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This study aims to examine the symbolic meanings of the local shopping malls inscribed by the shoppers from the sociocultural lens other than merely departing from the economic dimensions.

In this research, Kwai Chung Plaza was adopted as the case study. The author interviewed 12 local shoppers through an in-depth individual interview. All interviewees were selected through convenience and snowball sampling. All names of the participants in this paper are kept pseudonymous to protect their privacy.

An integrated model, which consists of three major levels, namely, the spatial, individual and community levels, has been formed to show that the shopping mall was not merely a place for buy-and-sell transactions but rather a place that could be understood as an extension of the street, a body of collective memories and a place for Hongkongers.

The most significant limitation of this study was the lack of a diversified demographic profile adding that the sample was restricted to the young generation. It is recommended that future research should consider including interviews with middle-aged and old-aged shoppers to ensure the generalizability of results. Future research may also consider examining other small/medium-sized shopping malls for comparison.

The findings demonstrated the diversified social roles and functions of the local shopping malls in a community. In addition, the present study, to the author’s knowledge, is one of the few scholarly discussions on small/medium-sized shopping malls from a sociocultural perspective.

Charity shops have met a number of challenges in light of the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. The paper aims to explore the economic and social impact of charity shops and reviews the transformative impact they have on place, the experience of place and the social environment.

The paper conducts a review of the extant literature in the field of charity shop retail. Considering the issues that are raised, the article proceeds to discuss the opportunities that arise for place marketing efforts and charity shops in the retail environment, the wider sector, the high street and as a positive, key component of place(s).

The paper provides novel sectorial insights and recommendations that can be adopted by charity retail outlets. This includes discussion on transformative place marketing, the experience of place and the charity shop’ role in the social environment beyond the existing references to charity shops in place(s) and the high street.

Charity shops play a vital role in society and yet they are an under researched field. The paper contributes knowledge on the role of charity shops in transforming and experiencing place. The paper concludes with observations made from the discussion on charity shops, and states areas for future research regarding the role of the charity shop and place marketing, place identity and transformation.

This study aims to examine the process of tourism gentrification from China tourists, a major source market, in two neighbourhoods in Hong Kong: one that has been long exposed to tourism and one that is just being discovered by tourists. Through a series of in-depth interviews with local residents and community leaders, complemented by non-participant observation, the paper tracks the commercial, social and cultural changes that have occurred or are occurring in these two places.

This study evaluates the process of place change through tourism gentrification in two neighbourhoods in Hong Kong that are at different stages of the process. An ontological approach is adopted using an interpretivist paradigm involving in-depth interviews and on-site observations, supplemented by secondary data. These data were complemented by non-participant observation.

Both the places have been transformed due to the influx of mainland Chinese tourists. Some impacts felt by both communities have much in common, such as congestion and shop dislocation, while others are more location specific. Even though the degree of tourism gentrification is different, locals from both locations tend to hold negative perceptions towards tourists, although of different strengths. All have also noted the traditional social cohesion is not as strong as before.

The paper argues that tourism gentrification exists on a continuum as neighbourhoods move seemingly inextricably from local-centric nodes to tourist-centric nodes. Apart from enlightening the theory of tourism gentrification, it provides insights to the local leaders on proper tourism development by balancing the social and economic benefits.

Consumer choices are influenced by available resources, and time is increasingly recognised as a valuable and scarce resource. This study aims to assess the effect of chronic time pressure (CTP) on the desire to stay in retail venues (DTS), considering the mediating role of utilitarian and hedonic shopping motivations and the moderating role of time management (TM); and examine the role of DTS in enhancing the shopping outcomes of satisfaction, patronage intentions and positive word-of-mouth (WOM).

Two survey-based studies were conducted, employing structural equation modelling (SEM) and Hayes’ PROCESS Model No. 1 to test the proposed model.

The findings indicate that CTP does not have a direct impact on shopping utilitarian motivations or DTS. However, it has a direct effect on hedonic motivations that mediate the path from CTP to DTS. In addition, TM positively moderates both paths from CTP and hedonic motivations to DTS. Finally, the results demonstrate that reinforcing shopper DTS leads to increased satisfaction, patronage intentions and positive WOM.

Based on the findings, theoretical contributions and actionable managerial implications regarding how to leverage CTP and TM to enhance shopper engagement and retail venue outcomes are discussed.

