Venues

Why do people go to malls & shopping centers? 

The answers to this question is simple and particularly relevant when you may be considering locating your business in a mall or shopping center.  

Let’s explore this phenomenon.  Why do you go to malls and shopping centers?  Think about it for a moment.

OK… now put yourself in a senior citizen’s mindset… why would (do) they go to malls and shopping centers?

Now, think of a parent’s mindset (a dad or a busy mom, with or without children in tow), a teenager’s mindset (alone or with one or more friends), a pre-teen’s, a young child’s, a toddler’s,  etc.  Thinking about these multiple “demographics” and effectively addressing their specific needs, wants and desires is what Malls and Shopping Centers were designed for and it is the business that Mall and Shopping Center developers and managers exist to perform.

Of course, these developers and managers want to charge you rent and even make a small percentage, when they can, of your gross revenues.  That said, the amount of rent they are able to charge is most often a direct reflection on the quantity and quality of the “potential” customers they and their tenant businesses are able to consistently pull into their Mall or Shopping Center doors, and., of course, the purchases those consumers make.

There is an interesting fact noted over decades of research into Retail Consumer Behavior;  Spending is most driven by “psychological age” as opposed to “chronological age.”  From a marketing standpoint, this means, depending on what you’re selling, an effective marketing program may be more focused on “psychographics” than pure demographics (age, gender, income, etc.).  What do people do for work?... for fun?... for stress relief? etc.?  What problems do they have that need to be solved?  In some situations, these and other “psychology-based” questions may be important to address in determining an appropriate marketing and sales strategy. 

OK, back to the core question: Why do people go to malls and shopping centers?  This question is a constant subject of surveys by mall and shopping center developers & managers, consumer behavioralists, the retail industry, marketers, advertising agencies, retailers, investors and anyone else with a stake in making malls and shopping centers successful.

Let’s review many of the common answers:

-I like the variety and value.
-I go to escape from the hassles of my life.
-I go for the sales
-I go there to get coffee and use the internet.
- I go for the free events; sometimes there are health screenings, dance or singing   competitions, art displays, gaming tournaments and more.
-I like the quality of my shopping experiences there.
-I go there to window shop and think about what I want to buy later.
-I may pay more but it’s worth it because I always find what I need.
-I go there for privacy.
-There are more knowledgeable salespeople there. They know what I’m looking for.
-The people there are just more service oriented.
-They’re my age and know what’s cool!
-It’s more efficient… one stop shopping.
-It’s a fun place to shop, watch people and eat with my friends.
-I can find something for everybody.
-I go there just to have sane people to talk to.
-It’s my recreation.
-I use the mall food court to meet and interview potential employees in a neutral environment.  This allows me to evaluate them outside of the workplace.
-They have the latest fashions.
-That’s where all the “cool” people hang out.
-I can “chill” there for free… no pressure.
-I go there to power walk.
-Because I know I can count on the quality.
-I go there to people watch.
-I take my kids there to play
-I go to the mall to do my homework and  avoid the chaos at home.
-I go there for the air conditioning and for shade from the hot sun
-I go there to socialize.
-Like most people, I hang out at my mall for a sense of community.  It’s neat that I can buy stuff too, when I need it.  
-Most of the shoppers are woman.  I go to check them out.
-I go there to go to the movies.
-I go for the attention. I want people to see me.
-I go there to meet new people.
-I go to the mall just to eat (I love the choices).
-I bring a busload of my handicapped residents to the mall to eat and get out of their rooms once a week.  They deserve a break.
-I go there to spend my paycheck.  It’s what I do.