Accepted Manuscript

Digital strategies for two-sided markets: A case study of shopping

malls

Johan Frishammar, Javier Cenamor, Harald Cavalli-Björkman,

Emma Hernell, Johan Carlsson

PII: S0167-9236(18)30032-0
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dss.2018.02.003
Reference: DECSUP 12929
To appear in: Decision Support Systems
Received date: 3 January 2017
Revised date: 30 January 2018
Accepted date: 7 February 2018

Please cite this article as: Johan Frishammar, Javier Cenamor, Harald Cavalli-Björkman,
Emma Hernell, Johan Carlsson , Digital strategies for two-sided markets: A case study
of shopping malls. The address for the corresponding author was captured as affiliation
for all authors. Please check if appropriate. Decsup(2017), https://doi.org/10.1016/
j.dss.2018.02.003

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 ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT

Digital Strategies for Two-sided Markets: A Case study of

Shopping Malls
Johan Frishammar (Corresponding author)

Professor, Entrepreneurship & Innovation

Luleå University of Technology

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Entrepreneurship & Innovation

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SE-971 87 Luleå, Sweden

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E-mail: Johan.Frishammar@ltu.se

Phone: +46 73 805 76 41

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Javier Cenamor

Postdoctoral researcher
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Lund University
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School of Economics and Management

S220 07 Lund, Sweden

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E-mail: javier.cenamor@fek.lu.se
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Harald Cavalli-Björkman

re:newcell AB

Cardellgatan 1

SE-114 36 Stockholm

E-mail: harald.cavalli-bjorkman@renewcell.com
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Emma Hernell

HUI Research

SE-103 29 Stockholm

E-mail: emma.hernell@hui.se

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Johan Carlsson

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Evry Sweden

Box 9171
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400 94 Gothenburg
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E-mail: johan.carlsson@evry.com
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Abstract

Digitalization is fundamentally changing the retailing ecosystem for shopping malls as digital and
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analogue elements get increasingly intertwined. We conceptualize shopping malls as two-sided

markets whose primary function is connecting shoppers and retailers. By means of an interpretative
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case study, the article then presents an omnichannel strategy typology for how shopping malls can

meet the evolving digitalization challenge. We identify three generic strategies labeled digital awaiter,

digital data gatherer, and digital embracer. The paper provides implications for research in

omnichannel strategies, digitalization, and two-sided markets by explicating different strategies that

involve physical and digital resources, and different ecosystem agents, i.e., retailers and shoppers. It

also provides insights for other organizations beyond retailing and which operate under a two-sided

market regime.

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Keywords: Digitalization; Two-sided market; Omnichannel strategies; Shopping mall; Retailing;

Interpretative case study

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Digital Strategies for Two-sided Markets: A Case study of

Shopping Malls

1. Introduction

Retailing is a key sector in the modern economy, allowing the delivery of products and services to

shoppers [1]. In 2014, there were more than 114.000 shopping malls in the United States only,

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generating $2.52 trillion in turnaround and providing 12.7 million people with a job [2]. Shopping

malls have become a globally distributed phenomenon with more than 1.500 and 3.000 malls in the

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UK and Japan, respectively. Examples of shopping malls include the Xanadú outside Madrid in Spain,

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the Mall of America in Bloomington, US, or the Mall of Scandinavia in Stockholm, Sweden.
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Shopping malls play a central role in the retail ecosystem by bringing together groups of shoppers

and retailers. The traditional activities of shopping malls is managing physical facilities, such as
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security and maintenance operations, that enable retailers to trade effectively [3,4]. Recently, however,

digital technologies are seriously challenging traditional retailing [5,6]. Specifically, digital

technologies are devices characterized by easily programing a wide arrange of features; the
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homogenization of data that can be efficiently stored, transmitted, processed, and displayed; and the
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network effects that accelerate their diffusion [7]. For example, electronic word of mouth has become

a critical driver of retailers' day-to-day decisions [8]. Moreover, information management on a

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massive scale now enables firms to combine digital and physical elements to offer novel products and

services [9,10]. In this respect, an increasingly large number of retailers are implementing digital
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technologies to exploit efficiency gains, to broaden their portfolio of activities, and to enhance

availability for shoppers [11–13]. In fact, some physical retailers, such as music stores, have almost

disappeared because of the rapid spread of digital platforms [14]. Thus, digitalization is changing

retailers by providing alternatives to traditional business models [15]. However, the role of the

shopping mall in this emerging digital context is poorly understood.

Digitalization represents a widespread, evolving phenomenon that is attracting an increasingly

large number of studies [16]. Broadly defined, digitalization refers to the integration of digital

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technologies to transform activities, processes, actors, and goods from analogue to digital to facilitate

new forms of value creation [17]. The literature has extensively elaborated new ways for value

creation enabled by diverse digital technologies, like ICTs and sensors [18–20]. Regarding retailing,

the literature highlights the potential benefits for retailers to implement shopping analytics [21] and

omnichannel strategies [22]. For example, some retailers are installing sensors to track consumer’s

behavior, and screens in physical stores that allow shoppers to place online orders with only a few

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clicks and receive products at home later. Thus, digital technologies may leverage the value a mall’s

physical assets provide. For example, the Australian mall Westfield launched an online mall already in

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2011 to complement their physical activities.

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However, recent research highlights that the long-term success of digitalization is far more

complex than just turning all the physical to digital [23,24]. The integration of multiple distribution
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channels implies important resource and process decisions with uncertain reactions from customers

[25]. In this respect, indiscriminate digital initiatives can erode a firm’s competitive advantage [26].
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Specifically, a substantial investment in developing new digital services may lead to new service

offerings without revenues compensating the higher costs [27]. For example, online users need
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different signals when evaluating products, especially those provided by unknown online sellers

[28,29]. Moreover, recent studies also defend the complementary role of physical assets, and
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underscore the need for balancing digital and physical resources [22,30]. In fact, important digital
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retailers are now integrating physical assets into their business model [17]. For example, Amazon

bought the organic food chain Whole Foods in 2017 [31]. Thus, digital technologies are pushing firms
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to adapt their strategies towards digital-physical resource orchestration, external interactions, and a

focus on ecosystem value creation [32]. This means that defining a digital strategy represents a

complex challenge that must be addressed to ensure survival [33]. In this respect, the literature has

identified different types of mall orientations [34]. However, the understanding of digital strategies is

still limited and mainly focused on individual retailers rather than shopping malls [6,21,35].

