Wayfinding signage is vital to make a shopping centre safe and easy to navigate. Frustrated shoppers, who can't find their way out of the car park or struggle to locate the toilets, may decide not to return. Hence, getting it right is paramount.

During this period of economic belt-tightening, the shopping habits of consumers have become of keen interest to retailers and centre managers. Customer evaluation company Retail Eyes has turned the spotlight on consumer behaviour and the factors that influence people's decision to visit a shopping centre as opposed to frequenting the high street. Retail Eyes conducted its survey, completed by 3,298 respondents, between 1 and 3 August 2008.

In these hard times it is becoming increasingly vital for shopping centres to stretch their marketing budgets to achieve as much coverage as possible for minimum expenditure.

Manchester's Triangle shopping centre has unveiled a 12 per cent year-on-year increase in its quarter one footfall figures, bucking the national trend which is down by 4.4 per cent. Meanwhile, early indicators from the weekly counters are also continuing to show a positive increase in shopper numbers for quarter two.

Six shopping centres across the UK were celebrating this month after being awarded the coveted Purple Apple gong at this year's BCSC Purple Apple Marketing Awards.

As customer counting technology becomes increasingly more advanced and informative, shopping centre managers are realising the benefits in understanding the footfall data of their own retailers and of the town or city in which they are located.

Competition is rife at Christmas time to ensure those all-important shoppers visit your centre over other competition, so getting the decorations right is key. However, there are mixed views from industry experts over what will be popular in 2008.

Low footfall at the beginning of December culminated in last minute panic buying in the final days before Christmas, according to industry analysts.

The Asset Factor, the property outsourcing business backed by Helical Bar and NB Real Estate, has launched a new division advising owners on strategies to maximize their non-rental income. The company has recruited Jones Lang LaSalle’s head of shopping centre marketing and commercialisation Bryony Parkin to head the new division, which will be called Asset Space.

The specialist retail agency Leslie Furness has been bought by King Sturge. All six of its directors will become partners at King Sturge as the firm looks to beef up its retail representation, and all 11 employees have been offered posts at the new firm.

Pedestrian traffic across the UK this Christmas was down 3 per cent year-on-year, according to new data from Experian’s FootFall division.

As you read this, the Christmas frenzy will be reaching a climax but, increasingly, thoughts will be turning to dealing with the challenge of 2008. According to Deloitte, 85 per cent of UK retailers believe that the economy in 2008 will deteriorate or stay the same.Pressure on service charges will be severe, given the significant rent hikes experienced by many tenants in 2007.

As one of the UK's most well-known shopping centre developers with more than 16 years' experience in the property industry and a portfolio that has a total end value in excess of £2.5bn, Modus is going from strength to strength.

While wayfinding signs are probably the most familiar forms of signage in shopping centres, the industry seems to be evolving towards digital technology and other media. Indeed while wayfinding is, and always will be, vital to shoppers, communicating the right messages to the consumer, such as promoting in-store offers or upcoming events, is also becoming increasingly important.

Britain is beginning to see a drop off in interest in consumer brands and a backlash against those jumping on the green bandwagon. And as the gap between the very richest and the poorest continues to widen and polarise society, it is becoming harder to predict what is going to happen. But one thing is for sure: we are terrified of teenagers and we want to be safe and happy. Good architecture could help.

Shopping centre marketeers are always striving to find out more about their customers, the success of their marketing approaches, and how best to encourage those all-important shoppers to spend money. Research and data analysis are key to ensuring marketeers use their budgets wisely.

With the factory outlet market reaching saturation point in the UK, property owners and investors are now focusing their attention on extending and rebranding their existing centres to ensure they are giving their core catchments everything they demand.

More than 50,000 retail property specialists gathered today for the opening day of the 50th ICSC spring convention in Las Vegas.

Hempstead Valley in Gillingham, Kent, emerged as the winner of the only Purple Apple award for shopping centre marketing at the BCSC’s annual awards event.

The shortlists have been announced for this year’s SCEPTRE Awards, and centres as far apart as Bideford in Devon and Longford in Ireland will be waiting with baited breath as the golden envelopes are opened at the awards dinner on June 20.

Marketing man Enda McShane, managing director of Spirit Marketing Group, has enjoyed a phenomenal start to his year, having secured a million euros of new business in the first two weeks of 2007.

Hempstead Valley in Gillingham, Kent, emerged as the winner of the only Purple Apple award for shopping centre marketing at the BCSC's annual awards event.

Digital advertising specialist ScreenFX is celebrating a major contract win with a deal to supply digital flat screen networks for advertising and other media content across 13 of Land Securities' UK shopping malls throughout the UK.

Springfield Decorations and Display is proving that decorations aren't just for Christmas with a contract with John Lewis to install the 'Outdoor Living' summer promotional scheme into a number of branches. "We've worked with John Lewis for many years developing their Christmas displays", said Springfield managing director Wendy Ford, "and now we can use our expertise at other times of the year."

Let's face it, given truly a viable alternative, millions of people would not go to a shopping centre. Consider traffic congestion, lack of car parking, the cost of car parking, shops you need that are not open on late nights, the ease of the Internet and lack of real choice, as some of the reasons they might be put off.

Just back from the USA and a trip to Sawgrass Mills in Miami, a 2.2 million sq ft discount mall with all the big names you'd expect.

Christmas is make or break time for retailers. Every year the key trading period is a white-knuckle ride for hard-pressed traders. "Will the shoppers turn out?" they ask. "Will we have to go on Sale in mid-December or hold out to January to protect our margins?"

Each year in January, thecentre:mk in Milton Keynes commissions the build of its next Christmas show.