LATE NIGHT SHOPPING BEHAVIOUR IN SINGAPORE

Abstract

Late-night shopping is not a new concept to the retail industry in Singapore. Since 2006, the Singapore Tourism Board has initiated the promotion of late-night shopping. However, the initiative is not successful as what the retailers provide does not seem to match the needs and preferences of the late-night shoppers. There is a need for the shopping mall management and retailers to understand the shopping behavior of late-night shoppers and identify the factors that appeal to them intimately. The study therefore aims to investigate the difference in shopping behaviour between day and late-night shoppers using a mix sequential qualitative and quantitative approach. The findings indicate a need for the shopping malls in Singapore to revise their current operating hours as the perception of late-night is defined as 11pm onwards and many would prefer the shopping malls to close beyond 2am. In general, latenight shopping malls are perceived to be less attractive to the shoppers as compared that of day-time. It is found that late-night shoppers tend to make more expensive and impulse purchases. They also tend to spend shorter duration on shopping trips and on price comparison. In addition, the purpose of late-night shopping trips is more focused on socialisation as compared to day-time due to higher hedonic motives. Food & beverage stores and hobbies & music stores are found to enjoy a significantly higher patronage in late night. Recommendations such as fine tuning the late-night tenant mix, repositioning of stores, presence of more visible security and brighter lightings, provision of soothing music, introduction of late-night promotions and performances are provided. They seek to help the late-night shopping mall management and retailers to enhancing the attractiveness of the mall. This will in turn, improves the mall’s patronage and shoppers’ satisfaction