 The mall culture is catching up gradually in twin cities with several

malls making their entry in Hyderabad retail sector. These malls have
given a new dimension to shopping experience. Malls have
transformed once compulsive and sober shopping into a family
entertainment and as a weekend pastime. With the entire products
available under one complex, offering rich and pleasant ambience,
stocking and offering cornucopia of products and brands, these malls
have already bagged a major chunk of existing retail market share.

 The Indian Retail Sector is booming and mall growth is being seen as
a clear indicator of the economic prosperity in India. These shopping
cum entertainment options are getting bigger and better, sporting
multiplexes and food courts to woo shoppers. Dominant retail activity
is visible in the top cities but tier II and III cities are also witnessing
change. Read about the huge investments in malls and what the future
holds for them

 Malls are springing up in every city and are fast becoming sought-
after entertainment hotspots, with shopping as the by-product. From a
situation where there were no malls about a decade ago, the country
will have over 300 malls translating to over 100 million sq.ft. in
available mall space by the end of 2007.

The Indian Government’s initiatives to aid growth in the retail sector are
showing very visible results. Investment in world-class infrastructure is
expected to be close to USD 150 bn.

• The hitherto restricted retail real estate sector was opened up for
Foreign Direct Investment in 2005. As a result, malls of international
scale and quality are expected to come up;
• Mall growth is being seen as a clear indicator of the economic
prosperity in India. Significantly, the number of malls in the country
has increased at a fast pace. And they are doing brisk business. A trip
 to the local mall (there will be one in every locality soon!) will bear
this out;
• From almost no malls existing in the country over a decade ago, there
were 96 operational malls in August 2005;
• Here’s more good news. This phenomenon is not restricted to major
cities of the country alone. It has percolated to the “Tier II” and “Tier
III’ cities as well. The contribution of Tier II cities in organized retail
sales is expected to be about 20 – 25%.
• Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Pune and New Delhi are expected to
have nearly 75% of the retail space in the country
• Niche, speciality malls, discount malls, highway malls are the new
trends

Mall Culture In India

Its weekend and are you still stuck with the regular question as to what to do on
Sunday? May be not, as the Indian populace has finally found the answer to the
ever bothering question quite easily.
Yes, a visit to a nearby mall is the
most probable answer any metropolitan citizen would give. This is because the
retail revolution has completely taken the nation by storm. Mushrooming of malls
is a clear indication that the wave of consumerism is arriving steady and fast.

The Trend!
Crowded streets, traffic congestion and mob of people flooding a chic looking
building, is a popularly visible scenario every Sunday. This plush building is none
other than a mall in Gurgaon, NCR Delhi. This brings to light that people’s
perception has completely changed towards shopping. Congenial atmosphere,
world class environment, international brands, basic amenities and exotic
cuisines, is what the malls aspire to provide under one roof.

Nevertheless, people are welcoming this new trend with open arms, unaware of
what just might be its consequences. Moreover, sales and bargain deals,
attractive prizes, and schemes are the success formulae, the shopkeepers are
trying to cash in, on consumers. This has made malls a mega hit amongst the
metro crowd, putting fuel to their ever increasing demand for a better living. This
is a result of the expanding Indian market and disposable incomes by the service
class.

As an Alternative
Apart from being the shopper’s paradise, malls are also acting as a good
alternative, for the people to escape from the otherwise poor living conditions.
This brings the flipside of the mall culture into sight, which enforces that though
shopping is the modern mantra, people are looking for something more. Malls act
as great refuge from the scorching heat of the sun, in summers, as all the malls
are centrally air conditioned for the purpose.

Another reason for the malls being so crowded is that quite a number of people
roam there aimlessly. Their purpose can be anything from a get together with
friends to simply window shopping, from buying popcorns to buying cards. This
explains that hot weather, frequent and prolonged electricity and water cuts are
some of the strong reasons, why the common man is attracted towards the
escalating shrines of consumerism.

Shopaholism
Shopaholism is the name given to the addiction for shopping, which has joined
the list after cigarette and alcohol. A kind of a physiological disorder, it is
constantly on the rise. It should be noted that it has made its way not only in the
lives of people, but also in the credentials of psychiatrists. According to their
unanimous belief, it can lead to serious problems, if not paid attention to. In
severe cases, the patient may even avert to shoplifting and stealing, in case the
desired product is denied. Moreover, shopping is also being termed as a means
of escape mechanism.

This implies that the retail therapy gives the shopper a temporary high,
corresponding to the feeling that he possesses what he wants. Besides, the
therapy seems to work wonders, not only for women but also for men. The
metamorphosis the society is witnessing, presents man as the evolving shopping
freak, shouldering the women with utmost grace. Hooked on the phenomenon, it
gives them the sense of power and control, pampering their mountain high egos.
This can even go the extent, where people end up wasting money, for the
euphoria shopping provides.

Warning!
After all said and done, it is finally time for the word of caution. India, the land of
spirituality and mysticism, is steadying fast on the road to development, with mall
culture just a miniscule aspect of it. As the investors and town planners vie to fit
in the huge glass buildings amidst squashed streets, there are a number of
problems, the process poses. Ever increasing space crunch, growing traffic,
 developing infrastructural pressure, power scarcity, parking blues are some of the
troublesome head raising situations, to be fought.

In addition to this, the tremendous change these modern marvels have brought
into the lives of people is alarming. These commercial havens not only serve as
battlegrounds for the international brands but also impel people to wrestle with
their own psyche and value system. Being carried away in the voluble stream of
consumerism and retail revolution, common man is rendered completely
unarmed. He is being prepared to take what can be actually termed as ‘sweet
poison’, which in a way is a boost to the Indian economy but on the other hand
can steal away the joy and innocence from daily life, if not practiced in limits.

 PUNJAB : The Mall Capital of India !

