PREIT Launches Curated Shopping Program, “sMALL Surprises,” Offering an Innovative Complement to Back-to-School Shopping

PREIT’s first venture into e-commerce represents a first-of-its-kind program from a national mall owner/operator

PREIT today launched, “sMALL Surprises”, a first-of-its-kind curated shopping program from a mall owner/operator for the 2020 back-to-school season. Launching in time for the second busiest shopping season of the year, the curated packs will be customized by a professional stylist – handpicking items from PREIT malls – to help students in grades K-8 prepare for school. With a nod to subscription-based boxes from stand-alone retailers, PREIT is pioneering the curated box concept in the mall industry.

sMALL Surprises marks PREIT’s first foray into the e-commerce space, bridging online and offline shopping channels to better support both its customers and tenants. The blending of physical and digital in the modern retail environment has been critical to success, particularly as the industry continues to evolve and navigates the COVID-19 pandemic. While the 2020 back-to-school season may look different throughout the country, these curated packs are designed to offer goodies customized for any child – whether they’re in the classroom or learning from home.

The inclusion of products from various mall tenants in the program will create a new stream of sales and customers for stores, as well as drive awareness and brand recognition. For shoppers, the pack creates an element of surprise during a stressful season with hand-selected products at a discount, and mall offerings they may not have otherwise sought out. In addition, the initiative offers shoppers the benefit of a mall’s collection of brands from the comfort of their home, particularly for time-strapped families.

“PREIT is proud to be the first in the mall industry to launch this type of initiative and we’re excited about the unique advantages this inaugural e-commerce endeavor will bring to our shoppers, tenants, and investors,” said Joseph F. Coradino, CEO of PREIT. “PREIT has long been evolving the experience we bring to our communities, remaining laser-focused on innovating at rapid speed through times of change. This cutting-edge initiative provides surprise and delight to our shopper community during these uncertain times and helps ease the return to a vastly different school year, while also driving sales and awareness to our retailers, highlighting the unique products they offer.”

Each sMALL Surprise pack will contain a mix of items, including a selection of sensory toys/games, trendy accessories, sanitizing necessities, activity cards, stickers, and a few cool school supplies. Consumers can visit SmallSurprises.Shop to take a short quiz that will help a professional stylist create a curated surprise pack. Once customized, the pack will be delivered direct-to-consumer anywhere in the United States.

Shoppers can select from two different pack options:

• Fun Pack: Back to school can still be F-U-N! The Fun Pack is filled with curated goodies, chosen just for your student based on their favorite things. Get ready for hours of entertainment ’cause this box of at least 4 surprises is sure to bring a smile to their face.
• Awesome Pack: Go ahead, be extra! The Awesome Pack is stuffed full with gizmos and gadgets galore, hand-selected for your tiny tykes. Do you have a little car fanatic or princess enthusiast? Lover of all things purple or green? We’ve got them covered! This box is bursting with a bunch of awesome treats sure to knock their socks off.