Across the United States, brick-and-mortar stores are engaged in an existential war with online retailers. The newest weapons in the battle for customers are technologies that make the search for a parking spot a cinch.
"The fight for a mall parking spot, long a necessary evil of Black Friday, is growing easier thanks to the proliferation of new technologies, from apps and sensors to color-coded lights and electronic boards," reports Jaclyn Trop. "It’s one way that malls and shopping districts are trying to lure customers away from their computers, into the realm of their brick-and-mortar stores."
ParkMe, Parkopedia, and QuickPay are just a few of the parking apps that can help drivers navigate the stresses of parking with services like advanced reservations and remote payment.
“Parking is the gateway to the shopping experience,” QuickPay’s founder, Barney Pell, said. “It can mean the success or failure of your whole business.”
FULL STORY: Secret Weapon in Mall Battle: Parking Apps
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This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
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Economic & Planning Systems, Inc.
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research