Amol Arora, Director - Emgreen Projects Ltd., takes a close look at the
emerging Mall boom in the top cities of Punjab.
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New Delhi, New Delhi, IND, 2006-09-27 12:25:01 (IndiaPRwire.com)
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The people of Punjab have always been an enterprising lot. Capable of
much hard work, sweat and toil, it is they who must be given the
credit for showing the way to abundance and prosperity with the
‘green’ and ‘white’ revolution. Maybe it’s in their genes; or maybe it’s
in the waters of the land’s five rivers; Panj (five) and Ab (water or
rivers).
The agrarian Punjabis deliver nearly 60% of rice and 40% of wheat
consumed by the entire nation. The land’s plentiful harvests have also
meant plenty of money in the pocket and there is no doubt that
farmers of Punjab are relatively more well off than their counterparts
elsewhere in India. With more disposable money to burn, the people of
Punjab have been seeking avenues to do so, thereby fuelling the retail
boom in the State. With money to splurge, and brands to buy, can the
Mall culture be far behind?
Over a short span of time, several builders have come up with blue
prints and proposals highlighting their upcoming projects and there’s
no doubt that these malls would add an unprecedented dimension to
the Retail Boom in Punjab.
Let’s have an in-depth analysis of malls which are coming up in the
region.
In the beginning of 2005, there were just two operational malls with a
total area of 2.70 lakh sq.ft. It is now confirmed that this scenario will
undergo a sea change with nine new projects slated to come up by the
end of 2006 taking the total mall space to 31.80 lakh sq.ft. – that’s a
twelve fold increase from the previous year ! It is predicted that some
lesser malls would also
come up in 2007, as the masses gradually get used to the mall
culture. Even though some smart players and analysts are still waiting
to gauge the nuances of scrapping the traditional methods of selling
and purchasing, the mood remains quite upbeat about the money
inflow to the state. About Rs. 600 billion is waiting to be made in the
real estate sector in in Punjab over the next 3 years, and more
investments are likely to follow soon. As many as 60 more malls are
expected to come up in various cities. More than 30 would be
operational in the coming two years. The state, which has been
consuming more than others, has become a hot destination for those
in this industry. Construction activity is in full swing in a number of
projects a fact quite visible in most cities. Some of the cities & towns
where developments are planned include Ludhiana, Mohali, Jalandhar
and Amritsar, Patiala, Hoshiarpur, Khanna, Gurdaspur, Kapurthala,
Nawanshahr, Ferozepore, Ropar, Faridkot, Muktsar, Moga, Bathinda,
Rajpura, Mansa and Sangrur.
Why Punjab ?
Studies portray that consumer spending in Punjab is higher than the
national average. Projections are equally positive for other cities as
well. Punjab has been consuming more than most other states, and is
significantly higher than the all-India average in almost every retailing
category, says Images-CII study on “Retailing in Punjab: 2010 and
Beyond”. These categories include food and beverages, footwear,
clothing and communication. As per estimates, the average per person
monthly consumption expenditure during 2004-05 in urban Punjab was
Rs.1182.90, which is higher than the national average of Rs.1149.52.
As per study, unlike other states, the unique feature about Punjab is
that it has an equal support from urban as well as rural consumers so
far as growth in consumption is concerned. This factor points to a
tremendous potential for organised retail, as the location choice would
not act as a constraint here.
The average monthly consumption expenditure for rural consumers in
Punjab is Rs 1,022.05 — only marginally lower in comparison to the
state’s urban average, but much higher than the national average of
Rs.635.72 per person per month, says the study.
With the highest per capita income in the country, that is nearly three-
and-a-half times the all-India average, an excellent infrastructure to
promote new industries and support the existing ones, coupled with
high percentage of employment, Punjab stands second to none in fast
becoming a favoured destination for the retail industry.
No wonder, investors are quite keen to tap this huge consumption
potential in the state. The mood is thus, extremely upbeat as far as
the retail options in Punjab are concerned.
Ludhiana
Shopping malls have turned out to be the next ‘in-thing’ in Ludhiana
and the culture is spreading like the proverbial fire. Ludhiana known
for its hosiery and sports goods industries is fast emerging as a
favourite destination for shopping plazas and multiplexes as a dozen
malls are rapidly up coming at a cost of Rs 600 crores (approx).
Ludhiana has become a metropolis. And Retailers and developers,
riding on a wave of retail boom in one of world's fastest growing
economies, are adding new dimensions to the business to lure more
customers.
Malls are pouring in Ludhiana one after the other with nearly 15 others
are all set to come up on different roads in a span of two to three
years. A large number of these are on the Ferozepur Raod and on the
GT Road on the Ludhiana Jalandhar Segment. The largest mall in the
city will be in the western part of the city- the Ludhiana City Centre of
the City’s Improvement Trust and which is coming up on a huge 26
Acre site.
This has resulted in a sharp rise in the land prices which now ranges
from Rs 5000 to Rs 10,000 per square yard. These Malls are roping in
the leading brands in fashion, consumer and lifestyle products. A study
has predicted good growth for all upcoming malls in and around
Ludhiana with retail spending potential to increase from Rs 3864 crore
in 2005 to Rs 5940 crore by the end of 2010.
Chandigarh
Located at the confluence of three prosperous states of North India,
Chandigarh, with a population of 9,00,000 people, boasts of being the
first city in the country in terms of human development index with a
literacy rate of 82 %. Over the years, this planned city has been luring
the best of professionals from all walks of life and from every nook and
corner of the country. This has fuelled the rise of property prices in the
city. The retail activities have also shown a parallel high rise in the
city’s development graph with around 8-10 mall developments are
known a few of which are coming up in the famous Sector -17 market.
Amritsar
The spiritual center of Punjab, Amritsar has attracted a number of
developments in and around the city. Tourism, a major contributor to
the city’s economy, is aiding the financial well being of the city’s
residents thereby creating opportunities for the influx of brands and
malls into the city. However, due to the lack of large areas within the
city a few cinemas are being converted into malls and a few are
coming up on the outskirts on Batala Raod and the GT road towards
Jalandhar.
Mohali
In the past, the only demand for real estate development came in the
form of commercial spaces for banks, technical institutes and local
occupiers. The overall scenario is dramatically changing with the mall
culture is slowly and steadily sneaking in. With soaring land prices in
Chandigarh, Mohali & Panchkula, promoters have taken a fancy for the
suburban areas with 2 areas especiall emerging as a hotbed for retail
growth
The first is Zirakpur which Strategically located on the three busy
highways — Chandigarh-Ambala, Kalka-Ambala and Zirakpur-Patiala,
Zirakpur has at least seven shopping malls in the pipeline. The start of
work on the four-laning of the Chandigarh-Ambala highway and
building of thousands of apartments, which would be inhabited in the
next couple of years, are the other reasons prompting the builders to
come up with the shopping malls.
The second area is on the opposite side of town on the Kharar &
Landran Roads. Here Atleast 8 proejcts have been announced and it
remains to be seen how many actually take shape.
Jalandhar
Famous for its sporting good industry, Jalandhar is seeing a lot of
development activity on the GT Road on the Ludhaina Jalandhar
segment with around 4 projects having been announced. In the city,
Jalandhar could see two to three malls in the next three years
Patiala
Famous for its Peg, Parandi & Jutti-the city of maharajas is also
gearing up for the retail boom with 4 projects in the pipeline including
the conversion of a few cinema halls.
Highways
Besides leading cities, the highways running through the state are of
special interest to investors given the spending power of Punjabis,
especially non-resident Indians (NRIs).A number of multiplexes, hotels
and shopping mall projects have been approved by the government
along highways - particularly the National highway No. 1 (old Grand
Trunk Road) between Ambala and Amritsar as well as other highways
linking Chandigarh with leading cities. The promoters of these highway
shopping malls are eager to cash in on thousands of motorists, who
travel on the highway daily.
Future Challenges
Thus Punjab is, thus, all set to experience the phenomenon of a major
retail boom, representing a grand opportunity to all the retailers at
large to exploit its huge consumption potential.
However, there does seem to be an oversupply in most cities and the
competition will heat up. The challenges for mall owners lie in not just
roping the top-brands, but also retaining and sustaining their
presence. The success of malls in the long run would depend on
number of real customers generated as opposed to mere foot falls
created. Apart from strong and reliable infrastructure, a right tenant
mix needs to be ensured as also strategies that prove profitable for the
tenants. The challenge here lies in attracting the middle-class and rural
customer, who will look for better options not just in variety but in
pricing as well. They will only succeed if the price factor is taken into
consideration of whatever products are being sold, in direct proportion
to income level of the masses, in and around the area. The developers
that have a vision understand what it takes to setup and manage a
mall will survive while those looking for a quick buck will surely bite
the dust.

