How Shopping Centres Can Win Footfall When Customers Are Spending Carefully

Last year we suggested some surefire Summer event ideas to boost shopping centre footfall. But how can you attract people to your retail spaces year-round, particularly when cost-of-living challenges are making people spend more carefully?

Here are some of the most effective ways to keep people coming back, even if their purse strings are under more pressure.

Create unique experiences

Today’s shoppers expect more than a simple transaction – they can achieve that online at home. So your strategies to entice them to visit should be innovative and designed to deliver in-person engagement.

With 2026 seeing more of what commercial real estate investor CBRE has called ‘demand for experiential hubs.’, meeting these needs should be your priority.

Shopping centres and retail destinations are the ideal place to host memorable events and occasions such as:

  • Seasonal festivals
  • Food markets
  • Pop-up stalls
  • Artisan crafts and other community participation opportunities

By building these types of installations into your calendar, you’ll encourage local people to come for more than just shopping. And while spending might not be their initial or main motivation to visit, you’ll still likely see an uptick in sales that corresponds to your higher footfall.

Encourage ‘omni-channel’ engagement

As you know, the rise of online shopping means it’s crucial for retailers to integrate this into their customer offering. By providing a multifaceted experience that incorporates ‘click and collect’ services, they can attract foot traffic.

A 2023 survey by Retail Week showed that 31% of retailers expected this (with next-day collection) to be the most in-demand delivery option for 2024. And these expectations have only grown, as shoppers appreciate the convenience of ordering online and the immediacy of in-person pickup.

By promoting these multi-channel options, retailers can drive footfall and continue to meet the evolving needs of customers.

Add extra value

As we’ve already highlighted, offering more than simple transactional opportunities is an essential part of attracting visitors. Particularly in times of careful spending, people will prioritise retail destinations that go beyond the basics.

Where viable, shopping centres should consider providing supplementary services such as:

  • Loyalty schemes
  • Family-friendly play areas
  • Personal shopping assistants
  • Interactive kiosks

Because when customers feel more valued, they’re more likely to return – even in a relatively more cautious spending climate.

Ready to boost footfall?

As shopping centres navigate the complexities of a changing retail environment, focusing on understanding consumer desires is vital. You can address this by delivering the type of unique, multichannel and added value experiences that create lasting memories, beyond just purchases.

If you want to talk about how to retain (or even increase) footfall during more careful spending periods, please contact us.