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| YOUTH, MALL & BRAND CULTURE | | | Gurmeet Kaur Allinangal Pathankot (Punjab) Contact No.: 09888442319 | 7/25/2011 11:09:32 PM |
| Ten years ago nobody would have ever imagined that the Mall Culture is going to spread as it has. Creates of this new concept could have never visualized even in their wildest dreams that the concept of malls have start a social revolution in shopping habits of people.
We were used to 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 items, under one roof. We can enjoy shopping without bothering about the weather and without having dust on our face and clothes. Not only shopping but one can also enjoy movies, have food, coffee, play games, etc. also in a mall. For same, these malls are perfect places to hang out.
To begin with, the mall culture had begun in metro cities only but it has spread like a fire. Now even small towns are facing the onslaught of mall culture. Electronics media has a big role in it. Medial has made people aware of different brands. It presents it in such a glamourised way that young generation wants to use only brand which their favourite actors and actress wants to use only brand which their favourite actors and actresses use. Earlier they had to search for it from one market to the other, but now in mall all the brands are easily available. Brands may be of clothes, shoes, watches, accessories, they all are available in malls. Not only national but international brands are also easily available there. We can easily shop for all the items we need like apparel, watches, shoes, furniture, etc. under one roof. Even travel agencies have set up their offices in malls.
After shopping, if one feels tried and need a break for sometime or wants to have a cup of coffee, one can easily find coffee house in the small itself. In the malls there are food courts also which provide different kinds of food. One need not go outside in search of a good restaurant, if one wants to have food after shopping in the food.
Some people have an impression that the items in the malls are costlier than in the traditional markets. But this concept of high prices is also vanishing because of the cut-threat competition in the market. Now different kinds of discounts and offers are presented to attract customers' attraction. People are getting attracted to the malls since they can look for the products they need and can get them easily.
Malls have become a major hunting ground for the youth. Whenever they need an outing or break from their routine life, they can visit the malls as mall are convenient to have around, to do window shopping and getting in touch with the latest fashion. Nice atmosphere, cool surroundings all contribute to making malls a much sought after place. Even for serious buyers it is like God-sent gift because they get everything in the comfort of the cool surroundings of a mall.
Parking and clean washrooms are the two major problems in all major traditional markets. Even these have been taken care of in the mall. Malls have proper and planned parking space. One can have easy access to parking. In traditional market we rarely find washrooms and if there is one, it is not clean or well maintained. In malls there are a number of well maintained clean washrooms. There are some main causes why on educated modern person prefers going to malls rather than to the traditional markets. Of late some malls have come up which eater to only specific needs to customers. There are some malls where nothing but jewellery and related items are sold. Some malls specialize in items related to traditional Indian weddings. In these kinds of malls people find it very convenient and easy to shop as they can buy everything they need at a single place.
Every coin has two sides, while malls have many benefits but they have certain disadvantages also. In some malls prices are fairly high and beyond the reach of common people. Youngsters may want to pay the price of brand value but not all would want to go in for the same. Some of us also find themselves misfit in the atmosphere of these malls. Even all parking charges are exorbitant. The cluster of pubs that has opened in various malls also attract the young crowd, who feel more free in such atmosphere. Some discotheques have also set up their shops in the vicinity of the malls for entering such disco one has to pay through one's nose. At times even the charges of food items supplied are extremely high and beyond the reach of most people. Malls have also meant that traditional business families have lost their customers and it is a kind of set back for them. It is also against the normal Indian ethos.
A question arises, will malls means the demise the traditional markets? No, it takes a long time for habits to die. People still find more convenient to go to neighboring shops. Traditional markets will always remain because first aid should always be near home and same is the case of daily requirements. For petty things we will not go to a mall wing transport. The only difference may be that when one looks for major items, one may venture into malls or in leisure time one may visit these places. They are not the substitute of traditional markets, they only complement or supplement traditional markets. People who think that traditional markets are on the way out are wrong.
All said and done, mall have come to stay. Their existence does not mean that the traditional markets will finish completely. But they will be affected, shop-keepers in these markets will not be able to make as much profits as they do now or used to do earlier. Their business will definitely suffer. The fact is that is near future malls will hold their sway.
By: Gurmeet Kaur Allinangal
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