Jones Lang Lasalle Meghraj Identifies "India 50" — the Emerging Cities for
Retail Activity

Business Wire, June 29, 2007

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World Winning Cities Report Points to Growing Opportunities in Retail and Retailing
Formats

NEW DELHI & MUMBAI, India -- Highlighting the growth opportunities and the
emerging geography of Indian retail and property market activity, Jones Lang LaSalle
Meghraj released its World Winning Cities report on Indian Retail. The report entitled
"The Geography of Opportunity -- The India 50" is the first report in a series on Indian
Retail Futures. It highlights the significant opportunities for both domestic and
international retailers and property investors across a broad range of geographies and
formats.

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"The Geography of Opportunity - The India 50" paper highlights that India's retail sector
is evolving at a swift pace, fuelled by a strong economy, favourable demographics, rising
wealth levels and rapidly changing lifestyles and consumer aspirations of an ever
burgeoning middle class. The real estate sector has responded well to this retail growth.
The total retail mall stock has been doubling every year, from a meagre one million
square feet in 2002 to a staggering 40 million square feet by end of 2007 and an
estimated 60 million square feet by end of 2008.

Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj's research identifies 50 cities across India that are ideally
positioned to benefit from the booming retail sector. The report launches a new retail city
classification based on socio-economic characteristics, retailer activity and shopping mall
development. The research identifies five types of cities (Maturing, Transitional, High
Growth, Emerging and Nascent), each of which is at a different stage in its retail market
evolution and offers different types of opportunities for retailers and the property sector.

Organised retail activity is still overwhelmingly concentrated in Delhi and Mumbai (the
Maturing Cities) and considerable opportunities still exist in these two vast and diverse
metros. We expect these two metros to contribute 40% of national organised retailing by
year 2008. Delhi and Mumbai lead the Indian mall culture with estimated total mall stock
of 22 million and 15 million sq ft respectively by 2008-09. Nonetheless, the report
concludes that increasing competition in the NCR and Mumbai markets, combined with
growing opportunities in India's regional markets, is encouraging both retailers and
property developers to move into new and potentially more rewarding markets further a-
field. Organised retailing in India's other main cities, such as Bangalore, Kolkata,
Hyderabad, Pune and Chennai (the Transitional Cities) is growing rapidly however such
is the pace of change, that many smaller Tier III cities are now firmly on the radar of the
retail sector and mall developers.

Vincent Lottefier, CEO, Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj, says, "India's 50 cities identified in
our report clearly offer substantial and compelling opportunities for India's growing retail
sector. With a population of over 1 million each, these cities will form the very core of
India's emerging retail hierarchy. Interestingly, the top 15 cities (Maturing, Transitional
and High growth) from the 50 retail destinations are expected to contribute more than
80% of the total national retail business by 2008. India's retail awakening is characterised
by rapidly changing customer behaviour, new market entrants and evolving government
policy. It is imperative to comprehend India's enormous cultural and regional diversity to
get a realistic perspective on the opportunity at hand."
The report highlights tertiary cities such as Chandigarh, Ludhiana,
Jaipur, Lucknow and Kochi (the High Growth Cities) as leading the
pack, attracting considerable retailer interest due to high incomes and
strong brand awareness. The "next retail destinations" over a three year horizon are
likely to be "Emerging Cities" such as Nagpur, Coimbatore and Thiruvananthapuram,
where IT/ITES companies are expanding their workforces, which in turn is stimulating
retailing activity. The more pioneering retailers and mall developers are now seeking to
benefit from first mover advantage and are moving into "Nascent Cities" such as
Aurangabad and Rajkot, which are likely to provide good long term opportunities.

"Emerging City Winners" is Phase IV of Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj's World Winning
Cities research. It brings to the fore cities that are already buzzing with retail activity and
those which are catching up rapidly to be the next retail hot spots. Many of these Indian
rising urban stars offer significant retail opportunities and have not traditionally been on
the radar screen on the property sector.

About Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj

Jones Lang LaSalle Meghraj is the Indian operations of Jones Lang LaSalle's Asia Pacific
business, which established over 45 years ago and currently has 60 offices across 13
countries. Globally, Jones Lang LaSalle Inc. (NYSE: JLL), the only real estate money
management and services firm named to FORTUNE magazine's "100 Best Companies to
Work For" and Forbes magazine's "400 Best Big Companies," has approximately 160
offices worldwide and operates in more than 450 cities in over 50 countries. With 2006
revenue of over USD2 billion, the company provides comprehensive integrated real
estate and investment management expertise on a local, regional and global level to
owner, occupier and investor clients. Jones Lang LaSalle is an industry leader in property
and corporate facility management services, with a portfolio of over 1 billion square feet
worldwide. In 2006, the firm completed Capital Market sales and acquisitions, debt
financing, and equity placements on assets and portfolios valued at USD 70.9 billion.
LaSalle Investment Management, the company's investment management business, is one
of the world's largest and most diverse real estate money management firms, with
approximately USD44.3 billion of assets under management.
Malls: New temples of modern India
The malls are the temples of modern India. And going by reports, would soon be
everywhere. Centrepieces of a consumer culture, malls are a great place to take
sociological notes on consumer behaviour..
CJ: Prashant Mukherjee , 4 Mar 2008 Views:1260 Comments:0
SOME MONTHS ago, while driving down the Delhi-Gurgaon highway, we
got stuck in a traffic jam that seemed to last forever. The cause of the jam: Three
Godzilla-like buildings. Car after car headed into them, offloading their excited
cargo of passengers for a day of shopping, movies, food and entertainment. It
seemed like the human tide would never stop.

That was my first sight of Gurgaon’s new magnets: The malls.

The malls are the temples of modern India. And going by reports, would soon be
everywhere - these centrepieces of the consumer culture.

One of my friends in the car was a commercial photographer who loves malls. He
visits them regularly, especially when working on an advertising campaign. “It is
the single best place to get in touch with contemporary middle-class culture,” he
says. “To get a sense of teenage trends, how people behave or just what’s on
consumers’ minds.”

Now, here I am, sitting in a gigantic mall, the photographer’s words ringing in my
ears. America is the mother country that gave birth to malls from
where they spread to Europe, Dubai, Singapore, Shanghai, and
now, India.

I have to admit I am a bit terrified of malls now although as a kid I used to have a
lot of predilection towards them. Indeed, malls were one of the attractions of
holidays abroad. I could spend all day in a happy state following the cultural echo
of buy, buy and buy. It was like being drugged.

Now, I have outgrown that. I find malls too large. They make me feel giddy and
berserk, like being swallowed up whole by Moby Dick the whale.

Nevertheless, a mall is a great place to take sociological notes on how

consumers behave. So, let’s get a pineapple juice and a barbequed chicken roll
and watch people interact with things. In my hand is a book titled ‘Call Of
The Mall’, which serendipitously popped out at me in the
bookstore. It is written by retail anthropologist Paco
Underhill who has run hundreds of research assignments in malls across the
world. He studies the science of shopping and by studying the mall and what
goes on there, he says we can learn a lot about ourselves and the state of the
nation.

I will try to drive through the gateway of malls and describe whatever I had seen.
Hundreds of people are roaming the fluorescent-lit corridors, all drawn together in
a communion of consumption. Most are women, the primary actors in the world
of mall shopping. In fact, the entire mall seems to be designed specially for
women, with the biggest single retail category being that of women’s apparel.

Retail psychology has developed into a fine art here, with one single focus - once
you have a customer, don’t let her go. Find ways to make her spend more. Take
for instance, the women’s shoe section, which now has cosmetic counters inside
it. The reason: In the four minutes it takes the salesman to get the woman’s
shoes, you can sell her some cosmetics. Researchers have found that women
will buy cosmetics everywhere. Show a woman a mirror, and you can sell her a
lipstick.

The happiest people in the mall, though, seem to be teenage girls, although not
so much for shopping reasons. For them it’s a first taste of freedom, a safe place
to hang out, away from the tyranny of parental controls, a place to dress up and
be seen and to perhaps, have their first dates.

And men? Alas, men seem largely misplaced in the mall. They always feel
incongruous. Most have come in the company of women or children. I would love
to call them as ‘wallet keepers’ whose primary job is ‘waiting’. You can find them
perched on the edges of tables, leaning against the wall, bored out of their minds
as their women hop from counter to counter and in and out of changing rooms.
They are pathetically grateful for a bench or chair.

Men shop very differently from women. They are more focused. For instance,
when a man wants trousers, he finds a pair in his size, goes straight to the
cashier without browsing through the rest of the merchandise or trying anything
on. Much the same way he’d buy a case of beer.

Women, on the other hand, can spend hours browsing. One can see the real
charm of shopping on their face – with the men being dragged, or bound to be
get dragged. In any case, they had very little options. Whenever their partner’s
stops somewhere to buy pretty swanky stuffs they try to become furtive or
excuse themselves for a visit to the washroom.

This has become one of the most poignant issues in all of ‘malldom’. “The matter
of what to do with the men while shopping takes place. I feel sure that some
enterprising mall management firm is going to develop a concept in which men
might pay a little extra but find room to sleep, watch TV, read, even work on
computer terminals while their wives shop.”
The growth of malls largely came about as a result of America’s flight to suburbia.
Over time, malls expanded their air-conditioned bosom to become more than
mere shopping centres. They now provide a setting for community life. A place
for the middle-class to convene, much like a village square in olden days. Art
classes, fund-raisers, drama clubs all now happen at the mall.
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Dozens of elderly cardiac patients come here for an early morning walk, safe
from the cold. The mall is also, one of the last places left where you can still find
the family on display — where you can still see parents, kids, and grandparents,
interact with each other. The bottom line, of course, is to get people to spend
more. The more time you can get people to spend in a mall, the more they are
likely to buy things.

Nothing in a mall is as simple as it seems. It’s easy to lose your rationality and
buy things you didn’t even want. I notice three shopping bags by my side that I
have no rational memory of buying. I must get out of here to a place where I can
breathe again. Like a park maybe, with no cashier in sight.

Retail and real estate compliment each other. The current growth trends in Indian
retail market present large prospects in the retail real estate segment. Indian retail enjoys
the status of representing one of the 10 largest retail markets in the world.

If the progress forecasted for retail sector in India keeps moving like this, then, by the end
of 2008, a supply of 66 million sq ft. of new retail space will be developed in the eight
largest Indian cities.

Outlined Below Is The Future Scenario Of Retail Sector In India:

Developers are primarily focusing on the metros like Delhi and Mumbai for the supply of
retail space as these cities enjoy advantages because of their sheer size and population.
They have emerged as the most lucrative consumer markets in Asia. Close by heels are
the cities such as Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, where the per capita income is
increasing due to high proliferation of IT companies.

Big Realty players Unitech, Omaxe, Suncity Projects among others are planning to come
up with big retail projects in tier-II cities like Ludhiana, Jaipur, Chandigarh, and
Amritsar. What is attracting these majors to foray into these cities is their increasing
customer base.

Around 100 shopping malls are already operating here, generating 20 million sq ft of
retail space. 60 more malls are likely to spring by the end of next fiscal year.

Chief hosting spots to see the major retail development are NCR, Mumbai, Bangalore,
Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Chennai. However, the mall culture is likely to hit 60 more
cities. With Delhi Development Authority releasing real estate space in peripheral retail
areas, mall development has got a strong boost.

According to the real estate trends report compiled by Merril Lynch, number of malls in
Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Pune may touch 250 by 2010 against the present 40.
Growth of real estate in Delhi mainly owes to huge outlay in IT/ITes, and BPO centers,
thereby attracting investments in the segment.

‘Mall Management’ to take up as the Next Trend in Indian Retail

 Mall management is likely to be the next hottest trend in the Indian retail market.
There is planning for the development of 300 more malls. With such a strong move
waiting for its turn, builders will have to learn things to ensure their success.

There are around 100 exclusive shopping malls in India and 300 are scheduled to come
up in the next levels of constructions. Data showcased by the study of Jones Lang LaSalle
Meghraj says that more than 90% are still not at par with the international standards.

Mall Management will take care of the issues like positioning, tenant mix, infrastructure
facilities, the kind of environment required, and finance management which is the most
crucial part of all. Mall management will also be highly helpful for builders and retailers.

Unlike earlier, property developers and retailers have come up on the same platform
which is better known as progressive partnership. Therefore, success of both retailers and
mall operators are dependent on each other’s efforts to render effective services to
customers.

Of the total mall space likely to be developed in India over the next two years, the share
of the Capital City has been estimated to be 22 million sq ft. Following in footsteps will
be Mumbai and Bangalore.

The market size of Indian retail sector is believed to be USD 320 billion in 2006 and the
value is expected to grow 30% to 35% by 2010. Considering the growth of organized
retail and increasing transparency in the sector, only professional malls will be able to
survive among such a fie

