Malls reopen in Delhi: How shopping experience has changed
Shopaholics rejoiced as malls and markets reopened after almost two months of lockdown imposed due to the novel coronavirus pandemic. A few people have started venturing out for shopping sprees and the shopping experience itself has been transformed.
Malls have put in place various safeguards to protect against the novel coronavirus, including thermal scans at all the entrance points. Sanitizer spray doors have also been installed at entrances and car parks. But the closed restaurants and shut stores make it clear that recovery will be slow.
India Today visited two high footfall malls of Delhi — DLF Avenue Saket and DLF Promenade Vasant Kunj — to see how the shopping scene has changed.
A Sunday visit to the mall for most Delhiites used to mean browsing, window shopping and eating out in the pre lockdown days. Now, with most food courts and restaurants yet to open, going to malls would be without the snack breaks.
Entering into the mall itself is now a lengthier exercise. Thermal scanning and check of the Arogya Setu App status is a must, as are masks and gloves.
At every entryway at DLF Saket, housekeeping staff wipes the doors with sanitizer after a customer enters or exits the premises. PPE kit wearing attendants can also be seen spraying sanitizer in the corridors, and wiping escalators and railings.
Most clothing stores have initiated a “no touch” policy — you can’t touch the clothes on the rack, but have to point to a particular piece and the store attendant will pull it out for you. Many stores have barred trials of clothing.
At Vero Moda, which is allowing trials, the tried on clothing is sanitized with steam Gify iron and then kept in an “isolation room” for one day before its back on the rack.
Adidas and Calvin Klien in DLF Vasant Kunj are following a similar policy, though Adidas allows customers to touch the merchandise after wearing fresh gloves available at the store entry.
Cash payments are not accepted, and cards and card machines are wiped with sanitizer wipes after every transaction.
Clothing giants Marks and Spencer and Zara have also instituted a “no trial” policy, which effectively means that one will no longer see groups of youngsters trying multiple outfits for a lark.
Shoes and footwear are near impossible to buy without trying on and stores have accepted that risk. At Venus steps and Woods in Saket Mall, any footwear that is tried on is sanitized and kept in a separate room for a few hours. Touching various shoes to “look from different angles” is also discouraged.
Most stark are the rules put in place by Make-up stores. Buying a new shade of makeup will now depend on whether the store attendant has a good eye for colour, as testing of products is no longer allowed.
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