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Atmospheric Effects on Shopping Behavior
Abstract
This review focuses on the research conducted over the years on the effects of facility-based environmental cues, or “atmospherics”, on buyer behavior. We review the pertinent literature by constructing a comprehensive table of the empirical studies in this area that focuses on the various findings associated with these investigations. This summary table indicates that atmospheric variables influence a wide variety of consumer evaluations and behaviors. In addition to discussing the findings and contributions of this literature stream, the article concludes by identifying gaps in the literature and suggesting potential future topics for atmospheric related research.
... On the other hand, it is more practical to incorporate the perception toward physical settings. For example, the perceptual cues often encompass external, interior, layout and design, point-of-purchase, decoration, and human variables (Turley & Milliman, 2000). These variables have been validated and examined in various contexts such as shops (Kunkel & Berry, 1968) and museums (Kottasz, 2006). ...
... Physical setting was stretched into architectural setting and interior decoration. In the literature pertaining to atmosphere, the external and the internal environment are often separately considered (Kottasz, 2006;Turley & Milliman, 2000). Additionally, the theme of humanplace bonding was depleted in the final measurement model. ...
... First, our work helps understand the concept of cultural atmosphere. Studying atmosphere is important, but the notion of cultural atmosphere has been given inadequate attention (Bitner, 1992;Heide & GrØnhaug, 2006;Kotler, 1973;Turley & Milliman, 2000). Our four-dimension scheme provides a new framework for approaching and deconstructing the concept of cultural atmosphere. ...
... Specific atmospheric cues are considered prerequisites for guest relaxation, happiness, comfort, and satisfaction, particularly in theme hotels [12]. While the overall atmosphere affects consumer perceptions and behaviors through emotional and attitudinal responses [13,14], spatial layout has been identified as a distinct variable influencing consumer behavior [15]. However, the critical role of spatial layout in shaping human behavior, despite influencing guests' hotel perceptions, has been largely overlooked in the context of theme hotels. ...
... Some suggest three categories: ambient conditions, spatial layout and functionality, or signs, symbols, and artifacts [31,38]. Others conceptualize four elements: exterior, general interior, layout and design, and decor [39], while certain scholars include people as an independent dimension [13]. In this research, the four-element scheme is adopted, with decor incorporated into spatial layout to explore its significance in theme hotel operations. ...
... It is defined as the arrangement and spatial relationships between machinery, equipment, and furniture [66]. The layout factor has been generally viewed as an integrated part of internal atmospheric elements [13]; however, it has also been regarded as a distinct envi-ronmental factor closely interwoven with the overall atmosphere [67] to affect customers' behaviors [31,68]. ...
Despite the acknowledged connection between physical environment and human behavior, the literature often underestimates the crucial role of hotel spatial layout and its relation to other factors in shaping customer loyalty. The layout of theme hotels is often simply considered a general environmental consideration, ignoring its far-reaching impact. This research proposes that guests staying at theme hotels will perceive value when utilizing the layout and appreciate all aspects of hotel facilities. This, in turn, influences their value perception and loyalty to the hotel. To analyze the data, confirmatory factor analysis and path analysis were employed on a sample of 298 individuals who stayed in theme hotels. The findings from these analyses reveal that both the hotel layout and the external environment positively influence guests’ evaluations of the internal environment (R² = 0.640). Furthermore, the evaluation of the internal environment and layout significantly impacts guests’ perceived values (R² = 0.517), subsequently shaping their loyalty to the hotel (R² = 0.370). Perceived value emerges as a vital mediating factor between the layout and customer loyalty. This study presents compelling evidence that spatial layout significantly influences customer loyalty in theme hotels through perceived value, transcending internal and external environmental boundaries.
... Hence, the objective of this study is to investigate the effect of the 3 dimensional retail atmospherics, explicitly focusing on the "Colours," on the emotional and behavioural responses of avatars. The investigation of colours has been conducted in research pertaining to physical and web-based retail atmospherics (Berman & Evan, 1995;Turley & Milliman, 2000;Rosenbaum and Massiah, 2011;Areni & Kim, 1993;Baker et al., 1994;Reddy et al., 2011;Baker et al., 1994;Countryman & Jang, 2006). However, the significance of colour as a crucial element of the retail atmospherics has yet to be explored in the context of three-dimensional virtual reality retail establishments. ...
... The adaptation of colours is a dominant aspect within retail atmospherics (Berman & Evans, 1995;Turley & Milliman, 2000). According to Rosenbaum and Massiah (2011), colours are considered as a significant atmospheric of physical retail atmospherics. ...