 The Perception of Customers and Retailers Towards Malls in Jalandhar- A Supply

Chain Perspective

Dr Gursharan Singh Kainth is Hon Director GAD Institute of Development

Studies, 14-Preet Avenue, Majitha Road, PO Naushera, Amritsar-143 008

Mr. Divakar Joshi is Lecturer in Management, St Soldier Management and

Technical Institute, Jalandhar-144 001

Inflation and price rise have long been the causes of worry among the Indian
consumers. Various states and national Government seems to have gone in
deep slumber about this burning issue. In such a scenario, the very thought of
setting up retail chain could help control prices comes like a cool breeze in
sweltering summer. Presently, there are 200 retail stores in the country with
promoters and organizers who are optimistic and positive that the retail sales
depot may help in containing the soaring prices. Retail sector of Indian economy
is undergoing a paradigm shift. This sector has grown substantially and rapidly
during the past few years and liberalized policies indicate its even faster growth.
India, known as Nation of Shopkeepers, has the highest shop density in the
world- one retail outlet for around 90 persons. Retail industry, which is US$300
billion in 2006, is likely to reach 427 billion US dollars by 2010 and to 637 billion
US dollars by 2015. Merely 3 per cent of retail in India is organized. Visible retail
revolution is on and within a short span of two years; retailing has exploded on
the Indian firmament as a humungous business opportunity. Increased
urbanization and growth of small towns throughout the country coupled with
increased income level, diversified food habits, growth of working women outside
home, willingness and capacity to pay for better quality and need for
convenience drive demand for processed, ready to cook or ready to eat,
convenience foods, packaged and, preferably branded. The rapid expansion of
super markets in India started from mega cities of Bangalore, Chennai and
Hyderabad, the southern part of the country. Nevertheless, in recent years, new
retail stores/supermarkets are being opened at a frenetic pace in different small
cities and towns throughout the country. The country is quickly readying to face
profound changes in the retail landscape. It is only the beginning and the best is
yet to come. The special characteristics of retail business and the emergence of
major retailers in the market have led to specific forms of channel services. Prior
to consumption, the retail product has to be both available and accessible. This
requires a supply chain distributor system, that is, the channel used to bring
items to the place of sale, or the means by which a retail supplier gains access to
the potential buyers of the product. More recently the efficiencies of supply chain
management have made major differences to the effectiveness of retailers and
their overall profitability. With the ever growing size and dispersal of retail
operations, controlling merchandise as part of store operations has been of
paramount importance. This goes beyond an administration system, modern
supply chain management can achieve competitive advantage through shorter
times for restoring, reduced inventory size and costs, improved management
information and greater overall controls. Supply chain management requires a
holistic view of such activities and an innovative approach to the organization in
order to meet customer needs with the greatest efficiency. The present research
work is an attempt to examine in depth the customers and retailers satisfaction
towards malls of Jalandhar in Punjab. II: RETAILS FORMATS:
CONTEMPORARY SCENARIO Retailing is the final gate in the distribution
process from manufacturer to consumer. Retailer as an intermediary collects and
assortment of goods and services from various sources and offers them to the
customers. Retailing occupies a pre-eminent position in the economies of all
modern societies. The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) on country estimated
that the retail market in India would grow from $394 billion in 2005 to $ 608.9
billion in 2009. In fact the share of organized retail in India which is close to 3 per
cent is expected to grow to 10 per cent by 2010. Over 65 per cent of the planned
retail investment in the next five years is from Indian corporate. In fact retail
sector in India is expected to grow at a higher rate than GDP driven by changing
lifestyles, strong income growth and favorable demographic patterns. According
to EIU, India currently has more than five million retail outlets, out of which 96 per
cent are smaller than 500sq ft. But this scenario is changing fast. The structure of
retailing is changing rapidly with malls becoming increasingly common in large
cities with development plans for 150 new shopping malls by 2008. According to
the KPMG report the annual growth of departmental stores has been estimated
at 24 per cent, which is faster than overall retail, and super markets have taken
an increased share of the general food and grocery trade over the last two
decades. Specialized retailers are developing rapidly in segments such as
consumer durable and white goods, books, music, lifestyle goods, household
furnishing, health care and beauty care. Organized retail will require over 220
million sq. ft. space against 40 million square feet of now. One should not be
surprised why the retail boom is about to happen in India with about 11 retail
shops for every 1,000 persons. India has the highest shop density in the world.
That’s one shop for every 20-25 families. American arguably the biggest spender
in the world has to do with just 4 shops per 1000 persons. Singapore, the
shopper’s paradise has similar density. England (rather, UK), once scathingly
referred to as a nation of shopkeepers by Napoleon is only marginally better-
nearly 5 shops for very 1,000 persons. The high number of shops in India is
because most of them are in the unorganized sector, e.g., paan wala, kirana
stores, subji wala, fruit wala and so on. No doubt, India has many shops but the
small entry of big retail would consolidate the sector into fewer but bigger shops.
The only constraint in retailing is change and with the pace of development
retailing appears to be accelerating. The traditional forms of independent owned
small business and cooperatives have lost significant market share. In
developing economics, the retail sector is now characterized by large scale
multiple chairs run by powerful and sophisticated organizations like Super Bazars
and Kendriya Bhandar in New Delhi, Sarkari Bhandar in Mumbai, Spencer Plaza,
and Niligiries etc. The first half of the 20th century saw the arrival and growth of
large retail giants. The new group of discounts stores redefined value and
varieties with low price and wide inventories. Though the arrival of super markets
in India was a bit late but they are fast becoming a rage amongst enthusiasts. In
a short span of two years, retailing has exploded on the Indian firmament as a
humungous business opportunity. The rapid expansion of super markets in India
started from mega cities of Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad, the southern
part of the county. Nevertheless, in recent years, new retail stores/supermarkets
are being opened at a frenetic pace in different small cities and towns throughout
the country. The major players in the Indian Retail Sector are Pantaloon Retail
(India), Shopper’s Stop, Lifestyle, Reliance Retail, Aditya Birla Retail, Bharti
Retail, RPG Group, Tata’s Trent, Vishal Mart, Discount chain Subhiksha, Ebony
Retail. Many mores are also eyeing at retail operations business by establishing
retail chain across India with massive investments in the year to come. Currently,
heated debate is on whether or not; Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in retailing is
desirable. FDI is not allowed in retailing. It is permissible in a single brand and in
franchising and commission agent services. Foreign Investment Promotion Board
(FIPB) on a case by case basis approves the FDI proposal in the wholesale trade
services. The government allows foreign investment in retail segments where
small domestic players do not operate. FDI in retail is set to get a leg up and
govenment has marketed out sports goods, electronic and building equipment as
some of the sectors that may be opened up with a 51 per cent cap on FDI. The
government is likely to allow FDI at both the front and back ends. The
government is also considering permit multi-brand retail in such areas. However,
the question, whether the government allow FDI in these segments through the
automatic route or through the FIPB is yet to be decided. FDI in retailing will
expedite the process of development of modern format India, bring in technical
know-how, reduce inefficiency in the supply chain, increase productivity, help
achieve international quality standards and improve the quality of employment
and services offered to the consumers. Many reputed foreign retailers with deep
pockets and deeper market knowledge are waiting in the wings to enter the
country. Restriction on FDI may constrain the growth of organized retailing.
Restriction of FDI in food retailing is due to the apprehension that entry of
multinationals will displace millions of workers in the unorganized retailing, which
needs thorough examination. Mall Management has emerged as the single most
differentiating factor in today’s scenario. The need of malls to differentiate
themselves is a sure way of emerging as a winner. Right from the tenant mix,
ensuring of creation of right ambience, cleanliness that creates customer
satisfaction, managing various income stream for developer, the role of mall-
management is complex and dynamic. Shopping malls around the country have
been experiencing difficulty in recent years. People are spending less time in
malls due to changing preferences and new shopping alternatives. Some of the
weaknesses of the malls are market opportunities for downtowns and community
business districts. Consumers are finding it more difficult to shop at the regional
shopping mall, instead, shoppers want to run out at lunch or make a quick shop
on their way from work. Convenience was the most important reason why they
choose to shop at a certain store. Consumers are growing interested in new,
more convenient and less time-consuming ways of shopping. Home shopping
and electronic shopping address the time constraint problem facing the
consumers. Safety has become a concern to shoppers and owners. With the
advent of information and communication technology (ICTs), the Indian consumer
is now more aware of what the market place, both national and international, has
to offer. India has steadily transitioned from a state managed economy to a
market economy. Economic growth and liberalization have increased the amount
of disposable income. The growth of the urban middle class, which demands
value for money, has led to lot of changes on the retail front. The past few years
have also seen a large increase in the number of youth to earn early. Roughly,
there has been 20 per cent increase in the number of people between 15 to
19years age group who started earning, largely due to the expansion in
opportunities for the urban youth in the business process outsourcing industry
and the software sector. The expenditure of Indian households on health
services, education, domestic appliances and food has undergone a substantial
change. The share of food in the total private consumption expenditure has fallen
from 51.3 per cent in 1993 -94 to 41 per cent in 2005-06. The Increase in the
number of working women, especially in urban India, has fuelled the growth of
retail format like supermarkets, convenience shops and products like ready to eat
meals. While the spending power has increased, the demand is now for quality
merchandise and a certain level of service. Increase in disposable income,
changes in consumption pattern, coupled with knowledge of market has enabled
the retail market in India to expand to both vertically and horizontally.
Dependency ratio a proportion of non-working population, is set to decline in the
coming few years, and about 60 million people will be joining the ranks of the “the
consuming age class” of 15-64. To help the retail sector, there is also the ascent
of urbanization (from 27.8 in 1998 to 31.8 in 2008). Furthermore; companies
continue to invest more in direct mail, like catalogs, which also siphon off
business from traditional malls. According to Stan Eichelbaum of Marketing
Development Inc. in Cincinnati, some of the mall’s vulnerabilities are also the
strengths of downtowns. According to Eichelbaum, malls are aesthetically boring,
do not offer street front exposure, are limited in terms of events they can host, do
not offer parking that is convenient to the shopkeepers destination and have
retail –mix problems due to the rise of category killers. Downtowns have a
distinct advantage in each of these areas. Eichelbaum recommends that
downtowns take advantage of their competitive strength in these areas by
providing specialty retail, parking, safety, cleanliness, Street level activity,
management, marketing and a blend of worker and residential population.
Majority of upcoming mall developments remain fragmented and sub-optimally
planned. Many developers also encountered financial problems due to carrying
too much debt. As these centers aged, many lenders turned down their requests
for financing mall refurbishment, leaving the mall in an even more vulnerable
position. In near future there is likelihood of a shakeout within shopping mall
business. Emergence of few large, dominant and relatively more professionally
managed national/regional and a host of specialty/ niche local players likely. With
globalization of the real estate sector, shopping malls of International scale and
quality would soon emerge. At present the general practice with all the mall
developers is that they have a service division within their group which manages
their entire properties residential, commercial or retail. Each mall has a mall
manager with a team of assistants handling different aspects of the job. Big
Developers like DLF and MGF are bringing up 40 to 50 malls across the country.
At same time, it is expected that professional integrated mall-management
companies will be hired by the developers to manage many of their properties.
As an indicator of the performance of professional mall management, the footfalls
and revenue in professionally managed mall in South Africa is at least 12 per
cent greater than that in owned managed malls. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Jalandhar, known for its sports goods and hand tools business world wide and
hub of Non-residential Indians (NRI’s) is fast emerging place for rich and
prosperous persons due to their high education level and commitment they show
in whatever they do to earn their livelihood. This Doaba Region of Punjab State
has witnessed manifold development in every stream: Medical, Educational
Institutions, Sports goods, Hotels or Hand tools Industries etc. There are many
places for people to shop and relax during whole day such as Rainak Bazaar,
Sheikha Bazaar, Model Town Market, Attari Bazaar etc. All these are traditional
markets and have remained part and parcel of every Jalandhari. Recently, many
Malls are coming up in and around Jalandhar like, Ansal Plaza, Sarab multiplex,
Star city, D.L.F group, Centrum Jyoti Mall, Monopolies of M.B.D. group, Axis,
Manbro, Sports King, The Top Store and Amikiz etc. But there are mainly two
malls, namely, Vishal Mart and V Mart which can be called as complete malls or
which fulfills the criteria for shopping malls. Surveys are best suited for
Descriptive Research. Surveys are undertaken to learn about people’s
knowledge, beliefs, preferences, satisfaction and so on. The locale of the present
study was The Malls in Jalandhar region of Punjab. Jalandhar region was
selected because many Malls have come up in and around Jalandhar. The
sampling method used is non-probability convenience sampling. A sample of 200
customers’ and 50 retailers was selected through convenience random sampling.
A separate structured questionnaire was used for collecting the data from the
consumers as well as the retailers. The questionnaire was based on Likert scale
which was pre tested. The data has been analyzed using simple statistical
techniques such as tabulation, weighted mean scores, frequency distribution and
percentage

