Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia \u2014 Visitor numbers at shopping centres in\nJakarta remained high in the third quarter of 2026. However, the crowds\nhave not necessarily been matched by an increase in transactions.<\/p>\n
This has revived questions about the \u201cRojali\u201d phenomenon \u2014 groups who\nrarely buy anything \u2014 which was widely discussed last year.<\/p>\n
The situation poses a challenge for the retail industry, as visitor\nnumbers are not the only measure of business performance. People still\ngo to malls to eat, find entertainment, enjoy leisure activities and\nsocialise, but purchasing decisions are increasingly shaped by their\nneeds and financial means.<\/p>\n
Alphonzus Widjaja, chairman of the Indonesian Shopping Centre\nManagement Association (APPBI), said visits to shopping centres had so\nfar remained relatively stable. The habit of using malls as gathering\nplaces has helped sustain activity there, even while the retail business\nfaces pressure.<\/p>\n
\u201cUp to now, average visits to shopping centres have remained\nrelatively stable because Indonesians tend to keep visiting them in all\nkinds of situations and circumstances,\u201d Alphonzus told CNBC Indonesia on\nThursday, 15 October 2026.<\/p>\n
However, there is a distinction between why people visit malls and\nwhether they decide to spend money. Visitors can enjoy shopping-centre\nfacilities without buying anything, so busy malls do not automatically\nindicate strong consumer demand.<\/p>\n
Alphonzus said malls now also serve a social function, bringing\npeople in even when they do not intend to shop. This shift helps explain\nwhy visitor numbers can hold steady while retail transactions do not\nrise at the same rate.<\/p>\n
\u201cShopping centres are no longer merely places to shop, and\nIndonesians also have a culture of gathering,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Pressure on transactions is also linked to economic conditions that\ninfluence household spending decisions. When people face various\nfinancial pressures, they tend to be more selective with their outgoings\nand may defer non-essential purchases.<\/p>\n
The retail industry is also going through a low season after Ramadan\nand Eid al-Fitr, which are usually peak sales periods. This means the\ngap between mall footfall and actual spending should be considered in\nlight of the industry\u2019s seasonal cycle.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis year, the low season has come under additional pressure because\nit is relatively longer than before, as Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr came\nearlier, in the first quarter of 2026,\u201d Alphonzus said.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/not-necessarily-shopping-why-indonesians-still-visit-malls-1792043430", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }