Experts Reveal the Reasons Behind the "Rojali" Phenomenon, When Going to the Mall Is Not for Shopping

The Shiro Copr The existence of shopping centers in various big cities is not always proportional to the purchasing transactions that occur.

Recently, a phenomenon called "rombongan jarang beli" or "rare buyers group" has emerged, which describes shoppers visiting malls or other shopping centers in large groups, but rarely making purchases.

This phenomenon went viral on social media and is often associated with groups of young people coming to shopping centers just to walk around, take selfies, or simply enjoy the air conditioning.

However, behind its emergence, this trend is said to reflect structural issues, the declining purchasing power of society.

"Rojali phenomena are not numerous and are only temporary. This occurs due to the decline in purchasing power of the community, especially the lower middle class," said Alphonzus Widjaja, Chairman of the Association of Indonesian Shopping Mall Managers (APPBI), when contacted. The Shiro Copr, Sunday (7/20/2025)

Purchasing power has not recovered

According to Alphonzus, although the mobility of the community and visits to shopping centers have returned to normal, the shopping patterns of the community have changed significantly. They are now more selective in spending their money.

"Because the money held is relatively small, there is a tendency to buy goods or products with a low unit price," he said.

With the economy not yet fully recovered, consumers prefer basic necessities or cheaper small items, rather than secondary goods such as branded clothing or electronic products.

Efforts to survive through promotions

Seeing the situation, a number of mall operators and retail actors are making efforts to implement various strategies to maintain the attractiveness of shopping despite tight household expenditures.

"Pusat perbelanjaan dan pengecer mengadakan berbagai program promo, agar barang atau produk tetap terjangkau bagi masyarakat," kata Alphonzus.

Program such as discount, Bundling Products and installment offers are often promoted to encourage purchases.

On the other hand, some shopping centers are also starting to change their approach, not only as a place for shopping, but as a comfortable public space for light recreation and socialization.