This study carefully employs a One-Group Pre and Post Test approach of Quasi experimental research design to investigate the effect of ambiance (specifically colours) on avatars’ emotions and behaviours in 3 dimensional (3D) Virtual Reality Retail (VRR) stores. In order to conduct an analysis of the data collected from Second Life (SL), a highly advanced 3D Virtual World, this study employed the PROCESS tool. The research provides empirical evidence supporting the significance of colours as a prominent environmental cue in three-dimensional virtual reality retail stores. This study examines the influence of colours on the emotional states and behaviours of avatars. It specifically focuses on the significant impact of colours on approach/avoidance behavioural intentions, which is mediated by arousal and pleasure. It provides a significant contribution to the current body of literature on retail atmospherics by enhancing comprehension of 3D virtual reality retail environments and the significance of colour schemes. It is important to mention that the impact of arousal in isolation was determined to be statistically not significant. The present study offers interesting insights; however, it is important to acknowledge certain limitations. These limitations include the narrow focus on a certain type of specialised 3D VRR store, and the constraints imposed by a very small sample size. Future research within this subject should aim to address these limitations.
... While it is a physical environment according to Baker (1987), Kotler (1973) defines it as an 'atmosphere.' While Turley and Milliman (2000) describe it as the market environment, Arnold et al. declared it (1996) economic environment. Mathwick et al. as (2001) interactive space, Hutton and Richardson (1995) as health environment, Weinrach (2000) as psychological environment, Bitner (1992) as service scape, Roy and Tai (2003) as store environment, Cronin (2003) as service environment and as social services environment. ...
... On the other hand, Turley and Milliman (2000) defined the physical environment in five dimensions: the external dimension, the general internal dimension, the establishment and design, the point of purchase and the decoration and the human dimension. Raajpoot (2002) asserted that the businesses' physical environment dramatically affects customers' perceptions of the business. ...
In this study, it was aimed to investigate the effect of physical environment elements on price perception, customer satisfaction and intention to repeat purchase in fast food restaurants. In the study, decoration, atmosphere, and order factors were used as physical environmental elements. The study included 204 students randomly selected from the Tourism department of a State University. A survey consisting of 29 statements was conducted. The relationship between variables was analyzed using structural equation modeling PLS-SEM. According to the results of the research, it has been determined that the fast-food restaurant environment elements affect the perceived price and customer satisfaction with decoration and layout elements. There was no statistically significant relationship identified between the size of the atmosphere and both the perceived price and customer satisfaction. Additionally, no significant correlation was observed between atmosphere size and the variables of perceived price and customer satisfaction. According to the results, it has been determined that the size of the order has the biggest effect on price and customer satisfaction. Finally, it was concluded that the perceived price and customer satisfaction had an impact on purchase intent.
... Bitner (1992) plantea que el ambiente de la tienda es una fuente de comunicación no verbal que influye en la creencia de las personas y los productos, y destaca como elementos de la atmósfera las condiciones ambientales (temperatura, calidad del aire, música, aroma); el espacio/funcionalidad (equipo, mobiliario); y las señales, los símbolos y los artefactos (señalización, artefactos personales, estilo de decoración). Turley y Milliman (2000) desarrollaron una tipología de atmósfera que incluye el exterior de la tienda; el interior en general; la disposición de la tienda; las exhibiciones interiores; y la dimensión social. En lugar de centrarse en los aspectos individuales de la atmósfera minorista, Turley y Milliman (2000) propenden hacia un enfoque holístico, que examine cómo la atmósfera completa influye en el comportamiento del consumidor (enfoque molar). ...
... Turley y Milliman (2000) desarrollaron una tipología de atmósfera que incluye el exterior de la tienda; el interior en general; la disposición de la tienda; las exhibiciones interiores; y la dimensión social. En lugar de centrarse en los aspectos individuales de la atmósfera minorista, Turley y Milliman (2000) propenden hacia un enfoque holístico, que examine cómo la atmósfera completa influye en el comportamiento del consumidor (enfoque molar). Aunque se puede observar que algunas investigaciones empíricas recientes miden los efectos atmosféricos de manera molar, es decir, incluyendo varios elementos del entorno de la tienda para su medición (Elmashhara y Soares, 2022;Leong et al., 2023), este tipo de trabajos aún son limitados; además, porque se deben extender los límites geográficos en los que se desarrollan estas propuestas. ...
This investigation raises the influence of the atmosphere of the point-of-sale in the creation of brand equity and loyalty to a retail store. A quantitative analysis was carried out using structural equations, using the technique of partial least squares. The case of the clients of a do-it-yourself project company in Cartagena, Colombia, was analyzed. A total of 239 surveys were applied between November 2019 and February 2020. The results show that the atmosphere is a key antecedent that drives brand equity. Brand equity exerts a mediating effect between atmosphere and loyalty. It is concluded that the effects of the atmosphere are intensified in the presence of brand equity, highlighting its determining role in explaining loyalty to the physical store.
