Trading density for malls in sales per square foot or square metre

Choose an area basis that the team can reproduce

Start with the tenancy record. Many malls maintain more than one area field, including carpet area and chargeable area. Choose the field that fits the decision, document it and apply it to every shop in the comparison. A shop with 1,000 sq ft of carpet area and 1,200 sq ft of chargeable area has two valid answers to two different questions. For a cross-border comparison, 1 m² is about 10.764 sq ft. A$2,500 per m² is therefore about A$232 per sq ft before any currency translation.

Ask whether the unit expanded, contracted or temporarily relocated during the period. If the area changed halfway through a month, retain the effective date. For a monthly equivalent, one possible policy uses an area weighted by the number of applicable days. Another compares the periods before and after the change separately. Expose the policy alongside the result, especially when it affects a renewal discussion.

Calculate a category figure correctly

Take two illustrative Australian shopping centre tenants on the same area and sales basis. An accessories store sells A$150,000 in 60 m², giving A$2,500 per m² for the month. An apparel store sells A$360,000 in 300 m², giving A$1,200. Together they generate A$510,000 from 360 m², or about A$1,417 per m². Simply averaging the two shop densities gives A$1,850, which overstates the sales generated by the combined space.

For a category or floor, show the combined density alongside the tenant count and reporting coverage. A floor with one high-value jewellery store may have an unusually high density. Showing that shop’s share of the floor total makes the figure more useful during portfolio review.

Turn a gap into a leasing question

Compare stores with similar formats, merchandise and trading calendars. Check the number of trading days, stable area, location within the mall and any missing sales. A tenant that opened in the last week of the month may merit a per-trading-day view before a monthly comparison.

The Mall Metrics Revenue Efficiency view shows revenue per square foot by shop, and Tenant Monthly Sales includes a revenue-per-square-foot field. Confirm the field definition and selected period before comparing either figure with a separate tenant calculation. Bring the tenant’s area history and sales basis to a demo to see how the comparison would work for your space.

Explore tenant performance · Read how to calculate like-for-like growth