The Mall Group bags Thailand Technology Excellence Awards 2024 for AR navigation system

Its solution not only makes the shopping experience more interactive, but also acts as a marketing tool for retailers.

Retail conglomerate The Mall Group took home the Thailand Technology Excellence Award in the Virtualisation - Retail category for its innovative development of an indoor augmented reality (AR) navigation solution that enhances shopping experience for customers and encourages them to explore.

The AR Navigation system allows customers to accurately view route information and points of interest overlaid on real-life images, making it significantly easier to choose the correct paths and avoid wasting time whilst navigating the mall.

Moreover, it provides retailers and brands with an innovative platform to expand their distribution channels. Through 3D models displayed in AR space, they can effectively communicate promotions, benefits, discounts, and other offers to shoppers.

The technology also includes a feature that enhances customer safety, particularly when using escalators. If the navigation is being used whilst a customer approaches an escalator, the app automatically displays a purple screen, prompting the customer to focus on their steps. It also offers dedicated pathways for customers using wheelchairs and strollers, ensuring a more accessible and comfortable shopping experience for everyone.

Introduced during the Chinese New Year festival, the company’s AR Navigation system aims to generate excitement and encourage customers to try the new feature within its loyalty app. This improvement also comes amidst the recent innovations in its Mall Lifestore Ngamwongwan, which has introduced new layouts and store formats, but has also exposed navigation difficulties that detract the overall shopping experience for customers.

The Mall Group has introduced a series of gamified promotions to further engage customers and promote the new navigation system. These initiatives include the “Break the Piñata” game, which rewards customers who successfully break a piñata with various discounts.

It has recorded a notable surge of 31% in customers’ session duration amidst the success of the solution, with page views per session witnessing an impressive growth of 327%. Active users of its loyalty app have also grown by 9%.

The Asian Technology Excellence Awards, now in its fourth year, celebrates top technological innovators and solutions that are redefining industries and leading the charge in digital transformation.

The Asian Technology Excellence Awards is presented by Asian Business Review. To view the full list of winners, click here. If you want to join the 2025 awards programme and be acclaimed for your company's outstanding retail initiatives, please contact Jane Patiag at [email protected].