CapitaLand takes Singapore’s most popular shopping voucher digital on CapitaStar app
eCapitaVoucher to accelerate CapitaStar’s transformation into a lifestyle platform
Singapore, 11 February 2019 – CapitaLand is revving up the Group’s digital transformation by taking its shopping voucher digital. CapitaVoucher – Singapore’s most widely accepted shopping voucher with a network of over 2,000 stores across 16 participating malls – can now be purchased, stored and redeemed via CapitaStar app. eCapitaVoucher is Singapore’s first electronic shopping voucher of its kind to incorporate gifting and bulk purchase features, which are set to further increase CapitaVoucher’s popularity with shoppers, corporate partners and retailers.
With the CapitaStar app, shoppers can now buy or gift eCapitaVoucher 24 hours daily and receive timely reminders about voucher expiry dates. CapitaStar members can also exchange their STAR$® for eCapitaVoucher for quick and easy redemption at various cashier points using CapitaStar app. On the retailers’ end, accepting eCapitaVoucher from shoppers is a breeze using the in-store terminals provided by CapitaLand. They no longer need to submit physical vouchers for CapitaLand’s reimbursement, thus reducing paperwork and increasing productivity by some 50%.
Mr Jason Leow, President (Asia & Retail), CapitaLand Group, said: “In the age of digital disruption, we see digital technology as a key enabler to strengthen CapitaLand’s real estate offerings. As one of Asia’s leading retail loyalty apps with more than 7.8 million members, CapitaStar awarded STAR$® for more than S$800 million of tenants’ sales at our Singapore malls in 2018. In the same year, CapitaVoucher achieved S$90 million in sales – its second consecutive year of double-digit growth. Digitalising CapitaVoucher will further enhance CapitaStar’s functionality and make it an even more powerful tool to drive retail sales at CapitaLand malls. By digitally transforming our business processes and interactions with our shoppers, we strive to enrich the phygital experience at our properties. All the while empowering our retailers to succeed in an omnichannel world where digital touchpoints with shoppers are growing in importance.”
Mr Chris Chong, Deputy Managing Director (Singapore), CapitaLand Retail, said: “Started in 2011, our CapitaStar platform has to-date amassed about 950,000 members in Singapore. As both CapitaStar and CapitaVoucher grow in popularity, the next logical step is to avail CapitaVoucher digitally on the CapitaStar platform. This way, our growing pool of members can enjoy more online-and-offline services on the CapitaStar app while retailers can simplify their voucher management process and devote more time to serve shoppers. This development is also in line with our goal of transforming CapitaStar into a lifestyle platform that seamlessly integrates CapitaLand’s offerings into the daily lives of our shoppers.”
Scaling up as a lifestyle platform, CapitaStar has extended its reach beyond CapitaLand’s network to partners from different industries, effectively expanding the avenues for CapitaStar members to earn STAR$®. The STAR$® accumulated can then be exchanged for eCapitaVoucher and merchant deals on the CapitaStar app, creating a virtuous circle that drives spending at CapitaLand malls.
CapitaStar’s partners include SP Group, which rewards its utilities customers with STAR$® when they opt out of hardcopy bills; and Grab, whose members can convert GrabRewards points into STAR$®. CapitaStar has also been adopted as the loyalty programme by The Punggol Settlement, a cluster of food and beverage establishments in the North East of Singapore.
Mr Chong added: “Leveraging on CapitaLand’s best-in-class operating platform, our retail expertise is highly sought after in the industry to improve consumer interaction and drive higher sales. Offering ‘Loyalty as a Service’ through CapitaStar is an extension of CapitaLand’s ‘Retail as a Service’ business model to generate fee income. As CapitaStar grows its ecosystem and data sets, it will enable CapitaLand to deepen our understanding of shoppers’ behaviours so that we can better meet their needs and aspirations.”
Other partners of CapitaStar include online travel agency Agoda and People’s Association membership card PAssion Card, while partners of CapitaStar’s StayPay ePayment service are American Express and NETSPay. By 3Q 2019, DBS PayLah! customers will be able to link their accounts with CapitaStar to earn instant STAR$® when they transact using DBS PayLah!.
To mark the launch of eCapitaVoucher, CapitaLand will be offering attractive perks and giveaways in the months of February and March 2019. For shoppers who still prefer physical CapitaVoucher, it will continue to be on sale at participating malls (except Clarke Quay). For more details, please visit www.capitavoucher.com.sg and www.capitastar.com.sg.