INDIANAPOLIS, Dec. 2, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Simon®, a global leader in retail real estate, and eBay Inc., a global commerce and payments leader, together unveiled the  'Connected Mall,' a new, interactive directory to enhance the mall shopping experience. The 'Connected Mall' went live this holiday season at Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto, California. The immersive mall experience begins with a smart directory developed by eBay Inc. for the Simon Innovation Group, elevating the shopping experience by providing consumers with a suite of services, including point-to-point navigation and personalized offers and deals.

The 'Connected Mall' provides retailers a way to encourage shopper visits to their stores while also providing eBay Inc. and Simon with important customer feedback on how to better serve their needs. Shoppers will enjoy benefits from having a more interactive and personal experience to seamlessly navigate their shopping this holiday season.

Features of the new digital directory include:

• A 72" LCD, full HD, all-weather touchscreen viewable in direct sunlight
• Mall maps available in 3D view, with accurate orientation of the shopper within the mall to their exact location, including the direction he/she is facing
• The option to browse through the interactive map, events, services and store deals, also allowing a shopper to search for what they are looking for by touching multiple categories (food, services, retail, restroom, etc.)
• Upon selection of a specific store or service needed, the interactive map will highlight its location and the best route
• The shopper can then push the directions to their mobile phone and follow the recommended path to their selected store (International mobile numbers are accepted)
• A "today" button that highlights events and deals happening on that specific day
• Handicap feature allows the shopper to shift the orientation of the map and menu, creating a more easily accessible experience 

"Simon and the Retail Innovation Division of eBay Inc. have been working on an exclusive basis in the mall space to enhance the shopping experience and provide retailers with a new and compelling way to engage shoppers," said Mikael Thygesen, Simon's Chief Marketing Officer. "We're excited about our 'Connected Mall' initiative with eBay.  It's a great example of leveraging technology in a useful, relevant way in the mall environment, and we look forward to continuing to work with eBay on future initiatives."

"eBay Inc. is revolutionizing shopping by bringing the best of digital technologies into the physical world. The 'Connected Mall' pilot with Simon provides shoppers with real-time retail information and deals that will shape mall traffic," said Steve Yankovich, vice president of Innovation and New Ventures, eBay Inc. "This eBay Inc. technology and others will continue to provide consumers with white glove retail shopping experiences."

About Simon
Simon is a global leader in retail real estate ownership, management and development and a S&P100 company (Simon Property Group,NYSE:SPG). Our industry-leading retail properties and investments across North America, Europe and Asia provide shopping experiences for millions of consumers every day and generate billions in annual retail sales. For more information, visit simon.com.

About Stanford Shopping Center
Stanford Shopping Center is anchored by Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdale's, Nordstrom, Macy's, and Macy's Men's. There are more than 140 world-class stores and restaurants, all in a spectacular outdoor garden environment. For more information, visit stanfordshop.com.

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SOURCE Simon

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http://www.simon.com