... In 1973, Kotler introduced the concept of retail atmospherics, which underscores the strategic design of a retail environment to influence consumer buying behavior. This idea was further developed by Turley and Milliman (2000), who proposed a model of retail atmospherics, highlighting the significance of atmospheric stimuli and their effects. Atmospheric stimuli refer to the key elements of a retail environment, including music, colors and scent, which each play an important role in influencing consumer behavior (Bellizzi et al., 1983;Bone and Ellen, 1999;Chebat and Morrin, 2007;Douc e and Janssens, 2013;Garlin and Owen, 2006;Herz and Engen, 1996;Roschk et al., 2017). ...
... In retail, music serves not just as an ambient feature but as a complementary brand feature (Hul et al., 1997), enhancing the overall environment and contributing to increased pleasure and satisfaction (Roschk et al., 2017;Raja et al., 2019). This, in turn, positively impacts consumers' non-verbal responses, including feelings of pleasure, arousal and dominance as well as various shopping behaviors such as attitudes, moods, perceptions, customer experiences, time spent, purchase and money spent (Roschk et al., 2017;Jain and Bagdare, 2011;Allan, 2008;Bitner, 1992;Raja et al., 2019;Turley and Milliman, 2000). ...
Purpose – This paper aims to provide a comprehensive framework on how and when musical elements such as keys, complexity, tempo and volume influence consumers’ mood, attention, information recall, product evaluation and purchase decisions in the context of retail therapy.
Design/methodology/approach – This paper builds on a critical literature review to develop a conceptual framework and formulate relevant propositions, leveraging self-regulation and self-control theories.
Findings – Through our analysis of these studies, we found that in musical retail therapy, minor keys paired with high complexity can intensify negative moods and negative product evaluation. Conversely, major keys combined with low complexity can moderate negative and positive moods, leading to positive product evaluations. We argue that high tempo and high volume can invoke high arousal and low impulse control, leading to low attention and low recall. This subsequently moderates the negative mood, resulting in weak negative product evaluation. Low tempo and low volume, however, invoke low arousal and high impulse control, leading to high attention and high recall, which moderates negative mood and negative product evaluation.
Originality/value – Reflecting on the limitations of the existing studies, this conceptual work proposes a comprehensive theoretical framework for understanding the significance of musical elements in retail therapy that can enhance consumers moods and experiences. Further, the current paper is different from the existing literature in that it helps academic researchers and marketers understand different ways to use musical elements that can positively affect consumer behavior in a complex situation like retail therapy.
... People respond not to individual elements but to the overall ambiance they create, leading to physiological, cognitive, and emotional reactions that manifest in personal and social behaviors. Understanding this process of servicescape reveals its role and importance within the service environment and provides a foundational framework for researching user behavior in relation to servicescape [11][12][13][14][15]. ...
This study synthesizes the current landscape of servicescape research within the context of the metaverse, identifying future academic challenges for the evolution of immersive 3D servicescapes. The research highlights key trends, gaps, and emerging themes in the field by utilizing a comprehensive thematic content analysis of existing literature review data and insights from focus group interviews with metaverse experts. Findings reveal that metaverse-related research in the field of servicescape has been proposed in five directions: (a) dynamics between physical and virtual servicescapes, (b) redefining servicescape measurements for the metaverse, (c) evolving the s-o-r framework, (d) personalization and adaptation of extended reality environment, and (e) necessity of domain-specific approach. The study proposes a roadmap for future investigations, contributing to the academic discourse by providing a nuanced understanding of immersive 3D servicescapes and suggesting strategic directions for further research.
... according to turley and Milliman (2000), the wearing of uniforms by business personnel accelerates the customer's adaptation to the institution's atmosphere. the uniform increases the perceived service quality level and positively affects the repurchase intention. ...
In a competitive airline industry, even small details, like the cabin crew’s uniforms and demeanor, can significantly influence passenger loyalty, and hence, this study aims to reveal how the cabin crews’ attitudes, behaviors, and uniforms shape passengers’ loyalty through brand imagery and brand perception. The data was collected from airline passengers by utilizing the convenient sampling method. A total of 488 surveys out of 520 participants were included in the analyses conducted using Partial Least Squares - Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) software. The results show that the appearances and attitudes of uniformed cabin crews significantly affect the repurchase intention, and while the brand perception only mediates the effect of attitudes on repurchase intention, the brand imagery both appearances and attitudes of uniformed cabin crews. Results suggest that airlines need to pay attention to both the attitudes and the appearance of the cabin crew to make the passengers feel that the airline is their own extent and, in return, to increase passengers’ repurchase intention. Unlike previous studies, this research focuses on the interplay between visual branding through uniforms and passengers’ psychological mechanisms driving loyalty explained by Social Identity Theory and Aesthetic Labor Theory. This research demonstrates the strategic role of cabin crew in creating a brand experience that is different but reflective of their own identity.
