Shopper visits to outlet malls exceed pre-COVID level

Gamze Şener- ISTANBUL

Visits by shoppers to outlet malls in Turkey exceeded the pre-coronavirus pandemic level, people from the industry said, noting that the retail industry is one of the main beneficiaries of the improvement in the COVID situation.

Shopping centers and outlet malls were closed at the start of the pandemic as part of efforts to contain the spread of the virus. As those restrictions were lifted, shopping centers, especially outlet malls, regained their customers quickly.

Given the economic circumstances, budget-conscious consumers have increasingly turned to outlet malls, just like shoppers in the U.K. and the U.S, they said.

Hüseyin Alkaş, chair of the Council of Shopping Centers (AYD), said there are some differences between outlet malls in other countries and the ones in Turkey.

“Outlet malls abroad are usually located outside the towns and cities. But in Turkey, outlet malls are inside the cities. Thus, the outlet malls in Turkey are different than their peers in other countries. Their common feature, however, is that they offer international and local brands for affordable prices,” Altaş explained.

More and more shoppers are visiting outlet malls, and their interest may not disappear in the period ahead, according to Alp Önder Özpamukçu, chairman of the board of the Turkish Federation of Shopping Centers and Retailers (TAMPF).

The number of visitors increased significantly after the pandemic situation improved, observed Burak Sayın, marketing director at 212 Outlet in Istanbul.

“I can say more shoppers are coming to our mall now compared with the pre-pandemic period. People are turning to outlet malls because of the economic developments and more choices outlet malls offer to shoppers,” Sayın said.

He added that there are 140 brands in their outlet mall and that the occupancy rate is 96 percent.

Revival in the tourism is also positively affecting their business, Sayın said, noting that there has not been any change in the number of Arab tourists visiting their mall but that more Europeans are shopping at malls.

Altaş confirms the increased traffic at shopping centers in general.
“[In terms of visitors] we have reached the level in 2019. On average 6.5 million to 7 million shoppers visit shopping centers per day,” he said.

People are more careful about prices, they search to find which products are on sale, and some shoppers travel from another city only to buy particular products on sale, explained an official at an outlet mall in Istanbul.

“Shoppers do not mind buying a product from the previous season anymore,” the official said.