Malls will Remain the 'Ultimate Shopping Experience' | WIRED Retail | WIRED

J Skyler Fernandes: Malls will remain the 'ultimate shopping experience' - Full WIRED Retail talk

In five years time, the word ecommerce will no longer mean what we think it does today. According to J Skyler Fernandes from Simon Venture Group ecommerce will not be understood as a separate business to offline retail -- instead, the line between the two will continue to blur and morph, but the focus will always remain on physical shopping.

"I'm going to break one cliche now," said Fernandes, who heads up the future of retail investment arm of America's largest mall owner, Simon. "'The mall is dead.' That is not going to happen. The mall is alive. It is at the centre of community, it is the future of conversions and will play an increasingly important role online and off."

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Malls will remain the 'ultimate shopping experience' | WIRED Retail | WIRED

[sluzardo]

I grew up in the era when we hung out in Malls, and loved to meet people, people watch, Holiday shop., etc. So my generation is more connected tot he Mall experience than the newer generations. And I have to say, I won't go back into a Mall as a regular experience. Holiday shopping is about it. I don't care what the "experience" is when going, they can't draw me back. It is over. Even sometimes having to return something (e-commerce has made that easier and easier), it is still easier, faster than getting in the car, in bad weather or winters and going to a Mall. The Mall experience as we knew it is over and not coming back. I can appreciate the optimism and statistics but I just don't see it happening.

[barbaraaspengen]

We just have to think outside the box it's not a mall anymore we must get together and use our imagination and make it happen. We spent a lot of taxes making these beautiful malls let's not just throw them away.

[SurferJoe]

Simon owns Ross Park Mall they kicked out Old Navy, DSW Shoes, made it a high end Mall now most of the Mall is dead minus

[SurferJoe]

I would like to believe him, but look up Pittsburgh Mills occupancy rate of 45 percent only the property is huge!!! I don't know how they pay the heat and electric bill!!!! Checkout Century III Mall too only JC Pennies and a Mexican rest. No food court 3 story Mall walls block off half the mall now 2016 Sears closed, Macy's hope Good Luck

[m.burgesszbikowski]

Think of all that parking! Amazon is buying old Malls. Fulfillment!