III: RSEARCH FINDINGS AND DISCUSSION The most important thing is to

forecast where customers are moving and to be in front of it. Gone are the days
when enterprise believed strongly rather wrongly that if they manufacture a
product, customer would time up automatically for it. This view worked well in
past, but today customer satisfaction is viewed as an integral part of total quality.
Consumer behaviour refers to “the behaviour that consumer display in searching
for purchasing, using, evaluating and disposing of products and services that
satisfy their needs” and the study of consumer behaviour is the study of how
individuals make decisions to spend available resources. The challenge to the
market is to determine the relative influence of the various factors and to adopt
and apply skillfully so called information to a proper marketing mix.
CONSUMERS’PERCEPTIONS: Little more than one half of (52.5 per cent)
respondent-consumers visited Malls/Stores once a month, 28 per cent twice a
month and 12.5 per cent visited the Mall/Store thrice a month. Only 7 per cent
visited more often. Newspapers (37.5 per cent) were the major source of
information about Shopping at Mall/Store. 32 per cent of consumers came to
know about Malls/Store through Television. Remaining 22 per cent consumers
rely mainly on their friends and relatives. Consumers Bazaar was the favourite
place for the shopping with 43 per cent consumers. 21.5 per cent favored
Multiplex/malls, 12.5 per cent consumers’ preferred wholesale market. 18 per
cent consumers were in favour of shopping complex/center, 5 per cent consumer
were inclined towards local market. One fourth of consumers purchase clothes at
Malls, and Men’s wear each, 19 per cent grocery items. 15 per cent consumers
were in favour of buying Ladies wears, 5 per cent favour of Kids Wear & Toy, 16
per cent consumers were in favour of buying daily use items and only 2.5 per
cent consumers purchased cosmetics. Nearly one-third consumers on an
average spent Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 10,000 on shopping at Malls; 22.5per cent
consumers spent less than Rs. 5,000; 21per cent consumers spent between Rs.
20,000 to Rs. 30,000; 16 per cent consumers spent between Rs. 10,000 to Rs.
20,000; 5.5 per cent consumers spend on an average between Rs. 30,000 to Rs.
50,000 and merely 3per cent consumers spent Rs. 50,000 & above. Furthermore
55 per cent consumers were satisfied with the prices of products & services at
the malls. 29 percent consumers were not satisfied with the prices at the malls.
16per cent consumers were not able to express themselves about the product
and prices at the shopping malls. 93per cent consumers agreed that professional
Mall Management & Wide range of cheaper products have persuaded them to
spend more time and money at Mall. 82.5per cent consumers were aware about
the promotional schemes and offers organized at the malls. 17.5per cent
consumers were not aware about the promotional scheme and offers organized
at the malls. 68per cent consumers agree that lucky draw schemes and
promotional offers or discounts make them to visit mall frequently. 25%
consumers did not agree that the lucky draw schemes & Promotional offers or
discounts make them to visit mall frequently. On the other hand, 7per cent
consumers remained silent. 31.5per cent consumers were inclined towards
Professional Services as far as Shopping experience is concerned compared to
traditional shopping. 28per cent consumers were in favour of full value to money.
16per cent consumers were in favour of Excellent Ambience. 8per cent preferred
fixed prices. 6per cent were giving weightage to Proper display of products.
5.5per cent consumers were in favour of International brands. 3per cent
consumers preferred more fun & excitement and 2per cent gave weightage to
less hassle.62.5per cent consumers were highly satisfied with the quality of
products they purchased at Mall/Stores. 29 per cent consumers were satisfied
with the quality of the products they purchased at Malls. 8.5per cent consumers
were partially satisfied with the quality of products, which they had purchased at
the Malls/Store. FACTOR RATING Consumers were asked to assign rating to
importance of different factors they consider while taking the purchase decision
at various malls. Factors considered are like quality, wide range of products, fixed
prices, International Brands, Discount, Packaging, and Advertisement, Proper
display of products, Ambience & value for money. Likert Scale was used to
assign different weights which are 5 for the most important, 4 for important, 3 for
neither important nor unimportant, 2 for unimportant and 1 for most unimportant.
Weighted average score was computed. Discount with 31.2 as weighted average
score (WAS) is a most important factor according to perception of consumers. 78
rated discount as most important and 12 rated the discount as important. 10 were
indifferent. International brands is another important factor with WAS of 30.86. 68
respondents rate it as the most important factor in purchase, 27 respondents say
that it is important. 5 respondents say that it is neither important nor unimportant.
The Value of money is the third important factor with WAS of25.86.66 rated value
for money as most important, and 24 rated the value for money as important. 10
were indifferent towards value for money while shopping at malls. Quality with 29
as WAS is the fourth important factor.55respondent feel that quality is very
important factor. 30 respondents feel that the quality is an important factor. 10
respondents are indifferent to it. 5 respondents consider it unimportant. Next in
importance is Proper display of products with 27.06 as WAS. Majority of the
respondents, that is, 55, consider proper display of products as most important,
22 respondents were indifferent and 20 respondents had considered it important.
10 respondents revealed it as unimportant. Apparently, consumers are rapidly
accepting the modern form of shopping with unique advantages of good
atmosphere, wide range of products, multi-sections of products and professional
management. Increased consumer’s purchasing power demands more personal
attention and professional services while shopping at the malls. Consumers are
expecting more of International Brands at competitive prices. Globalize and
westerner foreign goods are becoming part and parcel of every Indian consumer.
The owners of the malls have understood that the tastes and preferences of the
consumers have been changing day by day, requiring prompt service and
replacing the old stock of goods with new one to face today’s cut throat
competition. But the consumers were not satisfied with parking facilities provided
at the malls as they have to park their vehicles on the road and too at their own
risk. It may lead to incidences of mishappening like theft and damage to their
valuables that were lying in their vehicles. Consumers were also not happy with
the luggage and personal property being taken off at the main entrance of the
mall. The mall owners have to look for a remedy to avoid any inconvenience
while shopping at the mall. Quality was the main concern as today’s consumer is
very well aware about the different quality products and wants full value for his
money at any cost. Consumers feel that prices charged at Mall/Stores are very
high as compared to traditional means of shopping. Newspapers and television
was the only source of information about the Malls. Majority of consumers prefer
to do more shopping at Bazaar and Local Market only. Shopping complex or
Malls/Multiplexes are newly emerging places for shopping for young or middle
age persons. Men’s wear and clothes are the main items of shopping at mall.
Consumers were highly satisfied with quality of products, which they have
purchased at Malls/Store. Consumers preferred professional mall management
and wide range of cheaper products which persuaded them to spend more time
and money at Malls/Store. They were aware about the promotional schemes and
offers organized at the Malls which make them to visit the Mall/Store frequently.
This was supplemented by professional services and full value of money they got
at Mall/Stores. Monthly and annual sales turnover at Malls are quite encouraging
and satisfactory. With the emergence of more malls cum shopping complexes,
the Mall owners are coming up with more innovative and modern promotional
ideas such as discounts, free gifts, better quality and debit/credit cards facilities
etc. Mall owners, however, were not satisfied with the low margin as well as
untimely replacement of damaged goods by the company; apart from
mishandling of goods by the customers was a matter of great concern.
RETAILER PERCEPTIONS: Retailer is one who sells to consumer a wide variety
of goods which are assembled at the premises as per needs of final users. The
survey of retailers is done with the help of structured questionnaire and in-depth
interviews. One half of the respondent retailers had kept all the product range like
grocery items & clothes, electronic items, cosmetics, daily use items etc.
Furthermore, 30per cent retailers kept only Grocery items and Clothes and 20per
cent kept electronic items, cosmetics and daily use items. 50per cent retailers
have their average monthly sales turnover between Rs. 10 to Rs. 25, lakh.
30percent retailers have average monthly sales turnover above Rs.25laks. One-
tenth of retailers have average monthly sales turnover between less than Rs. 5 to
Rs. 10lakh. Furthermore, one half of retailers revealed that 150 and above
customers visit their Malls/Store daily. Other40 per cent retailers were visited by
100 to 150 customers. Rests of retailers revealed that merely 50 to 100 visit their
Store/mall daily. Garments with 40per cent share are clearly most visited section