... Research shows that environmental stimuli, such as music, color, scent, and so forth, which form an organization's "servicescape," 1 can influence customers' experience, and hence, organizations often curate these stimuli to enhance customer experience (Turley & Milliman, 2000). However, employees are also exposed to the same servicescape, often for longer periods than customers. ...
Employees, especially in the service sector, often work long hours exposed to background music that they have little control over because it is usually selected to enhance customer experience. How does this affect employees’ daily work experience? This research focuses on how a misfit between the type of music employees need and the background music played in their workplace impacts their psychological states and behaviors. Integrating stimulus–organism–response theory with the research on self-regulation of attention in the workplace, we theorize that workplace music misfit can lower employees’ positive affect and increase cognitive depletion, further impacting their organizationally directed citizenship and counterproductive work behaviors. We also theorize that these adverse effects of workplace music misfit are stronger for employees who have lower stimulus screening ability. The test of our hypotheses across two studies—an online experimental study and a 3-week experience sampling methodology field study—broadly supported our theory. Our research offers a novel and dynamic account of workplace background music and its effects on employees’ psychological states and workplace behavior.
... Mannequins also influence how customers view product quality and social acceptability [54]. Their role goes beyond decoration, as they affect store purchases and the quality and quantity of sales [55]. Research shows that mannequins offer many advantages. ...
This study explores how visual merchandising and store layout influence customer shopping decisions. This research aims to identify the key factors that shape consumer behavior and provide useful insights for retailers by using interactive marketing factors. Data were collected from 488 respondents in the South Muntenia region of Romania, a key economic hub with significant retail activity. Given its economic diversity and proximity to Bucharest, this region serves as a representative microcosm of consumer behavior trends in Romania. The survey was distributed physically and virtually through social media platforms (Facebook and WhatsApp groups, and email networks) to ensure a diverse and representative sample. To analyze the data, this study utilized SmartPLS, a powerful tool for structural equation modeling (SEM). This approach allowed for an in-depth examination of the relationships between visual merchandising, store layout, and customer shopping behavior, providing a more comprehensive view of the conceptual model. This study’s theoretical contributions stem from its holistic approach, which combines different aspects of visual merchandising and store layout into a unified conceptual model. By analyzing how these elements work together, this study offers a deeper understanding of customer shopping behavior. Retailers are encouraged to prioritize product arrangement, make effective use of exterior lighting, and maintain engaging window displays. These strategies can attract more customers, encourage impulse purchases, and improve the overall store profitability. This study underscores the critical role that visual merchandising and store layout play in shaping customer shopping decisions. By optimizing product layout, enhancing exterior lighting, and creating captivating window displays, retailers can design a more engaging shopping experience that boosts customer satisfaction, increases sales, and builds customer loyalty.
... Store attributes are consumer evaluations of the overall shopping experience at a store and reflect the attributes associated with that store (Mohd-Ramly & Omar, 2017). Store attributes can be defined as ambient conditions (such as non-visual factors like store atmosphere and comfort), design elements (such as visual characteristics like product quality), and social factors (such as human variables like retail employee attitudes) (Turley & Milliman, 2000). Store attributes can be considered the intentional design of the shopping environment aimed at creating specific emotional impacts on consumers, ultimately increasing the likelihood of making a purchase (Zhou & Wong, 2004). ...
There was a phenomenon of an increase in number of e-commerce users, mobile applications, and other digital technologies, most consumers still prefer to shop in offline stores for various reasons. The biggest factor for consumers choosing to shop offline, with the largest percentage of 62%, is the desire to physically inspect the goods. Retailers should enhance in-store experiences by implementing responsive and innovative store attributes. This research aims the impact of store attributes on brand loyalty, with customer engagement as mediating variables. Using a quantitative, causal-descriptive analysis, data was collected from 280 qualified respondents through purposive sampling. The study employs Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) based on Partial Least Square (PLS) analysis using Smart-PLS 3.0 software. Results indicate a positive and significant influence of merchandise, transaction convenience, loyalty program and customer engagement on brand loyalty. It also shows that customer experience and engagement mediate the relationship between store attributes and brand loyalty. The model explains 42% of the variance in Uniqlo's brand loyalty, which falls into the moderate category.
... This concept comprehends the entirety of the store environment created by retailers to enrich customer experiences. Accordingly, past research delved into understanding the impact of various environmental aspects on consumer purchasing behaviour (Turley and Milliman, 2000;Mohan et al., 2013;Stanca et al., 2023), considering factors like layout (Pantano et al., 2021b;Nguyen et al., 2022;Gul et al., 2023), technologies (Roux et al., 2020;Kim et al., 2020) and atmospherics (Basu et al., 2022;Joy et al., 2023) including colours (Bellizzi and Hite, 1992;Grandi and Cardinali, 2022), scent (Spangenberg et al., 2006;Roy and Singh, 2023) and music (Raja et al., 2019;Klein et al., 2021). Yet, the store space encompasses more than its physical attributes. ...
