Tenant relocations and property reconfigurations are a constant in the lifecycle of any major retail property or mixed-use property. Whether driven by redevelopment, expansion, or evolving tenant strategies, these moves represent critical opportunities to improve property performance. However, they also carry inherent risks.
Without clear data, property operators are forced to rely on assumptions about how visitor behavior and traffic patterns will shift. The ability to accurately measure, model, and forecast those changes is a competitive advantage.
That’s exactly what one Canadian real estate operator achieved. They leveraged Aislelabs’ location intelligence platform to guide the relocation of a key anchor tenant within a flagship property. Here’s how they used WiFi analytics to inform the move, support leasing discussions, and optimize long-term property value.
Objective
As part of a large-scale redevelopment project, a flagship anchor tenant was slated to move. The move was from its current location at the original mall entrance to a newly developed area of the property.
The leasing and operations teams identified a key strategic need. They needed to quantify the foot traffic generated by the tenant at its existing location and model how much of that traffic would shift to the new zone.
This insight would serve two purposes:
- To inform leasing negotiations for the newly developed area, helping demonstrate its value to prospective tenants
- To guide operational planning, ensuring smooth visitor flow and optimal tenant mix in both the old and new zones
Given that the older section of the mall had limited existing infrastructure, the team needed a flexible solution to collect high-quality, location-based data – without delay or disruption.
Solution
The property operator had already implemented Aislelabs WiFi Analytics and Aislelabs WiFi Marketing solution across multiple properties in its portfolio. These tools transform WiFi into an enterprise-grade source of location analytics – capturing granular insights on foot traffic, dwell time, and visitor behavior across physical spaces.
In this case, the challenge was that the tenant’s current location lacked a hardwired WiFi network – making a typical analytics deployment impractical.
To solve this, the Aislelabs team provided a portable Remote-AP solution – a flexible, plug-and-play access point that could be easily deployed adjacent to the tenant’s entrance. This device enabled seamless collection of anonymized, GDPR-compliant, ISO 27001 certified location data, without the need for extensive infrastructure work.
Over an eight-month period, the Remote-AP continuously gathered a rich dataset, including:
- Monthly foot traffic volumes to the tenant’s existing location
- Dwell time patterns: how long visitors were staying in the area
- New vs. repeat visitor trends: providing insight into loyalty and attraction
By combining these metrics, the Aislelabs team worked with the property’s stakeholders to model expected traffic redistribution once the tenant relocated.
Results
The analysis showed that the anchor tenant’s current location was generating significant footfall – a valuable contributor to overall property performance. Based on the data modeling, the team projected that approximately 400,000 additional annual visits would shift to the newly developed area once the relocation was completed.
These actionable insights directly supported both leasing and operational outcomes:
- The leasing team used the traffic forecasts in discussions with prospective tenants, providing credible, data-driven projections to support lease value in different zones.
- The operations team was able to strategically plan for expected shifts in visitor flow
- The project demonstrated how WiFi-driven location intelligence could be used to de-risk major space transitions and support long-term property value creation.
Importantly, the Remote-AP solution proved highly versatile: after the completion of this project, it was easily relocated to another area of the property, continuing to generate value for other analytics initiatives.
Why Location Intelligence Matters in Tenant Moves
In today’s fast-evolving retail and mixed-use environments, tenant relocations and new zone activations are common – but their success depends on understanding how they will reshape the visitor experience and property dynamics.
Aislelabs’ location analytics give property operators an unparalleled view of how customers interact with physical spaces. By transforming the current WiFi infrastructure into an engine for foot traffic analysis, dwell time tracking, and repeat visit measurement, property teams can make more informed, strategic decisions – whether for:
- Leasing enablement
- Operational efficiency
- Marketing optimization
- Future-proofing the tenant mix
In this case, the property operator was able to turn WiFi from a cost center into a strategic asset – using location data to drive outcomes that directly impacted tenant success and property performance.
Conclusion
By partnering with Aislelabs, this Canadian property operator executed a complex tenant relocation with confidence. The move was backed by granular, GDPR-compliant and ISO 27001 certified insights that informed leasing, operational planning, and long-term asset strategy.
For leading retail and mixed-use properties, WiFi analytics are more than just an IT tool. They are a source of actionable intelligence. This helps teams adapt, compete, and deliver better outcomes for tenants and customers alike.
Looking to better understand how tenant moves and property changes impact your visitor flow? Discover how Aislelabs’ location intelligence can help you plan with confidence.
