Malls, less of shopping, more of entertainment
Hyderabad: Are shopping malls more about food and entertainment and less about shopping? Yes, say IT employees who frequent malls. Many techies for whom visiting shopping malls is a weekly ritual, say that they mostly do window shopping in malls and purchase the goods online in the e-commerce websites where they get better deals. 'Many times I run into size issues with shoes and clothes purchased online.
Also, sometimes there is difference between how a shirt or trouser looks on a model and how it looks on me. So, I just try them when I visit a mall to watch a movie and order the same online,' says Naveen Karanam, an IT engineer and a mall enthusiast.
Also, many complain that the exorbitant prices in shopping malls are a deterrent. 'Prices in malls are relatively so high that it seems illogical to purchase something we can get online for a lesser price,' says techie Suparna Biswas, a shopping enthusiast. She adds that mall visits for her are primarily to watch movies and eat during the weekends.
Chitra Reddy says that malls provide a much needed break from cooking after five days of hard work. 'Daily I eat home-cooked food. So, on the weekend I usually eat outside with my friends. Malls with good food joints are preferred as we can shop, play and eat under the same roof,' she says adding that she does window shopping to keep herself abreast with the latest trends.
Mall managers, too, admit that a large section of their visitors, especially during weekends, come to hang out in the mall. 'Nearly one-third of the footfalls during the weekend constitute multiplex visitors.
Watching movie and eating at a food joint in the mall is more affordable than visiting a resort or restaurant for many,' says Kishan, marketing manager of Prasad's IMAX.
He adds that as their mall is centrally located, it serves as a weekend meeting point for friends and colleagues who stay at different places in the city.
GVK One manager Sanjay Bansal says that Entertainment and F&B (food and beverages) segment of the mall attracts 25-30% of visitors during the weekend. He says, 'Generally, we have serious shoppers coming during weekdays. During the weekend their ratio falls significantly.' He adds that families visiting the mall during the weekend tend to shop more than youth.
News Posted: 3 December, 2014
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