Sonae Sierra launches free Drive-In service for its shopping centres

Sonae Sierra launches free Drive-In service for its shopping centres

Maia – Portugal, 25 May 2020

• The initiative allows visitors to collect their purchases in a convenient and efficient way
• The solution is available at all shopping centres managed by the Company

Sonae Sierra has launched a free Drive-In service at the shopping centres it manages in Portugal, offering visitors the convenience of collecting their purchases without leaving their cars, after placing their order online or by phone. So far, some 82 brands have signed up to the initiative across 143 stores. Purchase collection points are located in the car park of each centre.

Cristina Santos, Managing Director of Property Management for Portugal and Spain at Sonae Sierra says: “Innovation, flexibility and proactivity have always been part of our DNA. From day one of the pandemic we have been responding to the situation by developing new concepts to meet the evolving needs of visitors and tenants. Lockdown has changed behaviors, but omnichannel was already a trend, which has assumed even greater importance as part of the new normal. Today, more than ever, the link between physical stores and their digital counterparts is essential.”

Sonae Sierra continues to develop tools to support tenants, and to create alternative shopping experiences for visitors. It will shortly roll out a service that allows customers to check the levels of foot and vehicle traffic to a centre through its website or app, allowing shoppers to better manage their visit.

In March, the Company activated an ecommerce platform free of charge, to allow all the tenants of its shopping centres under management to continue to do business, even where their physical stores were closed, and /or had no online sales channel to date. The outcome of this measure has been very positive, in particular helping smaller retailers. In total, some 76 brands have joined the initiative.