ATTRACTIVENESS OF MEGA-SHOPPING MALLS

Abstract

Changes in the social and economic conditions in Singapore bring about new consumer behaviour. The shopping malls need to reinvent themselves to cater to the changing needs and tastes of the shoppers. Older shopping malls will have to revamp and reposition themselves. 2004 is the year of mall makeovers. Even young shopping malls like Wisma Atria and Paragon underwent revamping. However, before revamping the malls and establishing a new image, the management should have a clear idea of the key attributes attracting shoppers to a mall. Incorporating the key attributes, the new image portrayed will thus be attractive to the shoppers. Together with the under-construction VivoCity, there are a total of about 6 mega shopping malls in Singapore. This study seeks to provide an insight into the perceptions of the 20-29 age group on local mega shopping malls. The key attributes attracting this segment to a mega shopping mall are to be identified. In the study, a total of 27 attributes are identified, followed by a survey to find the rankings of the attributes. The findings suggest that accessibility is vital in attracting this segment rather than the size of the mall.