Growing Mall & Brand Culture In India

Shopping malls have overtaken the Indian market by surprise, Indian youth are mostly attracted toward the malls. Gone are the days when people used to go to Kirana ki Dukan to buy groceries. The growing trend of Mall and Brand culture is non-stopping.

This dynamic transformation in the retail industry from unorganized to organized malls and shopping centers is making a huge impact on the way Indians go shopping. Earlier there were General stores for daily-required household material, the separate market for buying clothes but now everything has changed and all material is available under one roof.

Ten years ago, nobody would have ever imagined that the mall culture is going to spread as it has done now. Creators of this new concept would have never visualized even in their wildest dreams that the concept of malls would start a social revolution in the shopping habits of the people.

We were used to the traditional style of shopping, where shops were small having specific products. One had to wander from one shop to another so that all his needs could be fulfilled. But in malls, we can get everything from the smallest to the biggest item under one roof.

We can enjoy shopping without bothering about the weather and without having dust on our faces and clothes. Not only shopping but one can also enjoy movies, have food, coffee, play games, etc in the mall, making malls the perfect place to hang out.

Earlier the mall culture has begun in metro cities only, but now it has spread like a fire. Every small town is facing the onslaught of mall culture and electronic media is playing a big role in spreading it.

Media make people aware of various brands in the market and present them in such a glamorous way that the young generation wants to use only the brands and material used in commercials and worn by actresses and actors.

Earlier we use to search for dresses from one shop to another but now in malls, all brands are easily available. Brands of clothes, shoes, electronics gadgets, accessories, and watches all are easily available in the mall. You can not only find national but international brands too and you can easily buy apparel, watches, shoes, furniture, etc under one roof.

After hours of shopping, you tend to feel tired and need a break, and in the mall, you can find everything from coffee to all eatables in the food court plus you can enjoy yourself in the game zone too. Earlier people have an impression that shopping in malls is costlier than in the traditional markets, but with the cut-throat competition in the market among various brands this concept of high price is also vanishing.

Brands in malls are luring customers by offering various discounts and offers from time to time, and people are getting attracted to it as they can find products they need easily at their desired price.

Also Read: Best Clothing Brands in India

Malls have also become a major hunting ground for youth, whenever they need an outing or a break from their busy routine they visit malls as malls are easier to hang around, do window shopping, and get in touch with the latest fashion trends. The nice atmosphere, cool surroundings all contribute to making malls a much-sought-after place. Even for serious buyers, it is like a God-sent gift, because they get everything in the comfort and cool surrounding of a mall.

The basic problem in the traditional market is parking and clean washrooms are taken care of in malls. They have easily accessible parking spaces and clean and well-maintained washrooms making malls a preferred place by all young, educated, modern people.

Some malls have come up which cater to only specific needs of customers. There are malls that sell only jewelry and related items, some malls specialize in traditional Indian wedding Dresses. People find it very convenient and easy to shop as they can buy everything they need at a single place.

Malls have many benefits but they are also bound with some drawbacks, like items sold in malls tend to get costlier and beyond the reach of the common man. You have to spend extra on branded items and people with money only throng these malls, even the parking charges are too high for the common man. The cluster of pubs that have opened in various malls also attracts the young crowd, who feel freer in such an atmosphere. Some discotheques have also set up their shops in the vicinity of the malls. for entering such a disco one has to pay a lot of charges. Even the food items in the food court are charged very high and not in reach of most people. Malls mean that traditional business families have lost their customers and it is a kind of setback for them. It is also against the normal Indian ethos.

Mall culture has made a huge change in the way people shop but the old habit is very hard to die. People still find it more convenient to go to neighboring shops than shop in malls. The traditional market will always remain as they fulfill the daily need of people which malls cannot fulfill. Who will go to malls daily for petty things, we only tend to go to malls when we wish to buy some major item or if we are looking to spend some leisure time? Malls can never substitute traditional markets but they will affect the profit in business the shopkeepers used to make earlier. Malls will affect the traditional markets somehow and in the near future malls may hold control.