Shopping Malls vs Small Shops: Difference and Comparison

In today’s working life, to meet our daily needs, we visit a shopping mall or small shops to meet our requirements. The requirements can be our daily needs, like groceries, or it can be the things we desire, like clothes.

They can be a source of entertainment too.

Key Takeaways

  1. Shopping malls offer various stores and services under one roof, while small shops provide specialized, locally owned options.
  2. Shopping malls have larger selections and greater convenience, while small shops offer personalized customer service and unique products.
  3. Small shops can contribute to local economies and communities, while shopping malls have the advantage of economies of scale.

Shopping Malls vs Small Shops  

A shopping mall is a large, enclosed building that consists of a wide range of shops for entertainment, clothing, and food. They are expensive as there are many branded stores in malls. Small shops are single small or medium-sized stores that sell a limited number of items. It does not offer entertainment.

Shopping Malls vs Small Shops

Shopping Malls can be defined as large enclosed spaces with many stores displaying and selling various merchandise to the people visiting.

Shopping Malls are an offline source of our requirements and leisure. Some stores in shopping malls may also have an online website to sell their merchandise.

Small Shops can be defined as a space where a particular item or some items are sold. Small shops do not have a variety of items to display or sell. They particularly deal in a single item or limited items.

They are not diversified in terms of the items they sell.

Comparison Table

Parameters of Comparison Shopping Malls Small Shops 
Meaning A large enclosed space selling a variety of items. A medium or a small sized space selling a particular number of items. 
Area It is a large enclosed area. It is a small enclosed area. 
Variety It offers a variety of items. It offers a limited number of items. 
No of stores It is a multiple store place. It is a single store. 
Entertainment Shopping malls offers entertainment options. Small stores do not offer entertainment options. 
Costing Shopping malls are expensive. Small shops are cheap. 

What are Shopping Malls?  

The term Shopping Mall can be defined as a huge enclosed place offering a lot of merchandise for people to buy. It is a large space consisting of multiple stores. Every store offers a different variety of items to the visitors.

A shopping mall comprises various stores such as jewelry, clothes, eatables, specialized stores, etc. Shopping malls also have entertainment zones such as game zones, amusement parks, etc.

A shopping mall is designed in a very beautiful manner to attract the crowd. People are always keen to visit a shopping mall without any reason, too, because of its attractive structure. It serves as entertainment for the people.

Shopping malls serve various facilities to the customers, such as internal heating and cooling facilities according to the weather, large parking facilities, game zones, cinemas, etc.

People get attracted to shopping malls because of their facilities and comfort.

A shopping mall has a variety of branded and non-branded stores.

It offers a variety of things at a different range of prices. People prefer going to shopping malls over other stores because it offers a variety of things to choose from and the convenience of going all through all these varieties under one roof.

shopping malls

What are Small Shops?  

The term Small Shop can be defined as an enclosed place offering a limited variety of merchandise to the people. Small stores fulfill the daily requirements of the people.

Small shops are basically for people to buy personal and residential items. It does not offer a variety of items. People visit a small shop with the purpose of buying something. It does not serve entertainment to the people.

Small shops provide merchandise to people at lower prices compared to big shopping centers and malls. People visit a small shop to buy daily use stuff at a low price. A small shop is considerable to buy things at less price.

Small shops comprise stores like a store for clothes, store for eatables, store for grocery, store for shoes, etc. There are also many shops that offer multiple items also.  

The disadvantage that small shops face in today’s scenario is that people prefer going to the malls or big department stores because of the variety they offer to the customers.

There has been a decline in the number of visitors to small shops in the past few years because the shopping malls provide everything under one roof ranging from basic necessities to high-brand items.

small shops

Main Differences Between Shopping Malls and Small Shops.

  1. A shopping mall is defined as a place offering a variety of merchandise under a single roof, whereas a small shop is defined as a place offering a limited number of items to buyers.  
  2. A shopping mall is built in a very large area, whereas a small shop normally covers a limited area.  
  3. A shopping mall has many stores and shops, whereas a small shop is a single store.  
  4. The price range of the items in a shopping mall is normally high, whereas a small shop’s price range is low.  
  5. A shopping mall also entertains people with its game zones, play areas, etc. In contrast, a small shop does not have any entertainment sources.  
  6. A shopping mall provides facilities like elevators, underground parking, etc. Whereas a small shop does not offer these services. 
Difference Between Shopping Malls and Small Shops
References
  1. https://search.proquest.com/openview/0cd9aa6de8954097811227b6b6a8f838/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=46967
  2. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0263276012205198

  

Last Updated : 13 July, 2023

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6 thoughts on “Shopping Malls vs Small Shops: Difference and Comparison”

  1. I don’t agree. Small shops are often more expensive than big stores and they have a limited selection. Shopping malls have everything you can ask for, from basic necessities to luxury items at the reach of one hand.

    Reply
  2. Shopping malls may offer convenience and variety but do not provide the personalized service that small shops have. They offer unique products and connect with the local communities. In these times it is crucial to support local economies and businesses

    Reply
  3. I completely agree, Patricia. Shopping malls are the best places to get what you need. Small shops are outdated and lack the variety that shopping malls offer.

    Reply
  4. I’m with Patricia here. Small shops are a thing of the past. Shopping malls have it all, and they provide entertainment and comfort. Small shops cannot compete with that.

    Reply
  5. Shopping malls are a thing of the past. Their high prices and mass-produced products do not compare to the uniqueness of small shops. In the digital age, online shopping provides variety and convenience over these megastores.

    Reply
  6. Small shops contribute directly to the local economy and they offer specialized, authentic products. Although shopping malls are more convenient, the small shops have unique merchandise and contribute to the cultural richness of a place.

    Reply

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