Amidst ongoing discussions regarding weakening purchasing power,\nshopping centre managers have revealed that the Indonesian public\ncontinues to visit malls in large numbers. However, consumer shopping\npatterns are currently undergoing a shift.<\/p>\n
Alphonzus Widjaya, Chairman of the Indonesian Shopping Centre\nManagement Association (APPBI), stated that visitor levels to shopping\ncentres have remained relatively stable. According to him, there has not\nyet been a significant decline in the number of mall visitors.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe public continues to visit shopping centres. Based on our data,\nvisitor levels remain stable; there are slight fluctuations, but I\nbelieve the condition is stable,\u201d Alphonzus said when met at the\nAuditorium of the Ministry of Trade in Jakarta on Monday.<\/p>\n
He noted that what has changed is not the habit of visiting shopping\ncentres, but rather the way people shop. Over the last one to two years,\nconsumers have become more selective, choosing products with lower unit\nprices.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is happening is a change in shopping trends. In the last year\nor two, trends have shifted because they tend to buy products where the\nunit price is low or small,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
Nevertheless, Alphonzus emphasised that almost all product categories\nare still being purchased by the public; consumers are simply opting for\nmore affordable options.<\/p>\n
This phenomenon, he continued, explains why low-priced products are\nincreasingly in demand in the market, including illegal imports and\nsecond-hand clothing.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat is why illegal imports are becoming more widespread and\nsecond-hand clothing is increasingly sought after. Essentially, all\ntypes of goods are being bought, but it is the products with low unit\nprices that are chosen,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
He also assessed that the Indonesian culture of socialising is one of\nthe reasons mall footfall remains steady despite challenging economic\nconditions.<\/p>\n
\u201cVisitor levels\u2026 the public continues to visit shopping centres.\nThere hasn\u2019t been a significant decline in footfall. Moreover,\nIndonesian culture involves a love for gathering. Regardless of the\ndifficulty, people will still gather, and shopping centres are one of\nthe primary venues for this,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
This shift in shopping patterns is ultimately impacting retail sales\nperformance. Alphonzus noted that while turnover growth is still\noccurring, it is not as high as the retail industry\u2019s current potential\nwould suggest.<\/p>\n
According to him, this is evident from the emergence of many new\nshopping centres and the entry of various foreign brands into Indonesia,\nwhich theoretically should have driven higher sales growth.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere is a decline, in the sense that there is no increase\u2014or\nperhaps it is more accurate to say there is no significant rise. If\nthere were an increase, it would be because many factors are driving it\nup, such as the increasing number of shopping centres,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Alphonzus explained that the expansion of shopping centres and\nretailers continues, including outside of Jakarta. Furthermore, many\nforeign brands, particularly from China, are entering Indonesia and\nopening outlets.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn reality, there should be a significant increase. For example,\nmany foreign brands are entering, such as Chinese brands and others.\nShopping centres are also increasing, especially in regions that\npreviously lacked them,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
\u201cRetailers are also opening many new stores outside of the Jakarta\narea,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n
However, various economic pressures mean this growth is not meeting\nexpectations. Consequently, the increase in sales has not yet reflected\nthe true potential of the national retail industry.<\/p>\n
\u201cTheoretically, there should be a significant increase, but due to\npressures on purchasing power and various global pressures, that\nincrease is not significant,\u201d he concluded.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/mall-bosses-state-indonesians-still-love-shopping-but-seek-cheaper-goods-1780927290", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }