A comparative investigation into the changing use of shopping malls in Germany and South Africa

Abstract

Based on the decline in development of new, and use of existing, shopping malls that is happening in the USA due mainly, it seems, to e-shopping, a comparative study was conducted to investigate perceptions of shopping malls and their use in Germany (a developed country) and South Africa (a developing country). Are attitudes towards mall shopping changing, or are there other factors influencing changes in mall shopping, e.g. increase in e-shopping, lack of security (especially effect of crime in South Africa), preference for localised shopping, etc.?

A questionnaire was developed from the literature and distributed via e-mail to a comprehensive database of consumers, collecting a pre-set, socio-demographic quota sample from the defined target groups. The resultant data was analysed using relevant descriptive, inferential and multivariate statistics to identify the importance of the various factors.

The main finding was that South African consumers are increasingly using shopping malls, whereas German consumers are using malls slightly less than they did 2 to 3 years ago. South Africans would like to see better entertainment and unique experiences in malls, while Germans would like to see malls developing a stronger identity, integrating themselves more into their communities and acting for the good of the community they serve.