Apparel to cosmetics, several brands are trying to take shopping to customers’ homes to offset the dwindling footfall at malls because of the coronavirus scare.

“Your health and safety is our first priority…. We would like to extend the option of a home shopping service as per your convenience. Please be assured that our team has been trained to give you the safest shopping experience. If you are interested, then do give a call to….” reads a message from an American apparel company sent to customers on Saturday.

The executives at the brand’s store at a mall in Park Circus confirmed they had reached out to “regular patrons”.

“The message was circulated today. We are yet to receive any calls to visit customers’ homes. But we are expecting some calls in the coming days. We will go to their homes and show them the latest arrivals,” one of the executives said.

On the floor above, an executive of an American denim brand showed a similar message that is being sent to customers since Friday. “We are also calling up regular customers. We are telling them if they want to check out new arrivals but are hesitant to visit a public place, we can go to their place. There has not been any response till now but we are hopeful,” he said.

The footfall at the store has gone down by “at least 40 per cent”, he said.

A brand that deals in cosmetics and skin care products has sent messages to its customers, announcing a 20 per cent discount on online purchase of a certain amount. “Stay safe, stay indoors! Relax at home and order your favourite… products,” reads the message.

“Our online division operates separately and orders are delivered directly from the warehouse not from the stores. The footfall at the store has taken a hit in the past few days,” an executive said.

Not everyone has started sending such messages, though. An executive at the store of an Italian retailer said messages, barring online promotional stuff, had not been sent to customers. “The rush of Id shoppers normally starts from the end of March. We hope that the coronavirus scare gets arrested by then.”