A digital strategy typology for shopping malls, therefore, is relevant for several reasons. First,

digital technologies are transforming organizations, but a clear characterization of different digital

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strategies is lacking [23]. Second, digitalization does not occur in isolation, so physical assets will

continue to play a key role by means of omnichannel logic. However, it is not yet clear what strategic

options exist for a mall to bundle physical and digital assets in an offer that is valuable to both retailers

and shoppers [36]. Finally, online competition from individual retailers in a shopping mall may

undermine revenues generated from physical malls [see e.g., 37]. Shopping malls often struggle to

compete with online retailers’ convenience, accessibility, and endless product selection [38]. Thus,

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there is a need for shopping malls to find new avenues for a broadened value proposition.

In the present article, we propose digital strategies for shopping malls. Based on the idea that

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shopping malls bridge retailers and shoppers, we adopt a two-sided market approach [39]. We

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contribute to previous research on omnichannel strategies, digitalization, and two-sided markets by

proposing a strategy typology to better understand the role of digital technologies and how these can
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be combined with physical elements into omnichannel strategies. The present article, therefore, speaks

to owners of physical shopping malls (i.e., landlords) but also to retail development managers,
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consultants, and others devoted to developing shopping malls. It also provides insights to other firms

and to academics interested in digital strategies for two-sided markets.

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This article proceeds as follows: Section two presents the background of shopping malls as two-
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sided markets, whereas section three presents the methods. Section four presents a digital strategy

typology for shopping malls. In section five, we discuss our findings and provide implications.
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2. Digitalization and Shopping Malls: A Traditional Two-sided Market

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Facing the Digital Era

Shopping malls’ main activity is enabling interactions between two groups of agents: retailers and

shoppers. Shopping malls thus create value by playing a role in a specific market structure, i.e. as

platform owner in a two-sided market [40]. Parallel examples include video consoles (with video

game publishers and gamers), and payment cards (with card-readers and card-holders) [41,42]. Unlike

linear value chains where suppliers provide firms with inputs, and firms deliver products and services

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to customers, complementary firms and customers interact through the platform [43]. In this context,

the value provided by the platform to each side is highly dependent on the size and the type of agents

on the other side [39]. In two-sided markets, the decisions of one side impact the other side, and vice

versa [44]. For example, one additional retailer increases the value to shoppers as product variety

expands, and additional shoppers increase the value to retailers.

A platform owner’s aim, therefore, is to get both sides of the market on board [45]. Accordingly, a

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shopping mall’s strategy must pay deliberate attention to both sides and should assure value by clearly

defining the roles of the two sides. In this respect, shopping malls try to attract agents from both sides

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by maximizing the value provided by their physical assets. Literature claims that attracting agents to

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one side of the market is contingent on first attracting some on the other side [46]. Traditionally,

choosing a location in close proximity to targeted shoppers has been the key to attracting the shoppers
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and, subsequently, retailers searching for those shoppers [47]. Popular retailers attract more shoppers

that enhance the value of the shopping mall, benefit the rest of the retailers in the mall, and feed a
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virtuous cycle. Distance has acted as a barrier for competition, often creating local quasi-monopolies.

Specifically, a platform tends to tip the market when the costs of adopting several platforms are high
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[40]. In other words, physical distance limits the number of shopping malls that shoppers visit.

Consequently, in this traditional structure, assuring that shoppers have access to the mall has given
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some shopping malls bargaining power to obtain increasing revenues from retailers [48]. Specifically,
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the shopping malls typically facilitate shoppers the access to their buildings and adapt their facilities to

maximize the shopping experience. In this respect, shoppers often receive shopping mall’s services for
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free, like parking, while the shopping mall charges rents to retailers for the physical space occupied by

their stores. Traditionally, the mall thus selects an attractive physical location, assure an appropriate

combination of stores, and sign exclusivity contracts [49]. For example, exclusivity dictates that only

one (or a few) retailers of a certain type may operate in a certain area.

Digitalization is now changing much of this traditional logic. Digital technologies have spread

gradually and now represent a shift in business strategies in many industries, including retailing [23].

Given the wide variety of contexts, digital technologies have reached a broad scope [17,50,51].

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Compared to analogue, digital technologies enable new functions and facilitate the management of

data [7]. Thus, implementing digital technologies is transforming how firms define the source of value

and the value proposition. In particular, the literature has highlighted the benefits of e-commerce

[19,52] and argues that firms can create value through digital technologies in the form of efficiency,

complementarity, novelty, and lock-in [53]. In this respect, individual retailers have adopted digital

technologies that allow them to provide services at an unprecedented scale [11]. For example, some

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retailers provide shoppers with real-time, customized experiences with data collected from shoppers’

smartphones [5], e.g. a social route recommender mechanism for store shopping. Their customers can

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use a mobile-based guidance service for in-store shopping that combines users' shopping preferences,

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contextual information, and social information [54]. Moreover, digital technologies may allow

retailers to improve their management operations and reduce their costs. For example, as of August
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2015, 87 million users in the US visited Walmart’s websites each month [55]. Thus, retailers have

started to consider digital technologies as an alternative platform that provides a direct relationship
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with shoppers. In fact, the spread of digital technologies has led to the emergence and growth of giant

digital retailers. For example, Amazon started as an online seller of just books, but transcended
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successfully into delivering a diverse range of services [56]. For shoppers, digital technologies save

time and improve both the evaluation and acquisition of products and services [57–60]. From the
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shopper’s perspective, retailers’ platforms often represent an efficient solution that can be adopted

with little or no cost.

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In this rapidly changing context, digitalization is questioning the traditional value proposition of
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shopping malls for retailers and shoppers. Many retailers can circumvent the mall and easily reach

shoppers directly through their own digital platforms. Thus, by creating cross-channel free riding

opportunities for customers, retailers can circumvent the physical shopping mall. New digital

platforms are thus emerging as a potential substitute to shopping malls in the intermediation of the

interactions between retailers and shoppers [19,61]. However, recent research criticize the total

substitutability of physical resources by defending the complexity of retailing and the need for

omnichannel strategies combining physical and digital resources [11,17,30]. In this respect, physical

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resources, such as mall facilities, provide a unique value in the buying experience that cannot be

totally replaced. For example, customers are increasingly using brick-and-mortar stores as showrooms

to try the product before buying it online later [62].

Therefore, the ongoing digitalization represents an array of opportunities for shopping malls too.

Specifically, the digital sphere offers shopping malls a set of tools to better manage the interactions

between retailers and shoppers through connectivity enhancements and big data analytics [63].

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Moreover, they can also enhance shoppers’ value by leveraging the networked nature of digital

technologies. Examples include building relationships through apps to help shoppers locate stores and

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building bonds through social media [64]. Despite the potential for value creation, however, a large

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number of shopping malls fail in designing a successful strategy in the digital context [45]. While

recent research have identified different digitalization paths [33,65], high technological dynamism and
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the specific roles of the firms [52,66,67] limit the application of previous findings to shopping malls.

