MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – The Holiday shopping season is in full swing at the Mall of America, and this year there’s something new to help make shopping even easier – an app.

Last year, almost 220,000 people went to the Mall of America on Black Friday alone, creating a lot of confusion in the parking ramps and in the stores. But MOA’s new app can help alleviate some of the confusion.

Ali Kaplan, the style editor for Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, developed the app. She says to get the best out of the mall shoppers have to explore.

“We tend to kind of have a quadrant,” Kaplan said. “There are people who never leave Nordstrom or never leave Macy’s, but to really master this place you need some help.”

Along with tips on how to get around, the app also has advice on where to get quick snacks and where to find deals – even things for free. For more on the app, click here.

Parking Problem

Ever forget where you parked your car at MOA? If so, you’re not alone. A spokesperson for the mall said its security department gets more than 1,500 calls a year from motorists who are searching for their cars.

To help holiday-stressed drivers, the mall has launched a new text system. It works like this: You type in the name of the parking lot where you left your car and you get a detailed text on how to find it.