While prior research has often focused on situational time pressure, this study concentrates on CTP and examines the impact of perceived time constraints and feeling rushed on utilitarian and hedonic shopping motivations and DTS. Moreover, the study tests the moderating role of TM and provides evidence that DTS leads to other desirable shopping outcomes.

Calls for empirical and theory-based outcome measures in the place marketing literature are made more pressing as policymakers manage post-COVID high street recovery. This study aims to evaluate how knowledge of repeat buying established in the consumer marketing domain might be adapted to benchmark place marketing effectiveness, applying the Law of Double Jeopardy to capture the predictable relationship between footfall and visit frequency on competing high streets.

The authors match footfall and survey data collected simultaneously on nine local high streets in one London borough to ask if a predictable Double Jeopardy relationship exists. The authors then test the theoretical assumptions of independence that underpin the Law in patterns of switching; the predictable distribution of regular, infrequent and new visitors; and the absence of user segmentation.

The authors observe that Double Jeopardy constrains behavioural outcomes, that a simple model fits high street footfall data well and that its theoretical assumptions are supported.

This paper makes several practical and theoretical contributions. The authors demonstrate a method to model expected repeat visit frequency from footfall density and elaborate footfall data into its frequency classes. The authors also locate the effects of loyalty over time within existing knowledge of spatial competition for high street patronage and demonstrate how place marketing insights can be derived from applications of this useful law.

This paper studied the effects of music plus fragrance or music alone on consumer purchase behaviour, footfalls and repeat visits to retail stores in the context of the mall.

A primary research was conducted through a structured questionnaire. A field study was conducted in two malls that attract the maximum crowd. The data from 250 respondents were analysed in total.

As per the present study, the combination of playing music with fragrance is more effective compared to playing music or fragrance alone on shopping behaviour, footfalls and repeat visits in retail stores in emerging markets like India.

The study is more confined to a comparative study of the effectiveness of music with or without fragrance on consumer purchase behaviour and footfalls in retail stores located in malls. In view of research design, this could be a limitation of the study as types of music and other ambiance factors are not considered. The present study can be extended to religion as the religiosity of respondents may give a different response. The urban respondents may vary when compared to rural consumers. Therefore, the study can be extended by adding the rural or A-city mall or smaller malls in big cities. Research can be extended in the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) era to see if there is a change in consumer behaviour. It can also be extended to consumer's preference for different music and different fragrances.

This paper provides marketing managers and retail owners with valuable insights on the importance of using music with fragrance in retail stores to create unique consumer experiences in emerging markets that are different from developed countries. Managers should try to create both music, and fragrance in the store to improve purchase intention, and stay longer. To ensure that the planned music and fragrance approach creates the ambiance for consumers, marketing managers are advised to conduct market research. Special care should be taken for younger visitors to the store by creating the right ambiance. The present research will help many offline retailers' managers to strive for new competitive advantages through creating favourable shopping environments by understanding cultural differences.

The research gives direction to use music with a fragrance in the retail ambiance in the malls which will lead to improved consumer purchase, more footfalls, repeat visits and staying longer in emerging markets like India, which is a destination for global brands. Integration of three models of impulse buying (Rook and Fisher, 1995), individualism and collectivism (Triandis, 1995) and stimulus–organism–response (S–O–R) model of Mehrabian and Russell (1974) is used to explain the complex behaviour of consumers towards more purchases and repeat visits. The study will shed light on the quandary that retailers in the organised sector face in emerging markets such as India regarding the use of music and fragrance, as well as the impact on purchase behaviour, footfalls and repeat visits.

This study aims to estimate the pass-through rate of the increases in the excise tax and TCF tax on tobacco in Vietnam. This study seeks to shed light on how the tax burden is split between consumers and producers and inform policy discussions in the country. Using panel micro-level data collected from three waves of a nationwide retailer's survey, this study provides an evidence-based pass-through estimation for tobacco tax in Vietnam and contributes to the understanding of tax policy on smoking and smoking-related issues.

Following increases in the excise tax and TCF tax on tobacco in 2019, the differential effect of the tax hike on the “treatment group” (domestic cigarettes) versus the “control group” (illicit cigarettes) using a difference-in-difference (DID) analysis has been studied. The study utilized unique longitudinal retailers’ data on cigarettes prices in Vietnam from 2018 to 2019 to estimate the tax pass-through rate for some of the most popular factory-made cigarette brands.

