Festivals push malls to increase engagements for high expecting consumers
12 October 2022, Mumbai:
Pandemic restrictions lifted, people are out and about, making up for the lost time of 2020 and 2021. Yes, they are thronging at malls like they did before and malls couldn’t be happier. As new brands enter the market, they are tapping in on people’s rekindled exuberance of going out for a spot of “malling”. Diwali and the big winter wedding season are going to be bumper harvest as people are pulling all stops to celebrate in style.
The 2021 festive season was lukewarm because retailers were partially open and there was still some apprehension about going to public places, but this year looks very promising. More specifically, the fashion, personal care, and electronics verticals are expected to generate a lot of demand in the coming months as people revel in the festive celebration.
Customer engagement
Whilst people have returned to malls, they have come with more expectations. The two years of lockdown has given consumers a taste for online shopping and brands have picked up on that and most are now omnichannel. The customer of the future does not shop merely for functional purposes but also for the experience, which starts much before the actual purchase transaction. Needless to say, malls are trying their best to resonate with their customers by reflecting attitudinal change in shopping and current trends.
Malls today try to create enriching experiences for customers by creating engaging decor/ selfie points, curating tech-based games involving AI, VR, offering various deals, announcing contests on social media platforms, inviting influencers to showcase latest fashion and trends, conducting DIY workshops and masterclasses with beauty experts, chefs etc., organising events for kids and families that offer a wholesome entertaining experience, arranging concerts and performances.
Corporations jumping in to cash in on the wedding season
The celebration-wear category is super excited about the upcoming festive and wedding season. As this Diwali and the wedding season are set to break all records, malls are decked up in the finest customer experiences to capture every rupee of what customers are expected to spend.
