Abstract

What determines where people shop? Why would shoppers visit one shopping centre rather than another? Developers, backers, planners and Government will wish to make reliable estimates of the viability of proposed new centres. Developers wish to plan, build and/or improve shopping centres to maximise profitable retail sales. Shopping centre managers want to create lively environments that enhance the shopping experience. From a broader perspective there is a need to understand shopping as a fundamental aspect of modern society. This book explores a range of perspectives from traditional (e.g. Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs and Gravitation Theory) to the latest thinking (e.g. Environmental Psychology and Evolutionary Psychology). The author suggests, perhaps controversially, that shopping styles may be rooted in the lifestyles necessitated when our ancestors adapted to the African savannah. These disparate approaches have been drawn together with a summary of the hypotheses for which the author has found support. [Publisher's description]