This mall in China has 'husband storage pods' for gaming while wives go shopping

The feature is present in Global Harbour Mall in Shanghai. (Image: @quiverloaded/Twitter)

A mall in Shanghai, China, has a unique solution to keep husbands entertained while their wives indulge in lengthy shopping sprees. The Global Harbour mall introduced "husband storage" facilities in the form of glass pods where disgruntled spouses can find solace away from the bustling shops back in 2017.

Equipped with comfortable seating, monitors, computers, and gamepads loaded with retro 1990s games, these pods offer men a welcome escape. The service, when introduced, was free but currently charges a nominal fee to use the pods.

The quirky concept has garnered attention both locally and internationally, sparking lively debates on Chinese social media platforms. While some users appreciate the mall's effort to incentivize men to accompany their wives and foot the shopping bills, others question the purpose of dragging an unwilling participant along if they would rather spend their time gaming.

Those who have experienced the pods have expressed mixed opinions. The BBC asked users of the pods and what their experience was. Yang, one of the users, exclaimed, "Really great. I've just played Tekken 3 and felt like I was back at school!" However, one Wu pointed out the lack of ventilation and air conditioning, stating, "I sat playing for five minutes and was drenched in sweat."

It is unclear whether these upgrades have been implemented or not.

One woman welcomed the idea, telling BBC that the pods "give these men an incentive to go shopping, and to pick up the bill" for their wives shopping.

Many don’t agree. "If my husband just wants to go out and play games, what's the point of bringing him out?" another woman said.