For example, many of these prior studies focus on firms situated in a traditional value chain, rather
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than those operating under a two-sided market logic.

In sum, the insights into strategies for shopping malls facing the digitalization challenge are
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scarce and a deeper understanding of digital strategies of shopping malls is critical, as no such
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typology yet exists. Based on the digitalization and two-sided market literatures, we explored

shopping malls’ strategies, choices, and challenges. The next section outlines our method for doing so.
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3. Methods
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3.1 Research strategy

Research on strategies to address digitalization of shopping malls is nascent. We therefore adopted an

interpretative case study as our research strategy, which is appropriate when prior research is at the

early, formative stages [68,69]. Our study was guided by prior literature on digitalization and two-

sided markets, which created a theoretical basis for the empirical study. While these literatures

constituted our basis, we followed prior advice for interpretative case studies and preserved a

considerable degree of openness to the data, i.e. we allowed initial assumptions to be modified and

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codes and themes to be generated from data [70,71]. The final output of our analysis is a strategy

typology. That is, we strive to build theory rather than to test or verify it [72].

3.2 Research setting and data collection

Our research setting is the shopping mall sector in the Nordic countries. While some descriptive

survey data was collected in Denmark, Finland and Norway, the clear majority of all data was

collected in Sweden. The Nordic countries is an appropriate setting for a study like ours because of a

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large shopping mall sector, with many shopping malls utilizing digital technologies in their day-to-day

operations [73]. The present study’s unit of analysis is thus shopping malls. Data collection took place

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between November 2014 and November 2015, and combined three sources of data as summarized in

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Table 1.

[Table 1 about here]

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First, three large workshops gathered together owners and managers of shopping malls, property
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owners, consultants, and researchers with an interest and combined expertise in retailing,

digitalization, and strategy. The workshops provided in-depth information about the overall shopping

mall context, general trends and future challenges, omnichannel problems and opportunities, current
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digital transformation, and strategic initiatives of various types of malls. In addition, an additional
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eight smaller workshops and work meetings were held to develop the strategy framework. The first

three workshops were critical for the research process as they enabled fluent interactions with a large
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number of stakeholders in real time. They also provided us with rich information and critical feedback

for developing the strategy typology as emergent versions were presented, discussed and subsequently
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revised. The insights made during the first three major workshops also fed directly into the interview

protocol and into the construction of the survey (see appendices 1 and 2). At the fourth workshop,

which was held about ten months after the third, the final version of the strategy typology was

presented. The purpose of this final workshop was to validate the strategy typology and to discuss its

implementation in participating organizations.

Second, a survey was sent to 1.173 members of the Nordic Council of Shopping Centers, an

association that represents the shopping mall industry in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. 70

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completed surveys were received, with respondents being retailers and property owners. The survey

complemented the workshops with descriptive background information regarding digitalization and

deepened the understanding of digital technologies, services, and strategies of shopping malls.

Specifically, we gained insights into what characterized the current strategies of different types of

malls, that the locus of responsibility for developing strategy may vary, which services, tools and

digital platforms that prevailed, capabilities and capability gaps of different actors, digital

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opportunities and challenges, the current use of digital tools, and the driving forces for investments in

digital technologies. As some of our questions were open-ended, we were also notified of malls

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believed to be leading in digitalization, in both the Nordic countries and elsewhere. The questions and

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items from the survey, some open-ended and others with pre-defined decision alternatives are

displayed in appendix 2. Insights from the survey and from the workshops were helpful for
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constructing pre-versions of the strategy typology, and for constructing the protocol for the subsequent

interviews.
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Third, interviews were conducted with a broad set of actors with expertise in digitalization of

retailing, including information technology (IT) and service providers, marketing communications
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experts focusing on real estate markets, shopping mall managers, and representatives from firms

specializing in shopper- and big data analytics. The interviews varied between 45 and 75 minutes with
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an average of 60 minutes and provided input on strategy challenges, digitalization trends, activities,
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and types of digital services offered to both retailers and shoppers/visitors. Some of the later

interviews were also helpful in validating the emerging strategy framework.

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3.3 Data analysis

We relied on thematic analysis to analyze the data. Thematic analysis is a method for identifying,

analyzing and reporting patterns and themes within data which is consistent with the interpretative

case study approach [74]. The analysis was a constant moving back-and-forth among data, emerging

analysis in the form of ideas, codes and themes, and literature. We adapted the phases proposed by

Braun & Clarke [74] to structure our analysis, although these by no means unfolded sequentially.

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Phase 1: Familiarizing yourself with the data. We continuously visited and reflected upon parts

of the data during data collection, e.g. after conducting workshops and interviews. When all data was

collected, we read it carefully to get familiar with the depth and breadth of contents prior to starting

formal coding (i.e. we read the complete workshop notes, transcribed interviews and descriptive

survey data). This improved the contextual understanding of the shopping mall sector and led to

preliminary ideas regarding opportunities and threats for malls, sector-specific challenges, the role of

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digital technologies in this setting, and some preliminary ideas for codes and themes.

Phase 2: Generate initial codes. We began coding by searching for segments or elements in data

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that appeared interesting given our research question. Digitalization and two-sided market literatures

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were helpful here as a “sensitizing devise”. We coded and recoded the data over several weeks, paying

particular attention to prior theoretical insights while simultaneously trying to avoid seeing only what
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prior theory suggested. Codes identify a feature of the data that appear interesting [73]. Some of these

features or insights emerged inductively from the data, e.g. that different types of digital technologies
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were being used in malls, that digital service offers varied, and that different internal functions, such

as marketing or IT, had different strategic engagements and commitments in different types of malls.
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Other features were theoretically aligned from the outset. For example, the fact that malls may differ

in their value proposition to shoppers and retailers, respectively, is consistent with prior research on
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two-sided markets.
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Phase 3: Searching for themes. We then moved to interpretative analysis at the broader level by

grouping the codes from phase 2 under potential overarching themes by means of excel tables and
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mind maps. Some initial codes where now further relabeled to form themes, whereas others remained

codes or sub-themes. Phase 3 resulted in four preliminary themes (named Digital technologies, Focus

of attention, Digital service scope and Mall engagement in data collection) along with associated

codes. We also created a category named “Miscellaneous” to gather codes that did not fit naturally

into any other theme. Here, we also constructed multiple draft version of the strategy framework by

combining, adding and removing emerging themes in different ways.

