I don't mind the mall, especially when I find things that I may not have searched for online. If I have something specific, it's easier to look it up online, but if it's at a store/mall close to me, I will opt to pick it up rather than have it shipped.
@Stereoguy True, online chat doesn't have the same degree of interaction, especially since they don't have the item in front of them, and are just going by a description. Plus, just the other day I found a shirt that I wanted that was not online, and a jacket, simply because I had to pick up a shirt for my nephew.
@Stereoguy That's true, and it does get boring looking through online catalogs to see what's on offer, whereas you can scan the store in a couple of minutes to find some items of interest.
@Stereoguy Very true, now if it's a pair of jeans or chinos like others from the same brand, easy to order them, but I still like in store pickup from another perspective and that's employment. If we all go the route of ordering, we will not have stores with employees and will be back in the old days, but instead of Sears Catalog as in the early 20th Century, it will be Amazon.
@Stereoguy Yes, indeed. And, you sometimes find sales that you didn't anticipate. I did with the jacket that I bought, a similar one to others that I own, but a different color.