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View all search resultsWindow shopping rises as middle-class spending slows
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Stock illustration of window shopping. (Courtesy of/Shutterstock)
A
s living costs rise and disposable income shrinks, many Jakartans are increasingly turning to malls not for shopping, but for strolling. Window shopping, once considered a casual pastime, has become a meaningful part of urban life, offering comfort and even emotional relief amid economic pressure.
In recent months, social media has buzzed with humorous acronyms like Rojali (rombongan jarang beli, or "groups that rarely buy") and Rohana (rombongan hanya nanya, or "groups that only ask"), reflecting a growing trend of mall-goers who browse but seldom purchase.
The Rojali-Rohana phenomenon has struck a chord with many Jakartans living in a city teeming with nearly 100 shopping malls, but with few accessible public spaces.
On a typical Thursday afternoon, while much of Jakarta battles traffic jams and office deadlines, 37-year-old Fitria steps into Plaza Senayan, a four-story upscale mall in Central Jakarta, without a single intention to buy anything.
Calling herself a regular mall-goer, Fitria spends hours browsing store displays, trying on clothes and testing perfumes. For her, window shopping brings joy as she can physically explore into catalogs of products at stores before making any purchases online.
Read also: Malls are full, but shopping bags are empty
“Visiting malls feels relieving because I can experience the products in person without the pressure to spend,” said the housewife from South Jakarta’s Kebayoran Baru on Thursday.
