Outdated Mall Retail Model Drives Consumers to the Internet

Newswise — Why are one-third more consumers than ever before using the Internet to do at least some of their holiday shopping? Donna Hoffman, co-director of the Vanderbilt University Sloan Center for Internet Retailing, says the malls can blame themselves for the business they're losing. "The mall truly sucks," Hoffman said. The Internet's security, ease of use and better broadband penetration (meaning better and faster graphic representation of products) contrasts starkly with the mall shopping experience, characterized by shoppers' being fearful that their cars may be broken into and their purses stolen, the hassle of finding a parking space and the fact that most mall retailers don't know how to market to an increasingly savvy shopper, she explains. "Online shoppers have grown accustomed to being able to compare features of similar products, whereas many mall clerks don't know any more about the products in their store than you do. And the way mall department stores organize products doesn't help," she adds. "If I want to find a black skirt, I've got to go all over the store or maybe to several stores. Using the Internet, I can look at everything more easily and do it all from home, and chances are the site will ship it to me for free."