at Mall/Store. Daily use items with 30per cent share come second. Grocery,
beauty product and imported goods with 10per cent each share are the rest of
sections which are visited by the customers at Malls/Stores. 60per cent of
consumers had excellent perception towards the international brands at
Malls/Store. 30per cent consumer considered International Brand as very good,
10per cent perceived International Brands as good only. 40per cent of customers
who visited Malls/Store belongs to upper middle class. 30per cent each was from
Elite class & Middle class who had visited their Mall and Store. 80per cent
retailers are using promotional methods for promoting their products. Retailers
gave highest ranking to Newspapers Advertisement (42 ranks) as most preferred
sales advertising done by mall. Bill Boards comes next with 37 points, followed
by posters with 28 points and TV Commercial with 14 points. Stands as preferred
point of Sale advertising mean got fifth ranking with 23 points. Cash Discount
with 43 points is the most effective incentive scheme for sale promotion; Free
Gifts with 32 points is ranked Second and replacement guarantee as third with 28
points. Discount coupon with 22 points and lucky draw with 20 point was
conceived by retailers as the fourth and fifth preferred incentive scheme for sale
promotion. Customer preferred quality with 42 points and ranked first amongst
various important attribute they consider while shopping at Mall/Store. The other
in sequence are discount/offers with 33 points, Price range with 29 points , Wide
range of products with 18 points as 4th rank and lastly all the attribute collectively
with 12 points ranked fifth. Apparently, retailers prefer keeping wide range of
product, mainly Grocery, Clothes, Electronic Items, Cosmetics and Daily use
items. Average Monthly Sales Turnover is above Rs. 25 lakh. More than 150
customers visit their store daily. Garments and Daily use products are most
visited sections. International brands are the most preferred item. Upper middle
and lower middle class is mostly visited at the malls. The quality is the most
preferred attribute of customer while shopping at mall. Modern Professional
advertisements both the print and electronic are the popular methods for
promoting their products. Replacement guarantee, cash discount and free gift are
most effective incentive schemes which they are using for attracting the
customers to their mall. RECOMMENDATIONS In the light of above discussion,
following recommendations are made separately for the companies as well as for
the retailers. Companies should keep the prices reasonable and competitive so
that low level income groups can also become a regular customer of malls.
Companies should adopt market penetration policy to capture the market. The
pricing objectives of the company should be retaining back customers and
capturing more share of market. In these days business can only survive if
companies share good share in market and if they keep their customers satisfied.
Advertising is assuming much importance now. Companies should maximize
their advertisement especially in interiors of cities and main G.T. Road, like Bill
Boards, Posters etc, and T.V. as an Advertisement media is also very effective
and companies should focus their attention on it. Companies can achieve
success with active sales promotion and awareness amongst the local residents
of city. The sales people of the companies should regularly visit their respective
retailers of Malls/Stores in order to get their feedback and Market Information.
Companies should give adequate advertising support to the retailers. Company
should provide them special cabinets, stands, hoardings, glow boards and
banners etc. of different companies brand for advertisement purpose. The
promotion campaign should be intensified round the year, particularly during
festival seasons. These are boom periods for Mall owners hence companies
should offer a variety of promotion schemes like price offer, free gifts, quantity
discount to Fetch maximum sales. In today’s Market share, logistics efficiency is
a key factor for success. So companies should try to make its distribution very
effective and improve its reach by increasing the number of Malls and opening
more malls surrounding the cities, so that more and more small towns can be
covered. Most of retailers at Malls complain of low profit margins. The companies
should increase the retailer’s margin. Companies should offer good incentive
schemes to Mall owners to motivate them. Policies regarding replacement of
expired stock should be modified and should be made more liberal and flexible.
On the other hands, Retailers should provide adequate feedback to the
companies. They should provide adequate and reliable information about his
Malls structure. This helps the companies in formulating appropriate marketing
strategies according to the Market conditions. Retailers should provide excellent
professional management at their mall by recruiting qualified staff. Retailers
should suggest and recommend the product brands to the customer by in Mall
and out mall man campaigning. Mall owners should store adequate quality
product in their mall in order to attract more and more new customers. Mall
owners should use modern methods of promoting the products and services in
their Malls/Stores. Though every effort was made to elicit authenticity in every
sense, yet there can be uncomfortable factors which may have their influences
on the final outcome. The survey is conducted in Jalandhar district of Punjab. It
may not be true representation of entire national market. Few respondents who
are not familiar may give a neutral or unfavorable response to some of the
questions. Some variables might have omitted in the study. There may be some
biases in the information provided by mall owners. Limited rather no access to
secondary data pertaining to shopping mall management and its performance
was another problem in finding a correct market response. POLICY
IMPLICATIONS In today’s fast emerging concept of professionalized mall
management with best and innovative products under one roof at competitive
prices, the consumers are rapidly and more consistently accepting the modern
form of shopping. Increase in consumer’s purchasing power has led to expecting
more personal attention and care at the malls and inclined more towards malls
due to availability of more international brands at competitive prices coupled with
prompt as well as replacing the old stock with new one more regularly.
Customer’s tastes and preferences have changed with westernization and
globalization. The monthly and annual sales turnover figures were quite
satisfactory and encouraging as customers are ready to spend more than usual
due to availability of different product and services at one place. Quality was the
foremost thing that customers want at competitive prices. There were also some
bottlenecks like customers were not satisfied with the parking facilities at malls,
as they have to park their vehicles in open on roads. Mall owners were not
satisfied with profit margin and non-replacement of damages of goods by
concerned companies. The customers have also shown their resentment towards
their luggage and personal property being taken off at the main entrance of the
mall. The company should keep the prices of goods at malls reasonable and
competitive, so that low level income groups can also become a regular
customer of malls. Advertising is assuming much importance now; companies
should maximize their advertising especially in interiors of cities through
billboards, posters, newspapers ads and television ads etc. The retailer should
provide adequate feed back to the companies. Retailer should store adequate
quality products in their malls. With a large number of malls in the pipeline one of
the critical factor that will give an edge to one retail center over the others is the
way it is managed. Competent mall managers are in short supply and the
situation will remain the same for next 2-3 years. Some of the B-Schools are
launching specialized courses on retail management including mall management.
Over the next few years, professional mall management service will establish its
significance in the industry. The country requires higher attention to be given to
developing more number of persons with the right skills and knowledge, who can
be employed in this function. Corporate know that the Indian agriculture sector is
a potential goldmine that has not been tapped till now and farmers have a lot of
reasons to be happy with the corporate entry into agriculture scenario. Rural
economy of India will be substantially improved through innovative agriculture
and linking them to retail boom in agricultural sector. India is endowed with
several advantages for ushering in retail boom in agriculture since it has second
largest arable land in the world; diverse agro climatic conditions across the
country, round the year sun shine potential to cultivate vast range of agricultural
products through vast pool of crops. Currently Indian agriculture is only quantity
oriented rather than quality oriented. Markets also do not procure the product by
giving price based on quality parameters of the produce. But the retail boom
necessitates placement of products with value in terms of its nutritive and
neutracutical value, taste, tempting to buy appearance, attractive colours etc.
When multinationals or big business houses enter the retail trade the chain of
intermediaries between the producers and the consumers are minimized and
there will be scope for higher share of profit reaching the farmers who toils in the
farm. Hence the farmers stand to gain much due to retail boom by way of
enhanced price for their produce and assured market. BIBLIOGRAPHY ?
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The Perception of Customers and

