage the Alibaba Shanghai Center, the organisation’s new Shanghai headquarters. CapitaLand will oversee the pre-opening and management of the shopping podium and one of the four office towers in Alibaba Shanghai Center.In Singapore, CapitaLand will collaborate with Lazada to launch an exclusive online mall on Lazada Singapore. The shop-in-shop on Lazada Singapore’s site looks to position CapitaLand as an omni-channel retail landlord connecting retailers to shoppers both offline and online. It aims to aggregate the offerings of retailers in its Singapore malls on Lazada Singapore’s platform by the end of this year.This will allow shoppers who patronise the CapitaLand official store on Lazada.SG to the option to collect their purchases in CapitaLand malls. In doing so, customers will also be rewarded with STAR$, the membership points of the CapitaStar programme.Both CapitaLand and Lazada will allocate resources to onboard retailers and promote the platform to shoppers, with the intention of rapidly scaling up the initiative in the next two years. CapitaLand will roll out two unmanned click-and-collect lounges at Plaza Singapura and Bugis+ for shoppers to collect and return their parcels. In addition to collection lockers, the lounges will feature fitting rooms and a product-testing bench to enhance the overall shopping experience.“Even as new technologies disrupt traditional business models, real estate remains an important part of a holistic customer journey, as affirmed by leading digital players who are seeking to gain a foothold in the physical space,” Lim Ming Yan, president and group CEO of CapitaLand, said.“Shanghai is one of the important platforms to Alibaba and our new headquarters here will serve as our strategic nerve centre for rolling out our new retail strategy. We are delighted to partner with CapitaLand on this project, as they are a leading property developer and manager in Asia with industry-leading physical retail capabilities,” Wang Tao, head of intelligent building at Alibaba Group, said.“Our collaboration with CapitaLand offers shoppers in Singapore the ease of accessing their favourite shops online and enjoying an integrated shopping experience," Alexis Lanternier (pictured right), CEO of Lazada Singapore, said.