Correspondence: Rajagopal, Graduate School of Administration and Management (EGADE), Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education, ITESM, Mexico City Campus, 222, Calle del Puente, Tlalpan, DF 14380, Mexico. Homepage: http://www.geocities.com/prof_rajagopal/homepage.html

¹is Professor of Marketing at the Graduate Business School (EGADE) of Monterrey Institute of Technology and Higher Education (ITESM) at Mexico City Campus and Fellow of the Royal Society for Encouragement of Arts, Manufacture and Commerce, London. Dr Rajagopal is alsoa fellow of the Institute of Operations Management and a professional member of the Chartered Management Institute. His biography is listed in various international directories including Who's Who in the World (2008 and 2009) and International Biographic Center, Cambridge, UK. He holds a doctoral degree from Ravishankar University, India and has been conferred the National Researcher Level-II of Mexican National System of Researchers. He teaches various topics of marketing in graduate, doctoral and executive development programme at the Institute. Dr Rajagopal has held key positions in many premier management institutes in India, including the Administrative Staff College of India.

Received 19 January 2009; Revised 19 January 2009.

Abstract

Shopping malls contribute to business more significantly than traditional markets, which are viewed as a simple convergence of supply and demand. Shopping malls attract buyers and sellers, and attract customers, providing enough time to make choices as well as a recreational means of shopping. However, competition between malls, congestion of markets and traditional shopping centres has led mall developers and management to consider alternative methods to build excitement in customers. This study examines the impact of growing congestion of shopping malls in urban areas on shopping convenience and shopping behaviour. Based on the survey of urban shoppers, the study analyses the cognitive attributes of the shoppers towards attractiveness of shopping malls and intensity of shopping. The results of the study reveal that the ambience of shopping malls, assortment of stores, sales promotions and comparative economic gains in the malls attract higher customer traffic to the malls.