For years, shopping malls were a big part of growing up. Many teens and families went to malls to spend time, shop, and more. Now, places like Stoneridge Mall do not feel as busy as they once did and are becoming a dying fad.
One of the main reasons for the decline of malls is the growing popularity of online shopping. Websites such as Amazon first introduced this idea and slowly integrated into everyday lives for convenience. Many online retailers have followed suit, and a large portion of the market relies on online shopping now.
Malls rely on in-person shopping, whereas online shopping is considered faster and much more convenient.
Jayzmine Santacruz, a senior at Granada High school argues, “I prefer shopping in store because I can see and try on and feel the clothing before purchasing. But I will admit that malls are becoming less popular due to the higher prices and busier lifestyles we have now, making online shopping more convenient for me.”
“I do miss that free time everyone had to go to the mall instead, I would rather spend time with friends than shop online by myself, I guess,” says Santacruz.
Shoppers no longer need to go through the effort of driving, as more people choose to shop online, fewer people visit malls, causing sales to drop.
Shopping preferences have also changed over time. Many students at Granada High school agree that they value experiences over plain shopping.
Leslie Hernandez is another senior at Granada who shares the same sentiment, “I do agree that online is more accessible to people to buy stuff, it gives me more free time to do whatever I want because I don’t have to travel or wait, you know?”
Instead of waiting in line or looking through racks of clothes, online shopping offers simple search engines that can help narrow down looking for a specific item. This is simple yet effective strategy that has caused the convenience of online shopping to be preferred over in person shopping now.
“Sometimes the item I’m looking for is not in stores, but I’m able to buy it off their website, then wait for the store and be disappointed the item im looking for is not in stock,” said Hernandez.
Traditional malls have often focused on retail stores rather than experiences, which makes them less appealing to the newer generations looking for memories rather than shopping. Many malls have similar chain stores, making them feel repetitive.
Economic challenges have also contributed to the decline, The COVID-19 pandemic caused the biggest hit malls. During this time, online shopping became the solution to the closure and home confinement for many consumers.
Despite these challenges, not all malls are disappearing. Stoneridge Mall has been theorized to be renovated or changed in some way, but it is not confirmed. All in all, The decline of shopping malls is caused by online shopping, changing consumer preferences, economic challenges, and outdated designs. Yet, it still remained a faint memory in many people’s heart before the decline.