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Phase 4: Reviewing, defining and naming themes. This phase began with a set of candidate

themes that immediately proved problematic. One theme−Digital service scope−were relabeled and

used as a code. Another theme−Mall engagement in data collection−was not sufficiently supported

with data. The remaining two candidate themes were further refined and renamed “Role of digital

technologies” and “Center of gravity”. These labels capture the “essence” of what each theme is about,

and constitute the key dimensions of our proposed strategy typology. These two remaining themes

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were then reviewed in two ways. First, we checked the data for each code organized under each of the

two themes individually to assure they formed a coherent pattern. Second, we analyzed whether our

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candidate thematic map (i.e. codes and themes overall) accurately reflected the meanings in the full set

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of data, and that distinctions between the two themes were clear. Our final set of themes and codes are

displayed in the first two columns of table 2. As additional validation, a close to final version of the
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strategy typology was presented at workshop 4, where feedback were obtained on codes, themes,

labeling and contents of the different strategies.

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Phase 5: Writing a draft report. Based on the analysis we crafted a draft text for each strategy in

the typology, i.e. an analytic narrative that illustrates each strategy. Each text grounds in our data and
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analysis. According to Braun & Clarke [74], such narratives must move beyond the pure description of

data. To accommodate this point, we also added examples of other malls form around the world that
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seem to follow the different strategies that constitute the typology. The next section contains the final
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versions of these narratives.

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4. A Digital Strategy Typology for Shopping Malls

The data collected from the survey highlight that digitalization is transforming shopping mall

activities. Among respondents, 41% found developing digital services to be a challenge, and 61%

reported connecting with consumers on new platforms to be a key challenge. Furthermore, in our

survey, 44% of respondents reported that a great challenge for shopping malls is to develop a coherent

digital strategy, and only 37% said they had some sort of strategy in place to address digitalization.

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Also, the level of development of digital capabilities varied considerably. Our findings revealed that

only 25% of survey respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they currently possessed the

capabilities needed to digitalize shopping malls. During workshop two, a representative from a mall

owning company also told us:

“Crafting a digital strategy for our mall is difficult. There are so many dimensions to take into

account…the retailers, their customers… us of course, our competitors…all situated in a rapidly

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changing context. Plus there is the threat of e-commerce.”

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Combined, these data underscores the need for an integrative strategy framework, which allow

shopping malls to analyze their strategic position and to define their future path. Specifically, we

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identified three digitalization strategies for shopping malls, which we label digital awaiter, digital data

gatherer, and digital embracer (Figure 1).

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[Figure 1 about here]
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The typology is based on the following fundamentals. None of these strategies is better than any

other as such. As we will describe, examples of highly successful (and less successful) malls are found
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in each quadrant. Moreover, all strategies are omnichannel strategies in the sense that they combine

digital and physical elements. Thus, although the role of the different elements varies by strategy,
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digital and physical elements exist in all of them.

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Two themes allowed us to delineate the strategies: the role of digital technologies and the center

of gravity. First, the role of digital technologies refers to the importance that shopping malls attribute
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to implementing digital technologies. It may vary from insignificant to highly significant. The specific

codes/elements underpinning this theme are the type of digital technologies used, digital service

complexity, and the key department/function for pursuing digital technologies. Second, center of

gravity refers to the focus of shopping malls in providing value. Specifically, some shopping malls

target their value offering mainly toward one side of the market (typically the supply side, i.e.

retailers), whereas others focus on both sides (i.e. retailers and shoppers). In delineating this theme, we

propose differences in the direction of digital information flows, the digital value proposition to

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shoppers, the digital value proposition to retailers, and the intensity of demand and supply side

contributions. For themes and codes/elements, see table 2.

[Table 2 about here]

4.1 Digital Awaiter

Digital awaiters use commonly accepted, mature digital technologies, such as infrared beams, which

count consumers that walk into and out of the mall. These are basic and generally accepted

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technologies. However, the digital awaiter position does not necessarily imply a negative attitude

toward digitalization; it is more that shopping malls following this strategy do not currently believe in,

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or need, the added value from implementing advanced digital technologies. In the words of one of our

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interviewees, a business developer at AMF Fastigheter, who owns the Mood gallery mall in

Stockholm, Sweden:
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“We are reluctant to using fancy digital technologies…I’m sure they can be great, they are
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probably very useful, but I would like to underscore that we are not really…we are not there

yet.”
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In this respect, digital awaiters offer simple services like free Wi-Fi and official websites with

simple information such as opening hours. Digital services offered have low complexity because they
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interact with other elements in the mall in a rather simple way. For example, 91% of the malls in our

survey used social media like Facebook. In doing so, a majority of respondents claimed malls
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following this strategy to view digital technologies or services as a secondary resource with a non-

critical impact on their operations. As such, digitalization is considered and addressed by the digital
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awaiter as a set of communication decisions involving resources at the functional level. In fact, our

workshop discussions show that the decisions related to digital technologies are usually assumed by

the marketing department/function. As one of the workshop participants phrased it:

“Marketing tools is a marketing responsibility. It is their responsibility to keep the webpage

updated, and to make our voice heard on Facebook and Youtube. These are important channels

for our visitors.”

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Different center of gravity exists for the digital awaiter strategy. Some digital awaiters are supply-

side centered. This means that they focus directly on the retailers and only indirectly on the shoppers.

Others are two-sided in their orientation. In other words, they consider both sides of their market as

equally important. In the former case, shopping malls deploy their resources and capabilities to

enhance the retailers’ sales. Thus, they provide a basic marketplace where supply and demand meets.

Two Swedish malls - Nordstan in Gothenburg and Caroli in Malmö – are representative according to

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our workshop participants.

In contrast, malls with a stronger two-sided orientation attend to both sides of the market by

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attracting potential buyers to the retailers and offering more complex services to shoppers, including,

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for example, educational and entertainment activities. Even so, the more advanced services are in the

physical rather than digital domain for the digital awaiter, such as fashion shows that connect retailers
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and shoppers.
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The value proposition to shoppers via digital technologies features one-way communication of

basic information to the shoppers, such as information about opening hours, store locations, and which

retailers are present in the mall. From the supply side perspective, digital awaiters’ main digital value
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proposition is to complement the more specific information that most individual retailers provide with
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a basic and common digital platform where shoppers can easily find general facts, for example,

through a home page on the web.

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Moreover, the demand and supply side active contributions in digital value creation are low. In

other words, retailers and shoppers receive the digital value the shopping mall creates with only a
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small contribution to the process. In this respect, the malls’ digital role is related to diffusing basic

information. Examples of other services common to digital awaiters are digital postal services, such as

ordering online from a retailer at home and picking it up in the mall or home delivery service of items

purchased online. The click & collect service offered by Field´s in Denmark, or Mall of Scandinavia in

Solna, Sweden, are representative examples.

