APPBI: Peak Shopping Mall Visits on H+1 Eid, Projected Double-Digit Growth
Shopping patterns are changing ahead of Eid al-Fitr and during the Eid holiday period, where people tend to shop for food and beverage products as well as entertainment.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Indonesian Mall Managers Association (APPBI) records that the peak in public visits to shopping centres or malls occurs on H+1 Eid 1447 H, with a projected overall growth reaching double digits.
The average increase in visits is estimated to be in the range of 10-15 percent during this year’s Eid holiday period compared to the same period last year, in line with increased public mobility after the first day of Eid and silaturahmi activities.
APPBI General Chairman Alphonzus Widjaja, when contacted by ANTARA in Jakarta on Sunday, said that almost all product and goods categories experienced sales increases during Ramadan.
“Shopping patterns change ahead of Eid al-Fitr and during the Eid holiday, where people tend to shop for food and beverage products (food and beverages) as well as entertainment (entertainment),” said Alphonzus.
When encountered, Hasnah (18), one of the visitors to Pondok Indah Mall (PIM) in Jakarta who came with her parents, admitted to choosing to spend her Eid holiday time at the shopping centre because she did not go back to her hometown this year.
“Usually we go out of town, to Bandung. But this year we wanted a different atmosphere, so we just went to the mall because it’s closer,” she said.
Hasnah had thought that the shopping centre would be quieter during the homecoming period. However, the reality was beyond expectations.
“I thought it would be quiet because many people went home, but it turned out to be very crowded, even pushing and shoving on the skywalk,” she said.
In agreement, her mother, Yanti (48), said that visits to the mall during Eid have also become an alternative family activity, although still interspersed with silaturahmi agendas.
“Earlier we went to a relative’s house, but we did set aside time to go to the mall,” she said.
She added that during Eid, spending tends to increase, both for silaturahmi needs and shopping when visiting shopping centres.
“Usually we prepare a budget of around Rp1.5 million to Rp2 million for shopping,” said Yanti.
Another PIM visitor, Fitria (29), also took advantage of the H+1 Eid moment to come to the shopping centre with her family. This woman from Padang who now lives in Jakarta came with her child, mother, and sibling as part of a family meeting agenda.
“So it happened that there was a family event, meeting with the in-laws’ side. The mall was chosen so as not to trouble if we had to go to the house,” she said.
According to Fitria, visits to the mall during Eid are not a regular habit for her family, but rather adjusted to the needs of the moment. She also admitted to not expecting the shopping centre to be this crowded during the Eid holiday.
“Initially I thought it would be quiet because of Eid, but it turned out to be very crowded,” said Fitria.
Besides the main agenda, Fitria said that activities at the mall are mostly filled with relaxing with the family, such as eating and walking around.
In terms of spending, she acknowledged that costs during Eid tend to increase compared to normal days, although still within planned limits.
“During Eid, we are indeed more extravagant because there are many unexpected needs, but because there is THR, it can still be balanced,” she said.
She added that her family had prepared a budget of around Rp1 million for expenses before Eid and Rp1.5 million after Eid.
“This year spending might be higher because of the family event, but it was already allocated beforehand, so insya Allah it will still go according to plan,” said Fitria.