A STUDY OF YOUNG SHOPPERS IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

To understand the increasing connection between leisure and consumption in the shopping mall context, this study examines the Singaporean fascination with shopping malls and ‘malling’ as a contemporary leisure activity and experience. Given the increasing importance of shopping malls as spaces for people to meet, socialize, relax, feel excited, the dearth of literature on shopping malls as the leisure field is especially surprising. Therefore, there is a need to deepen our understanding of the perception and motivation to visit various shopping spaces of young shoppers in Singapore.

Accordingly, it is essential to appreciate the segmentation of shoppers in order to adopt the best strategies to cater to all segments of the market (Frasquet et al., 2001). Thus, the current study will focus on Singaporean young shoppers and divide them up into different types of shoppers and three types of shoppers, namely “Entertainment-goers”, “Ordinary shoppers”, and “Real shoppers”, exist due to the difference in demographics, perceptions and motivations.

The findings from this study suggest that most of young shoppers in Singapore visit a mall to fulfill their socializing purposes. It proposes that in Singapore, shopping malls clearly serve as central and popular leisure spaces for those who are seeking to recreate, meet, socialize, or purchase; with varying blends of motivations. These findings are supported by extant work regarding North American, European and Global South shopping malls which proposes that shopping malls serve various other functions beyond purchasing including, interacting, socializing and relaxing (Anjaria, 2008; Fiske, 2000; Miler et al. 1998). Furthermore, it is also found that entertainment facilities such as Cineplex, fitness centre, kids’ entertainment places or other types of entertainment turned out not to be a major part of leisure activity, which would not attract shoppers to frequent a mall.