Purpose
Technologies are dramatically reshaping various aspects of the store space, modifying design, services and usage. Accordingly, several studies tackled technology impact on each of these aspects, investigating design, service and usage singularly, but lacking a holistic viewpoint. Thus, this paper aims to identify the different dimensions of the store space (levels) and assess the impact of technology introduction on store space dimensions (levels).
Design/methodology/approach
The research employs a qualitative approach based on direct observations of apparel brand stores located in London between March and April 2023. Data collection followed a structured observation protocol covering store information, adopted technologies and their effects across various store space levels, i.e. consumption activities, service environment and customer experience.
Findings
Results show that the store space can be defined as the sum of different dimensions consisting of consumption activities, service environment and customer experience. Accordingly, technology introduction holistically influences each of the three store space levels as follows: (1) first, technologies redefine how activities are performed or alters the location where certain activities are consumed; (2) within the service environment, technologies replace traditional elements, fill empty spaces and enhance the atmospherics; finally, (3) customer experience is enhanced in hedonic and/or utilitarian terms due to technology adoption.
Originality/value
This paper defines the space as a dynamic entity, providing a deeper understanding of how the store space is produced, from a holistic point of view and the role of retail technology in this process.
... Tangible spatial layout refers to the layout style of various landscapes, constructions, pathways, and their spatial relationships. Turley and Milliman [47] proved that spatial layout should include style, color, and size of constructions, lawns, and gardens, addresses, locations, and parking. Functionality refers to the ability of objects to facilitate performance and goal attainment [46]. ...
Digital transformation is a crucial option for nightscape tour to balance high-quality experiences and sustainable development in the new era. Tourists’ satisfaction and continuance intention are essential to the development of digital nightscape tour, but related research is insufficient. For this reason, by using the Chinese digital nightscape tour as a case study, this research integrates the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology 2 (UTAUT2) and the design dimensions (ambience, spatial layout, innovation, and cultural contact) to investigate the factors influencing tourists’ satisfaction and continuance intention. The research employed a convenience sampling method, selecting typical Chinese tourists who had experienced the digital nightscape tour as survey participants. A total of 650 responses were obtained. The results of Partial Least Square-Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) found that, firstly, UTAUT2, satisfaction, and ambience all directly predict continuance intention positively, with satisfaction having the strongest impact. Secondly, among the four variables of UTAUT2, social influence has the strongest impact on continuance intention. Thirdly, the design dimensions of the digital nightscape tour are very important, which indirectly affect continuance intention through satisfaction, with ambience having the greatest influence on continuance intention. The research conclusions help support the high-quality development of the digital nightscape tour.
... 9 Drawing on Mehrabian and Russell's stimulus-organism-response (SOR) model from environmental psychology, subsequent research has examined how sensory stimuli like lighting, sound and colour affect consumers' emotional states and evaluations, influencing behaviours such as spending behaviours or dwelling time. 10 However, the majority of these studies have concentrated on the impact on purchasers, with less regard for non-purchasing visitors. Turley and Milliman 11 identified 57 atmospheric variables that affect consumer behaviour and can be categorised into exterior, general interior, layout and design, point-of-purchase and decoration and human variables. ...
The global furniture and houseware brand IKEA is known for its classic ‘big blue box’ showrooms, located on the outskirts of cities all over the world. Here, customers can discover, test and purchase products before bringing them home and enjoy a meal at the restaurant to enhance the shopping journey. Based on its ‘access for everyone’ principle, in recent years, IKEA has developed a new urban retail format that has already been rolled out in cities like Hong Kong, Taipei and Copenhagen. These shops are smaller, located in city centres, and aim is to establish showrooms in areas where people live, move and work.
This paper focuses on IKEA’s urban store format in Hong Kong, revealing its role as a space of hyper consumption in which local groups have gradually established social spaces under the constraints of a neoliberal urban ethos. Combined with their policy of allowing visitors to try out their furniture in home-like settings, IKEA’s spacious and accommodating environments and accessible locations serve as ideal settings for informal encounters among specific social groups, such as the youth, the elderly and migrant domestic workers (MDW)—groups that would not necessarily purchase products in the stores and mix in the city under normal circumstances.
Based on unobtrusive observations and interviews with users in a centrally located store and an in- depth interview with a retail design representative to understand the intentions behind the brand’s concept, this paper identifies different types of informal activities, discusses and compares these activities to those in other similar spaces of consumption and explores them as a tactical reinterpretation of social space by groups in the city that are in dire need of space.
