Technology is changing shopping for millions of people, says Chris Dibble, associate research director at Jones Lang LaSalle.
"We thought that while connectivity was an integral thematic, there was another underlying factor that resonated through the presentations [at the retail seminar] - technology."
Jones Lang will soon release a paper on the sector. Dibble described this as a new rulebook for the changing scene with core retail principles adapted from Jones Lang in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. People must approach technology as a mindset, not just a tool, Dibble said.
Alistair Penny, Jones Lang's national retail manager, said social media had a huge impact on the retail sector.
Penny, who joined the Auckland office from Jones Lang's shopping centre management team in Britain, said technology and connectivity via social media were the most vital components of shopping centre management.
