Is The Dubai Mall, London’s Harrods or Selfridges the ultimate shopping experience? By sales figures, Shin Kong Place Beijing now tops them all

Feb 26 , 2021

The Dubai Mall, next to the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, is one of the world’s highest-earning malls or stores. Photo: Shutterstock

China’s ‘Shop King’ SKP saw more than 15 million visitors browse its 800 upscale brands in Beijing last year, including Chanel, Gucci and Hermès

E-commerce might have boomed during the pandemic, but storied storefronts like Hong Kong’s Lane Crawford retain a cachet as Instagrammable retail destinations

Wave after wave of Covid-19 lockdowns continue to batter high streets and malls all over the world. Despite this, Shin Kong Place Beijing – a department store configured like an upscale mall and known simply SKP to locals – managed to rack up around US$2.7 billion in sales in 2020, according to Beijing Daily. That easily surpasses the pre-pandemic performance of London’s famous department store Harrods, or even the vast, 1,300-outlet Dubai Mall.

Though e-commerce might be taking over even at the luxury end of retail, this suggests that high-end boutiques still remain a desirable destination for shoppers. From SKP to Harrods, here are six shopping malls and department stores worldwide with historical heft as well as commercial clout.

SKP Beijing

Location: Beijing, China

Sales: US$2.7 billion (2020)

Monthly sales: US$225 million

Hailed as the “Shop King’’ in China, SKP Beijing deserves a new title after it outpaced Harrods as the world’s most productive department store. According to local media outlet 36Kr, this premier retailer welcomed more than 15 million visitors in 2020 as Chinese shoppers turned back to the domestic market on account of the pandemic. SKP houses over 800 upscale brands including Chanel, Gucci and Hermès.

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