An representative example of a digital awaiter is Gekås Ullared, a highly successful shopping

mall in southern Sweden. This mall is one of Sweden’s top tourist destinations, and shoppers often

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travel far to spend a day or two at the mall. The mall’s approach is minimizing investments in digital

technologies in the short term and delivering a unique value proposition focused on retailers, location,

and low prices. In the words of one of our interviewees, the store manager at Gekås:

“Gekås never pioneer anything. We adapt when something is already well tried out somewhere

else. A digital world look expensive and upscale, and that does not fit our philosophy. We strive

for the simple; our whole concept is built upon low prices.”

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However, malls following this strategy exist also outside the Nordic countries. An additional

example of a digital awaiter is BR Malls, which is Latin America’s largest shopping mall owner. In its

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San Paolo mall, they focus on physical assets and two-sided interactions. For example, they offer a

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space inside the mall to facilitate the exchange of clothing among shoppers [75].
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4.2 Digital Data Gatherer
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Shopping malls following the digital data gatherer strategy go a step further and use increasingly

sophisticated and complex digital technologies, such as beacons or geo-fencing solutions, to collect

vast amounts of big data from shoppers in the physical world. They use this data to optimize store
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location, cut “cold corners” or to facilitate the flow of shoppers in and out of the mall. First and
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foremost, however, they feed this data to the retailers that populate their malls. Kamppi in Helsinki,

Finland, or Herning Centret in Herning, Denmark, are representative examples according to our
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workshop data. In the words of a workshop participant:

“With better information from advanced analytics it is possible to maximize the usage of the
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mall, for example by creating better contracts or optimizing store locations. Information can also

be sold or given to tenants, and sometimes to external advertisers.”

With the focus on advanced digital technologies, our workshop data clearly pictures the key

department/function that executes this strategy to be Information Technology (IT), often in partnership

with one or more external technology suppliers. About 7% of the respondents in our survey claimed

that the IT department is in charge of digitalization strategy. Thus, digital technologies constitute a

powerful resource for digital data gatherers.

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The center of gravity for digital data gatherers is on the supply side. As a two-sided market, the

mall may, of course, also work with the shoppers to some extent, but the clear locus of efforts is on the

retailers. Shoppers may benefit by extension (based on what individual retailers do with the data the

mall collects.

In other words, the digital data gatherer collects data from one side of the market (shoppers) and

feeds it to the other side (retailers), either directly or indirectly. Because shopping malls use digital

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technologies to collect and analyze data from shoppers, to deliver more substantiated decisions and

detailed reports to retailers, the main direction of digital information flow is from shoppers, via the

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shopping mall, to the retailers in that mall. In the words of one of our interviewees, a VP as Senion

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lab:

“If you own a mall, you can do things to boost sales of the retailers, or at least increase their
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general happiness with the mall. By giving them information. But the effect on your bottom line is
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indirect, because you do not sell more. But in extension, you can charge more if others sell more,

and then it is a win-win.”

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According to workshop participants, one example is property owner Unibail Rodamco who uses

customer apps and scanning of visiting vehicles to increase insights for retailers at their mall in Täby
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Centrum, Sweden. Another example is the loyalty program to collect shopper data by the Emporia

mall in Malmö, Sweden, which is then fed to the retailers in that mall.
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Like the digital awaiter, the digital data gatherer makes a digital value proposition to shoppers
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that centers on basic digital information, such as opening hours or store location. However, they may

also offer a more adapted physical experience to shoppers by reconfiguring physical assets to fit

shopper’s needs more effectively (or allow their retailers to do this). Thus, the value proposition to

shoppers based on digital technologies is indirect. However, shopping malls strive to enhance

retailers’ performance by increasing the efficiency of their core operations and offering new

opportunities to create value based on data analytics.

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These digital technologies are often invisible to shoppers’ eyes. Typically, sensors are located in

strategic places to collect valuable data without interfering with the shopping experience. Shoppers’

active contribution is thus low, although it may be low- to medium for retailers given their

commitments. Specifically, shoppers using the mall are providing valuable data, although they may

not always be aware they are participating. The digital data gatherer, however, is usually not the party

that launches all the complex digital services in the mall. Rather, they feed data to individual retailers,

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which may use it to launch services or customize shopping experiences. In the words of a participant

at our workshop:

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“Our mall is a good example…we do not have, or plan to have, sophisticated services. That is not

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really our core competence. We have sophisticated analytics, but I don’t think our core

competence is to launch services based on data generated from those analytics.”

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To illustrate, think of Fisketorvet, one of Denmark’s largest shopping malls, which was frequently
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mentioned during our workshops. They gather digital data about consumers thorough a loyalty card

[76]. The data is used for marketing purposes to consumers’ thorough personalized offerings and

services. It is also used as insights to the customers in the form of information about who the
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consumers are demographically and what their habits and behaviors are. Beyond the Nordic countries,
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Tres Aguas is a shopping mall in Madrid, Spain, that uses the Ubicua experience platform [77]. They

have created one of the first “smart” shopping malls in Europe. Using wifi and a single registration in
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a mobile application, Tres Aguas offers a unique experience where its sophisticated geolocation

system tracks shoppers during their visit, analyzes their behavior, captures preferences, obtains a
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pattern, and launches automated offers and promotions from the retailers. Yet another example is the

Palisades Center in New York, US, which is owned by Pyramid Management Group. Here, data is

gathered with the help of the free wifi, which allows the mall to build profiles of its shoppers. It then

shares this data with potential tenants [78].

4.3 Digital Embracer

Malls following a digital embracer strategy attribute high significance to digital technologies and use

these digital technologies to create advanced digital services themselves. To do so, they develop a

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position and capabilities close to that of a sophisticated retailer. Like the digital data gatherer, the

digital embracer uses increasingly sophisticated and complex digital technologies such as iBeacons or

geofencing solutions. However, the digital embracer uses these technologies not only to feed

information to its retailers, but also to create its own advanced digital services and offerings. In the

words of one of our interviewees, a global capability manager at Dunnhumby:

“Such malls track customers via their smartphones. Based on unique customer profiles they can

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stock data and then push a personalized and relevant product recommendation. We can also give

advices and recommendations in real time for products the customers do not even know anything

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about. And that is only the beginning!”

