Mall vs Department Store
There is a distinct difference between mall and department store though they are both places fulfilling people’s shopping needs. Mall and department store are different in quite a few aspects. A department store is a retail business establishment that specializes in satisfying the needs of customers when it comes to their personal and residential goods. A mall, on the other hand, is one or more buildings of shops selling different merchandise all at one place. This is the specialty of a mall. In other words, it can be said that a mall can house a department store. The converse may not be true. That is, a department store cannot house a mall.
What is a Mall?
According to the Oxford English dictionary, a mall is ‘a large enclosed shopping area from which traffic is excluded.’ This word is mainly used in North America. It is quite natural that a mall has interconnecting walkways enabling the shoppers to go from one unit to another unit with ease. This kind of facility is not seen in a department store. Shopping malls are referred to by different names in different countries. They are sometimes called shopping centers, shopping precincts or town centers. A mall is not a part of the retail chain of many stores. It is, in fact, one single place that sells almost all the items under the sun. They are situated in different places of the same country and different countries in different names as separate units.
What is a Department Store?
According to the Oxford English dictionary, a department store is ‘a large shop stocking many varieties of goods in different departments.’ Interconnecting walkways that are seen mall, enabling the shoppers to go from one unit to another are not seen in department stores. This is because of the fact that a department store does not warrant walkways since it is mostly one single building that specializes in the selling of personal goods or household goods. Unlike shopping malls, department stores are not referred to by many other different names. Department stores usually sell products like apparel, home appliances, electronics, furniture and many other products such as hardware, cosmetics, toys, fashion jewelry and the like. Hence, a department store is a part of the retail chain of many stores. They are usually situated at different regions of the same country or place or sometimes in different countries as well.
What is the difference between Mall and Department Store?
• A department store is a retail business establishment that specializes in satisfying the needs of customers when it comes to their personal and residential goods.
• A mall, on the other hand, is one or more buildings of shops selling different merchandise all at one place.
• A mall has interconnecting walkways enabling the shoppers to go from one unit to another unit with ease. This kind of facility is not seen in a department store.
• Department stores usually sell products like apparel, home appliances, electronics, furniture and many other products such as hardware, cosmetics, toys, fashion jewelry and the like.
• A department store is a part of the retail chain of many stores.
• Department stores are usually situated at different regions of the same country or place or sometimes in different countries as well.
• A mall is not a part of the retail chain of many stores.
• Malls are situated in different places of the same country and different countries in different names as separate units.
• A mall can house a department store, but a department store cannot house a mall.
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