Impact of mall design on customer experience: the case of Khayelitsha mall

Abstract

According Hashemi, (2019) The historical outdoor bazaars, where local farmers, craftspeople, and artisans would sell their items, are thought to have been the forerunners of the modern shopping mall. At the turn of the 20th century, the first contemporary shopping malls emerged, and they have since spread in a variety of forms to most major cities across the world. The shopping mall is recognized for being a place to find and purchase goods as well as a gathering area for people of all ages. The J.C. Nichols Company built the first shopping centre, the Country Club Plaza, which launched in 1922 close to Kansas City, Missouri. In 1956, the South-dale shopping centre, the first enclosed mall, debuted in Edina, Minnesota, a suburb of Minneapolis. The original malls that were built were primarily made up of independent stores with a few food vendors strewn about. Food courts quickly became popular, giving customers a convenient spot to eat. This provided more food options as well. Selling products and services for a profit is referred to as retail. Retail encompasses both in-store and online purchases, -; thus, things purchased in-store and online are both eligible. Retail refers to all types of product sales, including those conducted by travelling salespeople, structure malls, big-box retailers, and online marketplaces. In order to give customers access to various goods and services in one location, malls were intentionally built to connect physical stores within the community. This practice dates back to the twentieth century. As the years passed, shopping centres evolved into places where people might congregate for social activities in addition to shopping (Meyer, 2021). The overall goal of this research study was to determine whether the mall design and layout in Khayelitsha Mall are noticing the current elements and characteristics have an impact on consumer shopping experience and behaviour. At the Khayelitsha Mall, a mixed of methods were used to achieve the study's goal. A total of 384 participants were asked questions about the study. The participants were chosen using a simple random probability method. Traditional shopping malls are having trouble defining themselves. Foot traffic and revenues have decreased because of changing consumer tastes and shopping patterns. Consumers may now order things from anywhere in the world thanks to technological advancements. You must entice such people to leave their houses by offering them a compelling reason (Pocketstop, 2020). Customers are willing to travel and spend more money in order to have a better mall buying experience. If a customer can stay in a mall a little longer, there is a greater chance that they will spend more money there than a client who does not want to stay as long. If the customer has a positive shopping experience, they may spend more on food, entertainment, apparel, or home products (Chernofsky, 2020). According to the study's findings, the layout and design of the mall influence the consumer experience. If a mall lacks certain vital components or appeal, such as a diverse tenant mix, entertainment areas, food courts, parking, and safety and security elements, it is highly likely that customers will spend less time there, which may influence how much money they can spend there and may result in a loss of repeat business. It advised mall management to take advantage of the potential found and develop plans to enhance the customer shopping experience at Khayelitsha Mall.