Retailers Towards Malls in Jalandhar- A
Supply Chain Perspective by DR
GURSHARAN SINGH KAINTH

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Marketing, No. 33 ,1969, ? Prof Anu Singh Lather, Tripat
Kaur, “It’s all at the Mall – Exploring present shopping
experiences”, Indian Journal of Marketing, August 2006, ?
Piere Beaudoin, Mary Annmore, and Ronald E.
Goldsmith, “Young Fashion Leaders, and followers’
attitude toward American and Imp”, Journal of Product
and Brand Management, 1998 ? Rao, K.V., Research
Methodology in Commerce & Management Sterling
Publishers Pvt. Ltd., New Delhi, 1993 ? Susan .M.
Keaveney, “ Conceptualization and Operationalization of
retail store image: A case study of Rival Middle – level
theories”, Journal of the academy of marketing science ,
Vol. 20, 1992. ? Thompson K.E. “Retail store image-a
mean end approach”, Journal of Marketing Practice, Vol.
4, 1998. ? V. V Gopal, “Professionalism in Retail
Management”. The ICFAI Journal of Service
Marketing,2005 MAGZINES ? B&E, “It’s Bharti Wal-Mart
Ltd.” Business & Economy, Dec 2006. ? r. M. Anbalagan ,
V. Selvam & V. Gunasekaran, “ Retail Consumer Market
in India – The next Big Leap,” The Economic Challenger,
Issue 33, Oct-Dec 2006 ? Mahesh Nayak & Pallavi
Srivastava, “Currrent Wal-mart: Made in India” Business