... Empirical evidence suggests that physical signage very much serves the purposes of branding and authenticating the retailer (Rosenbaum et al., 2016). Research supports the inference that on-premise signage and other exterior environmental cues exert cognitive and affective influences on retail consumers' shopping behavior (Bloch & Kamran-Disfani, 2018;Turley & Milliman, 2000;Velasco, 2018). The ambient, design, and social factors that compose a retail environment, and a broader shopping environment, include signage (Dennis et al., 2014), exterior appearance (Lange et al., 2016), architecture (Van Oel & den Berkhof, 2013), and accessories (Rosenbaum et al., 2018). ...
Using stakeholder theory, this article introduces a framework to inform decision making with respect to the regulation of on-premise signs. Because signage resides in a broader, shared environment and its regulation largely takes place at the local level of government, it can be considered unique among most other marketing-related communications. On-premise signs are important to individual businesses and the communities in which they are used, but at the same time, they are “out in the world,” cannot be avoided, and may not be relevant to or welcomed by many consumers who are exposed to them. A transformative consumer research lens is applied in this article to arrive at regulatory recommendations that balance the interests of the business with the interests of consumers, the general public, and other stakeholders.
... Empirical evidence suggests that physical signage very much serves the purposes of branding and authenticating the retailer (Rosenbaum et al., 2016). Research supports the inference that on-premise signage and other exterior environmental cues exert cognitive and affective influences on retail consumers' shopping behavior (Bloch & Kamran-Disfani, 2018;Turley & Milliman, 2000;Velasco, 2018). The ambient, design, and social factors that compose a retail environment, and a broader shopping environment, include signage (Dennis et al., 2014), exterior appearance (Lange et al., 2016), architecture (Van Oel & den Berkhof, 2013), and accessories (Rosenbaum et al., 2018). ...
Using stakeholder theory, this article introduces a framework to inform decision making with respect to the regulation of on-premise signs. Because signage resides in a broader, shared environment and its regulation largely takes place at the local
level of government, it can be considered unique among most other marketing-related communications.
On-premise signs are important to individual businesses and the communities in which they are used, but at the same time, they are “out in the world,” cannot be avoided, and may not be relevant to or welcomed by many consumers who are exposed to them. A transformative consumer research lens is applied in this article to arrive at regulatory recommendations that balance the interests of the business with the interests of consumers, the general public, and other stakeholders.
... 3.1 Physical environment and customer emotion Individuals' emotions are significantly influenced by their perceptions of the environment, particularly by elements like sound, scent, and temperature, as indicated by Schreuder et al. (2016) External environmental inputs, as highlighted by Turley and Milliman (2000), shape how individuals feel and behave. This understanding has been a cornerstone in marketing strategies for years, evident in numerous studies examining the interplay between the physical environment and consumers' emotions (Ladhari, 2009;Ali et al., 2016). ...
Purpose
This study examines the impact of physical environmental factors on customer retention in fast-food restaurants/cafeterias. Furthermore, this study examines the mediating effect of customers’ positive emotions on this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
In this study, the stimulus-organism-response model developed by Mehrabian and Russell (1974) is applied within the context of the fast-food restaurant/cafeteria industry. Data were collected from a sample of 250 consumers who have patronized establishments within this industry. The assessment model entailed employing the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) approach, which involved a two-stage procedure: measurement model and structural model evaluation.
Findings
The study’s results underscore the key role of customer positive emotions in influencing customer retention. Notably, physical environmental factors, encompassing elements like table setting, layout, and service staff, emerge as significant determinants in shaping these positive emotions. Furthermore, the findings indicate that these physical environmental factors exert a direct influence on customer retention, with customer positive emotions acting as mediator role in the relationship between these factors and retention.
Originality/value
This study is the first to use physical environment, customer emotions and customer retention variables together in the fast food restaurant/cafeteria industry.
... Researchers have examined various aspects of consumer behavior such as mobile sales (Chen & Yao, 2018), commercial connections (Kudla & Klaas-Wissing, 2012), medical treatment (Suess & Mody, 2018), intent to purchase online (Zhu, Li, Wang, He, & Tian, 2020), traveler visits (Kim, Lee, & Jung, 2020), use of online learning resources (Pandita, Mishra, & Chib, 2021), panic buying behavior (Li, Zhou, Wong, Wang, & Yuen, 2021), desire to buy organic food (Sultan, Wong, & Azam, 2021), and more. Many years ago, researchers devised the S-O-R model to aid in their understanding of consumer behavior (Turley & Milliman, 2000). Researchers have widely used the S-O-R model to analyze customer experiences and behavior (Luqman, Cao, Ali, Masood, & Yu, 2017), but they rarely use it to analyze the frequency of plastic bag usage by consumers. ...
