Westfield : announces US partnership with UBER

Westfield Corporation and Uber today announced a national partnership that pairs the ridesharing technology company with one of the world's premier retail developers, with a growing portfolio of flagship assets in the US. The deal underscores how, more than ever before, Westfield is leveraging the power of technology within its physical shopping environments to create greater value and dynamic, engaging experiences for consumers.

The multi-faceted partnership includes a variety of customer services and benefits designed to make shopping at a Westfield centre more convenient and enjoyable. Westfield will host designated drop-off and pick-up stations for Uber vehicles at every shopping centre in the US and will digitally map those locations into Uber's app. That means that anyone requesting a ride with Uber will be able to quickly identify where they should get picked up and dropped off when travelling to and from the shopping centre.

'Westfield's shopping centres already have an incredible combination of fashion, food, services, and amenities, all in one place with digital enhancements such as product search, directional and frictionless parking,' said William Hecht, Chief Operating Officer, US.

'Now we are thrilled to be able to partner with Uber to leverage modern technology in a way that makes it more convenient that ever to travel to and from any Westfield destination.'

The deal also includes the introduction of Westfield's first permanent Uber Lounge at Westfield Century City in Los Angeles. The centre, undergoing a $1 billion renovation, is the next project to be unveiled as party of the company's strategy to create the pre-eminent global shopping centre portfolio. Westfield Century City's Uber Lounge will feature ultra-modern design, sleep seating, and unexpected customer amenities allowing customer to wait for their Uber in style.

Moving forward, Westfield centres will host between one and 10 Uber stations, each with prominent visibility, accessibility, and signage, similar to taxi stands or ridesharing pick-up points at large entertainment and transportation venues. At selected Westfield destinations, the Uber stations will also include kiosks with customer service representatives and brand ambassadors trained to engage with customers and facilitate their Uber experience.

'Uber wants to make transportation seamless for everyone, everywhere - but we can't do it alone,' said Amy Friedlander Hoffman, Uber's Head of Business Development & Experiential Marketing.

'Partners like Westfield play an important role in cities and how people move with them, so we're excited to work together on this first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at delivering the best possible experience to our riders when they're going shopping, dining or catching a movie.'