Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to identify underlying personal values that determine the mall shopping behaviour of Chinese consumers and to propose shopping intention as an additional mediator that enhances the value-behaviour link. Design/methodology/approach: A self-administered web-based survey with convenience sampling was used to collect the data. A structural equation modeling technique was used to test the proposed model. Findings: Chinese mall shoppers' behaviours were found to be explained by value orientations which were both similar and different from their counterparts in the West. While Western mall shoppers are more likely to be directed by social affiliation and self-actualising values in previous studies, Chinese mall shoppers are more likely to be influenced by self-transcendence and self-enhancement (similar to self-actualising) values in the present study. Additionally, shopping intention was found to improve the predictive power of consumers' attitude toward mall attributes in terms of shopping frequency and money spent in the mall. Research limitations/implications: The main limitation of this study is related to measurement error, derived from using simplified instruments to measure personal values. In addition, both personal values and attitudes are abstract constructs, which are difficult to measure; therefore this may also contribute to a larger error variance. Practical implications: The results of this study are especially beneficial for mall developers and retailers for crafting effective positioning strategies and guiding their communication strategies in the China market. Originality/value: The proposed model makes a theoretical contribution by testing a Western theory in a non-Western context. In addition, the proposed model helps researchers better understand the value-behaviour relationship in a more comprehensive framework. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.