Unlock 1.0 impact: Sales take off as malls limp back to normalcy

Mall operators have witnessed higher conversions despite low footfalls during Unlock 1.0, with niche clothing, electronics and computers, and home accessories dominating shoppers’ needs.

According to a recent roundtable by the Shopping Centres Association of India, different states/cities have shown varying trends. For example, Centre Square Mall in Kochi saw a 65 per cent return in footfalls, with people buying groceries and apparel, while Kolkata-based Ambuja Neotia Group’s malls showed an uptick in sales of computers, phones, and sporting accessories from Adidas and Reebok. Pacific Mall in New Delhi has seen 78 per cent of its retailers open doors, with sales