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Thus, as a complement to basic services such as official websites and basic social media, both our

interviews and workshop data underscores that the embracer relies on advanced services and may use
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its own platforms for e-commerce to create bundled digital offers, such as buy sports equipment at one
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retailer and get coffee at another. This strategy also implies advanced services in the physical world,

similar to that of a two-sided digital awaiter. With the focus on advanced services in both the physical

and digital domains, the digital embracer strategy may be the most difficult to follow, but a very
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rewarding one for those malls that succeed. Unlike the digital awaiter and digital data gatherer, where
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the key department/function is marketing and IT, respectively, there was great consensus among our

workshop participants that the digital embracer requires the dedicated commitment of top
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management. Indeed, digitalization under this strategy regime is a top business priority rather than a

functional choice. Digitalization is thus an integrated part of business strategy.

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Digital embracers are two-side centered, meaning their center of gravity is on both retailers and

shoppers, and they actively provide value to both sides of the market. In other words, shopping malls

executing this strategy focus on both cross- and same-sided interactions. In the words of a workshop

participant:

“We offer buzz, footfall and a matchmaking role. We are thus a step up in the value chain and

actively engaged in facilitating space for meetings, interactions, and product and service

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development, rather than just a facilitator of space for hire. But for that to succeed we really rely

on the contributions from our retailers and their customers.”

Specifically, digital embracers offer a direct value proposition to retailers based on new

transactions, that is, so-called cross-sided interactions. For example, Westfield has developed an

online mall that integrates offers from different retailers in a combined offer. In doing so, they

complement the physical world with digital services, such as digital pre-ordering and augmented

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reality. Moreover, digital embracers coordinate actions among retailers and boost interactions among

shoppers (same-sided loops) via digital platforms. One of our workshop participants expressed her

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admiration:

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“Westfield are just outstanding, and have been doing this for the past four to five years. We are

much smaller but currently work on ideas and concepts similar to theirs.”
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The demand- and supply-side active contribution is medium to high with a digital embracer
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strategy. Although each individual retailer and shopper can ultimately decide on his or her

contribution level, there is a deliberate emphasis on value co-creation. In facilitating value co-creation,
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the mall strategically designs the mechanisms to motive participation from each side and coordinates

their interactions toward the interests of all the members. For example, there were multiple examples
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in our interviews about how shoppers can share their purchase experiences, thus helping other

shoppers in an online platform. Or, shopping malls can supply information on individual purchases of
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similar products, thus using big data analytics to help guide shoppers.
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Beyond the Nordic cases, multiple international examples exist of malls currently executing the

digital embracer strategy. A prime example is Westfield´s mall in London, UK. Westfield uses

advanced technologies, such as license plate recognition and browsing history in smartphones. These

technologies allow them to guide shoppers to the products or stores that they need. Westfield also has a

global platform, Westfield’s app, through which retailers can communicate easily with shoppers at

each mall [79].

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Another outstanding example of the digital embracer is Quartz in Villeneuve-la-Garenne North of

Paris, France. Through Quartz’s app, shoppers can access digital product information, price

comparisons, search engines for all the products sold in the mall, and personalized loyalty programs.

In addition, geolocation service for the tenants enable better relationships between brands and

consumers [80]. Finally, Boxpark in London, UK, acts as a platform for both physical and online

retailing, thereby generating revenue from both sides of the retail value ecosystem [81,82]. Figure 2

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provides a visual representation of the logic of each strategy

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[Figure 2 about here]

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5. Discussion and Implications
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The retail ecosystem is currently undergoing major changes. Online shopping is gaining importance,

and digital technologies open up new interactions among shopping malls, shoppers, and retailers [38].
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This is not all bad news for physical shopping malls. In this new retailing landscape, some traditional

malls may benefit greatly as new digital technologies and services leverage the value their physical
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assets provide, thus creating new sources of revenue and value. However, others suffer when

investments in digital technologies drive costs but fail to generate revenues. Some malls may thus fail
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to realize potential synergies between physical assets and digital investments. In fact, a recent cross-
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industrial study by PwC shows that the retail industry is weakest of all regarding knowledge of how to

use digital technologies [83]. At the same time, recent research has shown that retailers may benefit
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more from implementing digital technologies than other industries [21].

The purpose of the present article was to develop a strategy typology. Our findings have

important implications for researchers working on digitalization, omnichannel strategies, and two-

sided markets. The typology highlights different sources of value creation that provides business logic

to investments in digital technologies. In this sense, the present article adds to research on

digitalization [33,65] by explicating the integration of digital technologies that leverage the value

proposition of shopping malls. Some literature has traditionally defended the benefits of digitalization

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leading to maximizing the investment of digital technologies [17]. We identify that shopping malls can

create value by managing different digital technologies, digital service complexity, and organizational

functions involved. These findings also extend prior insights on omnichannel strategies [11,30] by

delineating different strategies for integrating digital technologies. Although research on omnichannel

strategies has defended the importance of creating complementarities between channels, the

understanding of specific strategies may be further developed. In this line, our paper provides insights

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into how firms manage their physical resources along with different digital technologies. By adding

the center of gravity, we identify different strategies for firms assigning a significant role to digital

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technologies. Thus, the strategy typology shed light on the complexity of digitalization by proposing

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digital strategies that involve not only digital technologies, but also firm resources and ecosystem

agents as a whole.
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Moreover, our findings highlight the importance of getting different actors on board in developing

advanced services through each strategy. In this respect, we extend insights in digitalization [19,52] by
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highlighting contributions of ecosystem agents in networked value creation. In this respect, prior

literature in digitalization has focused on the digital technologies integrated by retailers [6,21,35]. Our
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typology thus transcends firm boundaries and describes the management of the interactions among

different ecosystem agents as a critical factor in digitalization. Thus, our typology highlights the
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importance for shopping malls in identifying the added value from different ecosystem agents in
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defining their strategic goals. Finally, our typology examines several value flows and roles in value

creation in a two-sided market. In this respect, our paper contributes new insights into two-sided
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market literature [18,32] by explaining different strategies in changing contexts where analogue and

digital channels coexist. The platform literature has traditionally elaborated platform strategies in

digital contexts based on IT [84]. The rapid emergence of new sectors, mainly based in the digital

world, has attracted attention towards cases where winners take all the market by rapidly attracting

adopters through subsidies. However, in many other contexts, the pace of digitalization is slower and it

does not fully substitute the physical resources in the value proposition, like retailing. Our study

extends previous studies in platform research [85,86] by distinguishing different roles of digital

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technologies in a traditional two-sided market. Specifically, we propose that firms in a traditional two-

sided market can compete with different combinations of physical and digital technologies to attract

agents to the ecosystem.

