For the traditional meaning of the word mall, see pedestrian street or promenade.

A shopping mall (or simply mall), shopping center, or shopping arcade is a building or set of buildings that contain stores, and has interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from store to store. The walkways may or may not be enclosed.

In the British Isles and Australia, these structures are known as "shopping centres" or "shopping arcades" and are not normally referred to as "shopping malls". In North America, the term "shopping mall" (or "mall" for short) is usually applied to enclosed retail structures, while "shopping center" refers to open-air retail complexes.

Strip malls are a recent development, corresponding to the rise of suburban living after World War II in the United States. As such, the strip mall development has been the subject of the same criticisms leveled against suburbanization and suburban sprawl in general. In the United Kingdom these are called "retail parks" or "out-of-town shopping centres".

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