It's a Mall World.

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Author: Hagloch, Susan B.

It's a Mall World.
color. 47 min.
Films for the Humanities & Sciences,
PO Box 2053, Princeton, NJ 08543-2053;
800-257-5126; www.films.com.2001;2006 release.
DVD ISBN 1-4213-3038-5. $129.95.
Public performance. SOC SCI

What most of us think of as "The Mall"-an enclosed series of shops anchored by large department stores-is becoming obsolete as the purveyors of "Experience Retailing" remake the mall from a mere place to buy merchandise to a place where ambiance dominates. From the Mall of America's indoor amusement park to Las Vegas's varied Venetian, Roman, and Moroccan marketplaces, the stores are the same-Nordstrom, the Gap, Victoria's Secret-but the experiences are the draw that bring people in and surround them with a fantasy feeling that no doubt loosens their hold on their wallets. This phenomenon is the product of sophisticated studies of retail psychology, studies that include the statistics to back up their claims and convince the backers. Those who are concerned about America's great burden of consumer debt will find this the stuff of nightmares, but the average consumer will be waiting in line. This fascinating program is an excellent choice for college sociology courses; however, it's rather too expensive for most public libraries.

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By Susan B. Hagloch, formerly with Tuscarawas Cty. P.L., New Philadelphia, OH