This study found evidence of an over-shifting of cigarette taxes on smokers. Specifically, it discovered that the tax increase is absorbed more by low-priced brand smokers compared to premium brand users due to (1) the limited increase in prices under a pure ad valorem system and (2) the way the Vietnamese currency is denominated. Additionally, there is evidence of cushioning to mitigate price shock on consumers as the real prices increase gradually over the period of one year after the tax change.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to collect and analyze a unique panel micro-level data from three waves of a nationwide retailers’ survey, which captures the changes in marketing and pricing strategies of the tobacco industry in Vietnam before and after an increase in excise tax in 2019. The results of this study could be used as a reference for future policymakers in considering increasing taxes on tobacco.

This study aims to analyze the morphological landscape of the urban tourism spaces in the Malioboro Main Street area to predict its future development and to assist in creating effective regional planning policies.

This study uses qualitative grounded theory, typo morphological analysis and place-centered mapping techniques.

From the observation, it was found that each element of the city image area has different components of the urban tourism space’s morphology. The urban tourism spaces in Malioboro Main Street are distributed in a centered, linear and scattered pattern, with zones dedicated to shopping, cultural experiences and cuisine. The specific elements of each zone, such as attractions, accommodations or amenities, determine the type of tourism offered, such as cultural, shopping and culinary tourism.

The study presented here may serve as a helpful guide for regulating and organizing policies that can form a sound basis for policy formulation. It mainly pertains to planning and structuring the Malioboro Main Street area, which currently needs a well-conceived urban tourism landscape development concept.

This study will have practical implications in projecting tourism development in the area through planning and structuring. The study can also be used as a basis and guideline for controlling, organizing and determining regulations and policies, ultimately serving as a wise foundation for policy formulation, particularly in planning and structuring the Cosmological Axis area, especially the Malioboro area.

The discussion of morphology is mainly limited to macro or micro scales, while the discussion of tourism space is generally limited to conceptual development. Conversely, this study aims to explore the unique landscape morphology of the Malioboro Main Street area, which serves as evidence of a productive space for urban tourism by typomorphological analysis through the approach of urban landscape elements, tourism elements and its activities. Thus, it may complement previous studies in urban areas dominated by tourism.

In English valuation practice, when valuing small to medium size (StMS) shops, rental analysis is undertaken using zoning based on the argument that shop fronts including window displays attract customers to shops and that most trading takes place in the internal frontage area making it the most valuable part of shops. Albeit zoning has been critiqued, it remains the preferred method of rental analysis. The paper aims to answer two research questions: are shop fronts including window displays the only factor that attracts customers to shops? And is the frontage space within shops the area most trading takes place?

The exploratory qualitative research methodology was used, and primary data collected by observing 178 shops in selected five shopping areas. The observational data were complemented with the use of secondary data.

The study has shown that shop fronts are not the only factor attracting clientele to shops as there are other varied factors including location, availability of Internet and hoardings. There is no evidence to suggest most goods in shops are displayed at the frontage space that attract most customers to that area, thereby, making the area the most valuable part, which decreases backwards.

These findings coupled with extant research evidence implies zoning can lead to under or over valuation of StMS shops (which is not good for retail real estate (RE) management or market), and turnover generated from shops is the overarching determinant of rental values in valuation.

This is the first time the very foundation/underpinning principles of zoning have been subjected to scrutiny in England.

This study aims to investigates the contribution of the informal sector towards secure livelihoods. Using a case study design, the study focusses on Mandela park, situated in Khayelitsha Township, Cape Town, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Khayelitsha is predominantly an old township established by the apartheid government using unjust segregation laws to foster spatial planning that isolated people of colour in areas with insufficient infrastructure and informal economic activities. Therefore, informal trading became a survival strategy in Khayelitsha, attracting an increasing number of informal traders in public spaces within the township in pursuit of livelihoods. Informal activities are generally conducted to generate income and secure sustainable livelihoods.

This study uses a qualitative research design, incorporating structured interviews instrumental in data collection and in-depth thematic analysis.

The study findings reveal that the informal sector positively contributes to the sustainable livelihoods of those involved in the informal sector and the relatives of those through income generation, family support, wealth creation, source of employment, business incubation and innovation and creativity.

The study concludes that given the increasing unemployment rate in South Africa, caused by the stagnant economic growth rate, policymakers should rethink their policies on the informal economy, acknowledge the sector's relevance and support the sector.