From a managerial standpoint, the strategy typology proposed in this article was designed to help

owners of shopping malls, retail managers, and consultants understand key opportunities and threats,

and to craft more effective mall-specific strategies to manage the transition to an increasingly digital

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world. The strategy typology, comprised of the three strategies, digital awaiter, digital data gatherer,

and digital embracer, constitutes a sense-making device, which can help shopping malls navigate an

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increasingly complex retail environment. It could also help property owners and other actors to

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proactively approach digitalization, create a better alignment with a continuously dynamic and

evolving environment, and integrate internal operations. In applying the framework, none of the
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strategies appear better than any other as such, nor are there any intrinsic reasons why a shopping mall

should excessively digitalize just for the sake of it. Thus, the key challenge for malls may be to learn
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by analogy and define their strategic position regarding use of digital technologies. This means

thoroughly thinking through the role of digital technologies and what they can accomplish, while at
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the same time reflecting upon how to create value for retailers, shoppers, or both.

In putting the typology to practical use, a first step is trying to understand a certain mall’s current
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position in the framework by considering the role of digital technologies and center of gravity. A
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second step is then to initiate a discussion about strategic change. In this respect, our typology may

allow mall owners to identify a new position for which to aim with regard to digital technologies. Or,
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the typology can confirm that their current strategic position fits their business goals. If a new strategic

position is sought or the current position needs to be reinforced, the dimensions delineated for each

digital strategy may guide malls in achieving their goals. In this respect, our typology may facilitate

specifying new goals, assist in evaluating required resources and decisions, and be helpful in assessing

the risk for each strategy.

Finally, this study has the following limitations, which motivate future research. First, our

findings are based largely on descriptive data generated through case study research. While we deem

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this as a useful method for the current study, the limitations and constraints of the case study method

that produced it should be kept in mind in applying the framework. In particular, because the purpose

was to build theory rather than to test it, future research may extend our contributions by conducting

quantitative analysis of the different strategies. Moreover, the framework is based on a diverse but

limited number of shopping malls. Further research may extend our insights by analyzing a larger

number of malls. Third, the framework is emergent in the sense that it was developed based on data of

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shopping malls that have addressed digitalization recently. However, both retailers and shoppers are

adopting digital technologies. Given the high dynamism of the phenomenon and the potential

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opportunities for critical changes, future research may track the evolution of these strategies. In this

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respect, future research could complement our insights by introducing dynamic responses from all the

actors in the market. Finally, we aggregated data from different countries to identify common digital
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strategies. Future research may introduce institutional, cultural, and technological differences among

countries.
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6. Conclusions
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Digitalization is reshaping the retailing ecosystem and represents a critical challenge as well as endless

opportunities for shopping malls. Although defining and implementing a digital strategy may require
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significant efforts for shopping malls, the absence of a clear digital strategy may lead to deficiencies in

priorities and resource allocation, and financial losses. The strategy typology we propose is designed
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to help mitigate these problems. It is designed to help owners of shopping malls to craft better
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digitalization strategies of an omnichannel nature to manage the transition to an increasingly digital

world. In addition, it also helps other actors in the ecosystem such as retail managers, customers and

consultants, to better understand mall-specific challenges. In sum, the strategy typology constitutes a

sense-making device that can help not only shopping malls but also partners in the eco-system to

navigate an increasingly complex retail environment.

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Appendix 1: Interview protocol

1. Can you shortly tell us about yourself, your background and what you work with?
2. If I say digitalization of shopping malls, what is the first thing that comes to your mind?
3. How do you work specifically with digitalization of retail spaces/shopping malls?
4. In what way will customer analytics help shopping malls to create value?
5. How do physical shopping malls have to adapt and utilize digitalization to compete with
digital (on-line) competitors?
6. What are your thoughts for changing the physical shopping mall for the future?

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7. What are your customers’ expectations on the products and services they receive via a
shopping mall?
8. How would you describe the typical customers in a mall?
9. What are the greatest challenges for your firm in working with customers?
10. What type of value does your firm offer to customers in the shopping mall?
11. Which problem/conflicts do you see between different stakeholders at a shopping mall? For
example between retailers and the mall owner?
12. Do you experience any pressure from individual retailers to develop new technologies and
methods of analysis?
13. Who (or what) are the drivers of digital development in shopping malls?
14. Which are the major technological developments that allow you to better understand and track

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customer behavior?
15. How do you work with different partners around the shopping mall, and what does the

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relationship look like? Owners? Retailers? Logistics? Consultants? Customers?
16. How do you work with digitalization as a mean for real time communication and interaction
with your customers to enhance the customer experience in shopping malls?

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17. Which actors do you think a shopping mall have to work closer with to enhance their work
with digitalization in the future?
18. What key activities are most important for a shopping mall to integrate customer analytics?
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19. What are the core competences that will be needed by the retail actors and shopping malls for
them to take advantage of digitalization?
20. How do you think revenue streams will change for shopping malls as a result of digitalization?
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21. Which costs do you think will be added (and possibly increased) as digitalization changes the
retailing ecosystem?
22. How do you think the role of the shopping mall will change in the future?
23. How do you think digitalization will change shopping malls within the next five years?
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24. Which actors do you think are the ones who have come furthest in their work with
digitalization of shopping malls?
25. If you were allowed to speculate, which new technologies do you think will have the most
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influence over the development of malls in the future?

26. Is there anything you think we have missed talking about during the interview that you wish to
bring up?
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Appendix 2: Survey items1

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1. Does your organization have an expressed strategy to address the future opportunities and
threats of digitalization? (Response format: Yes; No; No, but a strategy is under development;
I don’t know).
2. How would you describe your organizations strategy to address the ongoing digitalization?
(Response format: Open ended).
3. Which department/function in your organization has the main responsibility for digitalization?
(Response format: Sales; Marketing; R&D; Business development; Top management; IT;
Maintenance; Other; No particular department is responsible; I don’t know).

1 Only the survey items and questions that were used in the results chapter are displayed.

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4. Does your organization use any of the following digital tools/applications/platforms?

(Response format: e-commerce; Indoor positioning systems; Heatmaps over consumer flows;
Free Wi-Fi; Social media (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram); Mobile aps for consumers;
Mobile apps for internal use; Click-and-collect services; Shoppable windows; Big data
analytics; Self-checkout; Mobile payments; Digital loyalty programs.
5. What are the main drivers for your organization’s investments in digital technology?
(Response format: Open ended; Create more touch points with customers; Keep pace with
competition; Increase efficiency; Lower costs; Increase sales; Development of new services;
Optimizing the design of retail space; Meet customer demand; Improve business intelligence
through big data analytics; Improve shopping experiences; Increase consumer loyalty; Create
seamless omni-channel shopping experiences).
6. My organization today possesses the necessary capabilities to address the digitalization of

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shopping malls (Response format: 1 strongly disagree to 5 strongly agree).
7. Our digitalization efforts are primarily focused on building internal capacity rather than
changing consumer experiences of the physical retail space (Response format: 1 strongly

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disagree to 5 strongly agree).
8. Digitalization investments in my organization today drive costs more than revenues (Response
format: 1 strongly disagree to 5 strongly agree).

