The second phase of City Centre Bahrain’s Big Vote, launched in June, has revealed that shoppers prioritise dining options, digital implementations and family orientated areas.
By bringing shoppers to the boardroom table, the vote aims to help Majid Al Futtaim better connect with its customers to make shopping centres a personalised community hub.
Over 3,000 visitors shared their top priorities across dining, entertainment, shopping and occasions and future trends.
Shoppers voted for healthier food concepts and more casual and outdoor dining options.
They also want the convenience of digitally ordering food, either while in the restaurant or beforehand, and having it delivered to their table.
‘Phygital experiences’, such as invites to events, advanced cinema bookings, and selecting products online to try out in-store, are also sought after.
Customers also want to scan-and-go and click-and-collect services and to reserve parking spots before arriving to the mall.
Parents voted for play areas and children-centric activities, such as virtual worlds into which children can immerse themselves to interact with various characters.
Interactive workshops, such as Nutty Scientists, which opened in the mall last year, are also preferred.
Also prioritised was sustainability, with 40 per cent of respondents voting for more recycling bins around the mall and bicycle racks to encourage healthy and eco-friendly means of transport to and from the mall.
The mall encourages use of reusable shopping bags instead of single-use plastic and QR codes at restaurants in place of physical menus.
Shoppers also want discounts on purchases when donating belonging for upcycling.
“At Majid Al Futtaim, we are incredibly proud to have launched the Bahrain version of the Big City Centre Vote as part of the ongoing regional campaign to build consumer-centric malls,” said Duaij Al Rumaihi, director of City Centre Bahrain.
“As one of the biggest malls in Bahrain, City Centre has always been a favourite for residents, nationals and visitors to the Kingdom and we hope to continue our enhanced services that cater to the needs and wants of the modern consumer.
“Shifts in consumer behaviour have impacted the way we have built campaigns, and through this initiative, we want to dig deeper and really understand what our communities are looking for at their local community mall.
“We are putting the future direction of City Centre Bahrain directly into the hands of our customers, and we are placing our full trust in their opinions on how they want to shape their mall of the future.”
In keeping with sustainability demands and initiatives, City Centre Bahrain recycles 31.8 tonnes of waste each month.
