Al-Futtaim Real Estate Revolutionizes Retail With Region’s First Loyalty Program
Dubai Festival City Mall’s loyalty programme, run in partnership with Al-Futtaim Group’s loyalty and rewards ecosystem and platform Blue, positions Al-Futtaim Real Estate as the first real estate developer in the region providing a full suite of innovative digital services to its tenants.
The Blue loyalty programme offers points with the highest cashback value – the highest rate in the market – in addition to personalised deals. The digital lifestyle platform empowers merchants to reach customers by delivering personalized products and services that perfectly align with their lifestyles, passions, and interests.
Survey results: Blue is in tune with UAE residents’ needs
A recent survey of over 1,000 UAE residents across age groups, income levels, and nationalities highlight the strong appeal of loyalty programmes offering points, cashback, and discounts on future purchases. Points-based schemes are the most frequently used, with 71% of those aged 45+ engaging with them in the past month, followed by cashback programmes at 52%. Tier-based model, where users earn status levels based on spending, are favoured by 31% of Emiratis.
The ability to earn rewards quickly ranks as the most valued feature, followed by an easy-to-use mobile app and a wide variety of rewards, including free products and discounts. Exclusive members offer are valued by 45% of Westerners and 39% of Arab expats, while 45% of Asian customers prefer fee-free loyalty programmes. These findings reaffirm Blue’s strong alignment with customer expectations.
Customers can earn points for every purchase made at participating retailers, which can be redeemed for rewards at the tap of a button through the user-friendly Blue app, available to all customers shopping at Dubai Festival City Mall.
Positive impact on tenants’ and business partners’ operational efficiency
The initiative also positively impacts the mall’s tenants and potential business partners by strengthening operational efficiency and marketing support, increasing footfall, boosting repeat visits, driving incremental spend, enhancing brand visibility, and cultivating customer loyalty. Poised to transform the region’s retail landscape, the programme aims to foster a loyalty-driven shopping environment and sustained business growth while solidifying Dubai Festival City Mall’s position in the UAE’s highly competitive retail market.
Blue’s comprehensive loyalty services include earn-and-burn programs, tiered memberships, a diverse redemption catalogue, and targeted offers, all designed to foster customer loyalty.
Through seamless integration of communication channels- such as in-app campaigns, social media, CRM and offline strategies- merchants can execute targeted campaigns that reach customers effectively. Utilizing advanced technologies, Blue enables real-time, location-based customer interactions, creating personalized shopping experiences.
Our payment solutions, broaden payment acceptance, reduce costs, and drive foot traffic. Merchants also gain access to intuitive dashboards offering actionable data insights, empowering informed decision-making.
Additionally, Blue provides product advisory services, featuring Blue AI Advisor and video commerce, to help merchants optimize their offerings in a competitive market.
“Al-Futtaim Real Estate and Blue, we are committed to leveraging our in-depth consumer insights and the latest technologies to provide an enjoyable and rewarding lifestyle experience, and we are aware that Dubai’s competitive retail landscape requires creative customer engagement strategies. Our innovative collaboration with Blue represents a significant advancement in customer experience while strengthening our partnerships with our tenants. We are proud to bring the first scheme of its kind in the region to UAE merchants,” said Hayssam Hajjar, Asset Management Director at Al-Futtaim Real Estate.
Dany Karam, Chief Marketing and Partnerships Officer of Al-Futtaim – Blue Rewards, stated: “At Al-Futtaim, our commitment to innovation and excellence drives us to continually develop the value we offer to our partners and customers. The introduction of our comprehensive digital services for mall tenant/merchants exemplifies our integrated approach and dedication to our partners.
By harnessing cutting-edge digital solutions and artificial intelligence, we not only enrich the shopping experience for our customers but also empower our tenants and business partners with unparalleled insights, operational efficiencies, and advanced engagement tools. This initiative reflects our dedication to pioneering solutions that drive growth, strengthen partnerships, and create value across the entire Al-Futtaim ecosystem while building loyalty to our valuable customers.”