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9. In the future, which role or roles should shopping centers play in the digital context?
(Response format: Open ended; Offer retailers a shared infrastructure and platform for
consumer data collection and analytics; Coordinate logistics and click and collect solutions for
retailers; Market the physical retail location and brand through digital channels; Offer retailers
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solutions for seamless omni-channel shopping experiences; Offer flexible and temporary retail
spaces for online retailers; Offer shared platforms for and integration of retailers customer
loyalty programs; Offer retailers new rental contract models; Drive innovation in ancillary
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digital services; Optimize design of retail spaces through the use of data collection; Offer
solutions for location-based consumer marketing to retailers).
10. What are the greatest challenges for shopping malls in the context of digitalization? (Response
format: Open ended; Developing a coherent digital strategy; Acquiring internal digital
capabilities; Developing digital consumer services; Deciding on technology investments;
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Cyber security and data protection; Connecting with consumers on new platforms; other).
11. What are the greatest opportunities for shopping centers in the context of digitalization?
(Response format: Attracting new consumer segments; Increasing consumer time spent at the
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shopping mall; Improving consumer insight for the benefit of retailers and other tenants;
Optimizing design of retail space and retailer mix; Increasing points of contact with
consumers through digital media; Developing new revenue models and revenue streams;
other).
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12. How will digitalization affect shopping malls within the next five years? (Response format:
Open ended).
13. In your view, who is the industry leader in the digitalization of shopping malls? (Response
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format: Open ended).

14. Thank you for participating in our survey. If you have any other comments or thoughts on the
digitalization of shopping malls, please write them in the box below. (Response format: Open
ended).

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TABLE 1. Descriptive overview of sample and data

Data source Companies involved Position(s) Country Date

Workshop Vasakronan, Bring, Atrium Business Development Manager, Sweden 2014/11/06

Ljungberg, Jones Lang Marketing Director, Business Area
LaSalle, United Minds, Manager, Head of Corporate
Luleå University of Solutions, Senior Consultant,
Technology Analysts, Researcher

Workshop Vasakronan, Bring, Atrium Business Development Manager, Sweden 2015/01/20

Ljungberg, Jones Lang Marketing Director, Business Area

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LaSalle, Nordic Council of Manager, Head of Corporate
Shopping Centers, United Solutions, CEO, Senior Consultant,
Minds, Luleå University of Analysts, Researcher
Technology

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Workshop Vasakronan, Atrium Business Development Manager, Sweden 2015/03/17
Ljungberg, Jones Lang Marketing Director, Business Area

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LaSalle, Nordic Council of Manager, Head of Corporate
Shopping Centers, United Solutions, CEO, Senior Consultant,
Minds, Luleå University of Analysts, Researcher
Technology
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Survey 70 organizations Property owners, consultants Denmark, 2015/04/16
Finland, (2
Norway, reminders)
Sweden
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Interview Facility Lab CEO Sweden 2015/08/31

Interview Senion Lab Vice President Sweden 2015/09/01

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Interview Dunnhumby Global Capability Manager United 2015/09/09

Kingdom
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Group Bumbee Labs CEO, Head of Board Sweden 2015/09/18

interview

Interview AMF Fastigheter Business developer Sweden 2015/09/22

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Group Innesco Account Manager, Managing United 2015/09/22

interview Director Kingdom
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Interview GeKås Store Manager Sweden 2015/09/22

Workshop Vasakronan, Atrium Business Development Manager, Sweden 2015/11/13

Ljungberg, Jones Lang Marketing Director, Business Area
LaSalle, Nordic Council of Manager, Head of Corporate
Shopping Centers, United Solutions, CEO, Project Manager,
Minds, Luleå University of Senior Consultant, Analysts,
Technology Researcher

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TABLE 2. Overview for all three strategies

Analytic
Digital data
Themes dimensions Digital awaiter Digital embracer
gatherer
(codes)

Type of digital Basic, generally Big data Big data and interactive tools
Role of digital technologies

technologies accepted
used

Digital service Low for center owner Low for center owner High for center owners and high
complexity (and by extension low (but may be high for for retailers and shoppers

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for shoppers and retailers and
retailers) shoppers)

Key department Marketing (to run FB, IT (often in Top management (because big

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/ function webpage, etc.) collaboration with tech is part of bus. strategy)
technological
supplier)

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Main direction Center –> Shoppers Shoppers –> Center Cross- and same-side loops
of digital value (through webpage; no –-> Retailers
flows mediating)
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Digital value Find basic information More adapted New services, value,
proposition to (e.g. opening hours; physical experience experiences, etc. ("DIRECT"
shoppers store location, etc.) ("INDIRECT" proposition)
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proposition)
Center of gravity

Digital value Provide basic More revenue due to New transactions, increased
proposition to information to efficient operations sales, coordinated actions
retailers shoppers and analytics ("DIRECT" proposition)
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("DIRECT"
proposition)

Intensity of Low intense Low- to medium Medium- to high intensity

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demand- and contribution for intensity contribution contribution for both (e.g.,
supply-side retailers and shoppers for retailers and low shoppers: sharing purchase
contribution for shoppers inform, opinions, ideas; retailers:
sharing purchase information,
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collaborating with other retailers

to joint campaigns)

Examples of Postal services (i.e., Analysis of data to Platform for e-commerce (not of
digital services getting merchandise in simplify and improve great interest for retail chains but
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a mall that has been logistic services, flow valuable for smaller actors),
ordered online from an measurements, find common customer-specific
actor in the mall or one an empty parking lot platform by purchase and search
outside), collaboration (alternatively, find history (geofenced; messages
with other service your car), can be individualized), bundled
providers (e.g., home measurement of size offerings (e.g., buy a book, get a
delivery), free wifi, footwall, heat maps, coffee in another store), common
Information through beacons, etc. platform that allows retailers to
web-page, Basic social send messages to customers
media (e.g., (i.e., iBeacons including
information through geofencing options)
FB).

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Digital Strategies for Two-sided Markets: A Case study of

Shopping Malls

Research highlights

 The paper presents an omnichannel strategy typology for shopping malls

 Three generic omnichannel strategies are defined: Digital awaiter, digital data

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gather, and digital embracer

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 Digital technologies play a different role depending on which strategy is followed

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 Shopping malls can be supply-side oriented, demand-side oriented, or both, in

executing strategy
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Figure 1
Figure 2