In the present era, plastic bags have emerged as the predominant catalyst for global warming due to their protracted decomposition process. Although it has adverse environmental impacts, it is a frequently used commodity by customers. Furthermore, Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, is steadily increasing the quantity of plastics consumed daily. This study aims to examine consumer attitudes towards anti-plastic bag behavior in Cambodia, considering the significant number of plastic bags used on a daily basis. The study employed seven factors, including environmental knowledge, environmental concern, attitude towards using plastic bags, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, behavioral intention, and anti-plastic bag behavior, to examine consumer behavior about plastic consumption. Furthermore, this study employed quantitative research methodologies, specifically utilizing a cross-sectional study design to gather the data. We conducted this study with a sample size of 206 participants who responded to an online and paper survey. This study's findings suggest that environmental concern, attitude towards using plastic bags, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control influence behavioral intention. However, it is worth noting that there is a negative association between environmental knowledge and behavioral intention. Environmental knowledge, behavioral intention, and perceived behavioral control all have a significant impact on people's behavior in avoiding plastic bags.
... Servicescapes are "consciously designed" to deliver commercial outcomes (Arnould et al., 1998, p. 90). Commercial outcomes can, for instance, range from tangible and intangible influences on consumers or employees in commercial contexts, such as time spent, money spent or other outcomes (Turley & Milliman, 2000). For video games and esports, content is provided on digital platforms (i.e. the servicescape) where the games are located and distributed. ...
... In relation to consumption, contextual primes (e.g., dollar signs versus clouds in the background of an online shop) lead people to prioritize price versus comfort in simulated online purchases of cars and sofas (Mandel and Johnson, 2002), behaviors linked to gain and hedonic goal frames (Lindenberg and Steg, 2007). Multiple studies on consumer behavior have also evaluated the influence of ambient environmental factors such as light, music, scent, color, cleanliness (e.g., Turley and Milliman, 2000;Mari and Poggesi, 2013) on various other outcome variables including purchase intentions, pleasure and willingness to buy, or willingness to pay in physical shops (Baker et al., 1992;Brengman et al., 2012;Doucé et al., 2014;Quartier et al., 2014;Sunaga et al., 2016;Guido et al., 2017;Elmashhara and Soares, 2020;Hwang et al., 2020;Kim and Kim, 2020). ...
Introduction
People as individual consumers are regularly targeted in sustainability campaigns or communications with the hope of enhancing sustainable behavior at an individual level, with subsequent sustainability transformation at a larger societal scale. However, psychological motivation is complex and campaigns need to be based on an understanding for what individual, and contextual, factors support or hinder sustainable behavioral choices.
Methods
In a discrete choice experiment, participants made hypothetical online purchases in each of three rooms designed to evoke associations to hedonic, gain, and normative goal frames. Participants were shown a campaign message intended to prime sustainable textile consumption prior to the purchase. For each product (t-shirt or bananas) hedonic (comfort/look), gain (price), and normative (organic/ fairtrade) attributes were varied in an online choice experiment.
Results
Preferences for the normative attribute of t-shirts increased in the normative room compared to the room with gain associations. No effect of the rooms with hedonic or gain priming was observed on the choice.
Discussion
The study supports the hypothesis that the physical room can enhance goal frame activation and behavioral choice but concludes that such priming effect is sensitive to specificity of the prime.
... Although the importance of online product images is established in previous literature, how the presentation-order of product images (i.e. which information is given to consumers first or last) influence consumers' purchase decisions during online shopping is unclear. Presentation-order of product information, particularly product images, in online retailing has the potential to affect how consumers process product information when shopping, resulting in prompting wants and increasing online purchasing (Turley and Milliman, 2000;Fu and Ren, 2023). Because websites by the nature of their construction are viewed in a preset order, image-presentationorder can be controlled by online retailers and has the potential ultimately to affect website retail purchases. ...
Purpose
This study aims to investigate how image-presentation-order influences mental imagery (MI) processing and purchase intentions. This study also examines the moderating effect of a series of images on the relationship between image-presentation-order and MI processing.
Design/methodology/approach
This research conducted two studies using an experimental approach.
Findings
Two studies showed that MI processing was higher, when an apparel product image worn by a model with a background was shown after rather than before a simple product image (SPI), indicating the recency effect. In contrast, examining a series of images, consumers were more engaged in MI processing, when product image(s) worn by a model with a background were presented first, followed by the four SPIs, than the reversed order (primacy effect). The level of MI in two studies subsequently increased purchase intentions.
Research limitations/implications
Results of this study have the potential to provide guidance to online retailers for how to best order their product images on a website to help consumers form elaborated MI about the product and thus increase purchasing intentions.
