HIGH yield shoppers are moving away from shopping centres and turning to strip shopping, a KPMG report has found.
According to the June KPMG Consumer Behaviour Monitor, shoppers with high discretionary spending power are showing a decreasing preference for shopping centres.
Since 1994 that preference has fallen significantly while preferences for strip shopping are strong.
KPMG Centre for Consumer Behaviour director Ross Honey-will said high yield consumers were still visiting shopping centres.
However, they were visiting speciality stores in shopping strips as often as they were visiting specialty stores in shopping centres, Mr Honeywill said.
“The high yield consumers are exhibiting a yearning for a ‘new village’ type of shopping – not the boring strip shopping we have now,” he said.
Curtin Business School’s School of Marketing head Ram Ramase-shan said while older people were becoming tired of shopping centres, he didn’t think it would detract from shopping centres.
“Retailers are trying to bring ‘fun’ into the shopping experience,” Professor Ramaseshan said.
“Shopping is no longer the primary purpose for people going to shopping centres.
“US studies show shopping centres have increased their market share.”
Professor Ramaseshan believes the big threat to shopping centres will come from non-store retailing such as direct marketing campaigns and internet shopping.
