should mega-mall shopping -entertainment centres expect customers to pay for parking?

[lizardwhisperer]

A local mega shopping centre (one I never even because I hate the noisey crowded super busy "ambiance") and I'd rather go to smaller suburbian malls where parking is easier and traffic is not so bad and the prices seem better too) is going to charge for parking (from the moment you drive in to their multilevel parking area).

I think that's a bit rich, surely they are making enough from shop rentals and the percentage they take from every single sale on their premises. It's bad enough that councils charge for street parking.

I think this is just outright greed and wont do their tenants much good.

 

[shell477]

It depends though, is the car park usually full up and hard to find a park? Sometimes the idea is to get people to get in, do their shopping and get out more quickly so that more people can find parks to visit. Higher turnover I suppose.

 

[Ambush]

They do that here.. 3 hours is free, As shell said. It's to stop all day parkers from filling the spots up.

 

[viciousred]

Also if its anywhere near a train station its to stop people parking there all day. I think they go to far when they charge the staff though.

 

[Rlpreston]

The big centre in Doncaster charges but only after the first 3 hours and then only if you spend less than $400 and are not seeing a movie. I think it's very reasonable actually for reasons others have stated above

 

[Rob]

Our local shopping centre had metered parking (first 3 hours free) in it's main parking zones up until earlier this year. I am not sure why they removed the boom gates, though the fact they always seemed to be broken might have something to do with it.

Ironically, the carpark with the closest walk to the train station was never metered, but I think they don't open up the second half until 8:30am or so.

 

[Jacknife]

A local mega shopping centre (one I never even because I hate the noisey crowded super busy "ambiance") and I'd rather go to smaller suburbian malls where parking is easier and traffic is not so bad and the prices seem better too) is going to charge for parking (from the moment you drive in to their multilevel parking area).

I think that's a bit rich, surely they are making enough from shop rentals and the percentage they take from every single sale on their premises. It's bad enough that councils charge for street parking.

I think this is just outright greed and wont do their tenants much good.

It's a rort, but sadly it's their land and they can do what they darn well please with it, inlcuding charging to park there.

Most major centres with covered or underground parking in VIc charge, as does Ikea and the like(though Ikea is free if you actually buy something and validate your card at checkout).

 

[OldestMagician]

My closest has 3 hours free. I've never had to pay there and staff get passes for their parking there. If you had to pay from the first minute I'd agree that it was a rip-off, but 3 hours is plenty of time.
They also have free entry after 6pm so if you want to see a movie there you wouldn't have to pay either.

 

[Newhere]

As long as they have a few hours free I think its fair. We have a few shopping centres here like that and its mainly the ones with limited parking spaces that are in busy areas/cbds. I'm sure if they were free all day you would never find a park there as the people that work close to the shopping centre would fill up all the spots.

Its just like some areas you have to pay to park on the side of the road. I'm sure its there for a reason and your benefit at the end of the day.

Also if you're really tight and they have a few hours free you can just go drive out of the carpark and then drive back in and get another few hours free.

 

[Jackrabbit]

Also if you're really tight and they have a few hours free you can just go drive out of the carpark and then drive back in and get another few hours free.

Nope.... most carparks have cameras taking photos of your number plate so if you come back in the time accumulates from the first visit.

 

[Ambush]

No Camera around here. It's all ticket. And I have forgot something and gone back.

 

[Newhere]

Its not like that here mate, they say you get three hours free. I guess they could do that if they said you have 3 free hours per day but otherwise you can just drive out then straight back in.

They do have number plate cameras here but I think its just in case you give the boom gate a bit of bullbar action.