Relevance of Physical Retail Space as a Consumer Habitat

Written by Bhupinder Singh | General Manager and Chief Financial Officer | Dalma Mall

Brick and Mortar is the retail format, which has been and will continue to dominate the retail front in MENA region in the coming coming future. Figures, suggest that 99% of the retail sales still come from the Physical space. However, evolution is the key and co-existence is the way forward.

Did we ever realize the reasons behind why people go shopping in this region? Mall visits can be spontaneous and do not need planning and hence easier to do. Broadly 3 main motives have been identified which leads to shopping mall visits. Utilitarian, Family or Social Interaction, and believe it or not Shopping as a pleasure activity with relaxation dimensions. Basically it’s a combination of Economic and Emotional motives. In the recent years, mall shoppers are not limiting themselves purely to shop, instead visitors are looking for an overall experience which includes food, entertainment, lifestyle, leisure and quality time for the entire family.

Children’s Play areas, Interactive Entertainment, Social use areas and relaxation spaces are getting more and more prominent and are part of physical retail spaces. Mall environment influences the desire of the shopper to stay. Experience is now a consumable for shoppers in malls and much larger to buy products; they are places for social interaction, particularly in a region such as ours, as the climate has made indoors, air-conditioned malls preferable for many members of the public. That is why it is not surprising that people choose shopping malls to spend their leisure time as they find everything they want in one place and family members or friends can do different activities in one space.

The key to a successful mall is having a comprehensive understanding of recent trends, technology and behaviours of key audiences’. In short we need to understand what our customer aspirations are from time to time and deliver the same to their satisfaction.

At Dalma Mall we have endeavoured to develop the mall into our catchment audience’s habitat adhering to their emotion needs. Dalma Mall is on the mainland of the capital. We have ensured to continuously create immense opportunities for target audiences. In immediate catchment proximity, overall experience, improved habitation & lifestyle, are key. Dalma Mall’s priority is their customer, retailer. We thrive to create value for all stakeholders on a perpetual basis. That makes our Dalma Mall Abu Dhabi’s Favourite Mall.