CapitaLand unveils digital vouchers, turns loyalty app into lifestyle offering

CapitaLand is pushing its digital transformation by taking its shopping voucher digital. The electronic shopping voucher, eCapitaVoucher is incorporated with purchase features, to further increase CapitaVoucher’s popularity with shoppers, corporate partners and retailers.In addition, CapitaStar members can also exchange their STAR$ for eCapitaVoucher for quick and easy redemption at various cashier points using CapitaStar app. On the retailers’ end, eCapitaVoucher from shoppers can be accepted using the in-store terminals provided by CapitaLand. This will no longer require submission of physical vouchers for CapitaLand’s reimbursement.Scaling up as a lifestyle platform, CapitaStar has also extended its reach beyond CapitaLand’s network to partners from different industries, effectively expanding the avenues for CapitaStar members to earn STAR$. The STAR$ accumulated can be exchanged for eCapitaVoucher and merchant deals on the CapitaStar app, that also drives spending at CapitaLand malls.CapitaStar’s partners include SP Group, which rewards its utilities customers with STAR$ when they opt out of hardcopy bills, as well as Grab, whose members can convert GrabRewards points into STAR$. CapitaStar has also been adopted as the loyalty programme by The Punggol Settlement, a cluster of food and beverage establishments in the North East of Singapore.Other partners of CapitaStar include online travel agency Agoda and People’s Association membership card PAssion Card, while partners of CapitaStar’s StayPay ePayment service are American Express and NETSPay. By 3Q 2019, DBS PayLah! customers will be able to link their accounts with CapitaStar to earn STAR$ when they transact using DBS PayLah!.Jason Leow, president (Asia & Retail), CapitaLand Group, said that the company sees digital technology as a key enabler to strengthen CapitaLand’s real estate offerings. He added that digitalising CapitaVoucher will further enhance CapitaStar’s functionality and drive retail sales at CapitaLand malls."As one of Asia’s leading retail loyalty apps with more than 7.8 million members, CapitaStar awarded STAR$® for more than S$800 million of tenants’ sales at our Singapore malls in 2018. In the same year, CapitaVoucher achieved S$90 million in sales – its second consecutive year of double-digit growth. By digitally transforming our business processes and interactions with our shoppers, we strive to enrich the phygital experience at our properties. All the while empowering our retailers to succeed in an omnichannel world where digital touchpoints with shoppers are growing in importance," he said.Chris Chong, deputy managing director (Singapore), CapitaLand Retail, said that started in 2011, the CapitaStar platform has to-date reached about 950,000 members in Singapore. He added that the availability of CapitaVoucher digitally on the CapitaStar platform allows its members to use the online-and-offline services on the CapitaStar app. In addition, Chong said that retailers can simplify their voucher management process.This development also comes in line with the company's goal in transforming CapitaStar into a lifestyle platform that integrates CapitaLand’s offerings into the daily lives of the shoppers.“Leveraging on CapitaLand’s best-in-class operating platform, our retail expertise is highly sought after in the industry to improve consumer interaction and drive higher sales. Offering ‘Loyalty as a Service’ through CapitaStar is an extension of CapitaLand’s ‘Retail as a Service’ business model to generate fee income. As CapitaStar grows its ecosystem and data sets, it will enable CapitaLand to deepen our understanding of shoppers’ behaviours so that we can better meet their needs and aspirations," Chong added.