Gone are the days when shopping malls are purpose-built retail centres that offer a number of specialty retail lots with shared amenities and services like air-conditioning in common areas, and car parks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A host of global trends have caused malls to change the role they play in people\u2019s lives. No longer are they just about shopping, they seek to offer experiences that go well beyond that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shopping malls have evolved to be a multi-purpose destination, with new ones offering even more variety, just to be fresh and different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In Malaysia, as elsewhere, there is a vast variety of shopping malls, with variations in merchandise and services, size and layout. But developers are ever creative and have since produced malls with unique and imaginative offerings to attract shoppers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With the varied offerings available, visiting a mall has become a lifestyle for all Malaysians, regardless of age or sex, particularly during weekends and holidays.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A whole gamut of goods and services can now be found in malls offering a total lifestyle activity. They include retail and service outlets, food and beverage in many imaginative formats, sports and leisure activities like fitness centres, bowling alleys, and futsal and badminton courts, entertainment like cinemas, theaters, karaoke and theme parks, spa and beauty centres, one-stop payment centres, car wash and service workshops, and educational and trans- port hubs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With shoppers becoming more affluent, the trade mix in malls has to constantly adapt \u2013 shifting from bread- and-butter goods and services towards more lifestyle merchandise and leisure and health products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Shopping in a mall used to be a \u201cself-service\u201d activity, that is, shoppers either go window shopping or directly to purchase merchandise and for some food and drinks on their own. But now, malls have evolved to provide more sophisticated services, simply to pamper their shoppers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The ordinary information counters are now called concierge desks, reminiscent of hotels, providing not just the shopping directory but customer care in the form of mall ambassadors who may be profi- cient in foreign languages like Arabic to assist in the annual Arab shopping spree here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Urbane city centre malls also provide personal shoppers (in addition to those at department stores) to advise on retail offerings within the mall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some malls offer shopper privilege cards which come with preferred access to club premises where shoppers may relax while waiting for their companions to finish their retail therapy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Safety and security in malls\u2019 car parks have already gone one up with valet services, car-bay locator apps, specially designated ladies\u2019 parking, buggy\/shuttle services and even security escorts for the faint-hearted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In view of the enhanced multi-pur- pose functions of a shopping mall, the traditional box format has evolved from being merely functional to being experiential with outdoor and indoor landscape features, friendly access points and connectivity to public transport, multi-volume ceiling space and special lighting to enhance the luxurious feel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The non-boxy mall formats now include strip layouts as in Citta Mall in Ara Damansara, shops located around a semi-indoor garden courtyard like in Empire Damansara in Damansara Per- dana, and even a full-scale roof garden with exotic flora as in 1 Utama Shopping Centre in Bandar Utama. The three malls are in Selangor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
With the advent of smart devices and the digital era, the usage of wireless internet networking (WiFi) has become an essen- tial service in shopping malls. Shoppers are seen indulging in social media via their mobile phone, tablet and laptop while they shop or eat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There are many who spend much time digitally and simply like to share their eating and shopping experience in real time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In response, malls and businesses have turned to social media to reach out to potential shoppers with real-time offers and discounts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Since the first standalone mall opened in the 1970s, malls have become an essential component in any mixed development.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Apart from hypermarkets, malls are seldom built standing alone and co-exist with full connectivity within the synergy of other components like hotels, offices and residences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition, due to today\u2019s greater connectivity, malls have to compete for tourism dollars. Tourist shopping has grown significantly to comprise almost<\/p>\n\n\n\n
30% of total tourist expenditure in the country. So it makes sense to leverage on the synergy and integration with hotels and transportation hubs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n