Originality/value
Although past research has examined presentation-order effect using textual information, very limited studies have explored presentation-order effect of pictorial information. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is in the forefront of investigations about the joint effect of image-presentation-order and the number of images on individuals’ perceptions.
... Otro de los componentes o herramientas claves identificados por los autores (Dhillon, et al. 2022) para alcanzar al público objetivo del sector de lujo es el marketing experiencial. La experiencia que percibe el usuario se puede definir como una combinación de los recuerdos individuales junto con la percepción del consumidor en torno a un acontecimiento determinado, siendo misión del marketing preparar estos acontecimientos, estableciendo estratégicamente sus características para conseguir evocar las características propias de la marca (Turley & Milliman, 2000). ...
En el sector de lujo las prácticas de marketing son considerablemente diferentes a otros sectores, junto con ello se explora la reputación de marca y como esta afecta a la totalidad de una organización y en especial como mecanismo protector frente a crisis reputacionales.
... The study found that pleasant emotions and higher service quality directly and p ositively influence customers' intentions to revisit. Turley and Milliman (2000) consolidated studies on environmental stimulus factors published from 1964 to 1997, discovering that although there are various methods for measuring and categorizing environmental stimuli in s cenes, nearly every piece pointed out the significant c onnection between scene cues and behavioral intentions. Among these 60 publicly published articles, 28 researched the influence of environmental stimuli on sales volume, purchasing behaviors, and impul se buying. ...
This study aims to investigate the impact of physical and social factors in the servicescape on customer behavior through the mediation of customer territorial perception. Employing a quantitative analysis approach, the research conducted a questionnaire survey on 462 casual dining restaurant consumers in China, using a convenient sampling technique. Statistical tools are used to explore the influence mechanisms of territorial factors in the servicescape on customer behavior through territory perception. The study revealed that both physical and social factors in the servicescape significantly influence customers' territorial perception, subsequently impacting their behavior. By providing a new perspective on service marketing research, this study extends the existing research area and reflects the impact of customer-business and customer-customer interactions on business operations. It also reflects the hot research direction of customer experience in the servicescape. The practical significance of this research is highlighted for casual dining restaurant managers, emphasizing the necessity of comprehensive strategies, including overall planning of the service environment, functional layout design, and social interaction, to effectively manage the customer experience. Using territorial perception in the SOR (Stimulus-Organism-Response) model, this study gives useful information about territorial perception and could have a big effect on the service industry and market research by giving useful information for making the service environment better and customers happier.
This study examines the crucial factors impacting Customer Engagement (CE) in the Saudi Arabian automotive aftersales sector. A cross-sectional research design was used to collect data from 395 customers through stratified sampling techniques. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to analyze the complex relationships among these variables. The findings show that Service Quality (SQ) and Price Perception (PP) significantly improve Customer Experience (CX) and Customer Engagement (CE), with CX mediating these relationships. The model showed a strong fit, demonstrating significant predictive power with R² values of 72.1% for CE and 64.4% for CX. The results emphasize the valuable role of CX in enhancing CE. This research notably contributes to the academic literature by providing empirical evidence on the interconnected effects of SQ and PP on customer interactions. It also offers strategic insights for practitioners aiming to improve service quality and pricing strategies, promoting better experiences and fostering positive engagement.
With the increasing number of traditional fuel vehicle markets, the problems of energy supply and demand and environmental pollution are becoming more and more prominent. Electric vehicles with energy-saving and environmental protection characteristics are not only the breakthrough to solve this series of problems but also the key to the structural transformation of the automobile industry. This study takes the influencing factors of consumers’ purchase of electric vehicles as the research objective, takes quantitative research methods as the main method, and qualitative research methods as the auxiliary method to explore the influencing factors of electric vehicle purchase intention. At the same time, it takes into account the theory of consumers’ purchase decisions, builds an information management system, takes consumers’ purchase intention as the explained variable, and defines independent variables from four dimensions of consumers’ perceived value. It involves performance value, economic value, convenience value, and social value. Then, the research hypothesis is proposed that the four dimensions have a positive impact on consumers’ purchase intention. Then, the author puts forward his opinion on how to obtain the maximum benefit for electric enterprises through information management. This paper finds that the higher the consistency, coherence, and credibility of the policy mix, the higher the consumers’ willingness to adopt electric vehicles, and positively regulates the relationship between perceived behavioral control and consumers’ willingness to adopt electric vehicles. This paper also expounds on the influencing factors of purchase, which will play a positive role in promoting the consumption and development of electric vehicles.
The concept of atmosphere, which refers to the design of the purchasing environment, aims to create certain emotions that increase the consumer's purchase intention. The atmosphere of any business in question can be effective in consumers' restaurant preferences. In order to gain an advantage in a competitive environment, businesses can provide customer satisfaction by conducting studies on the atmosphere. Therefore, controlling consumer behavior has become extremely important. At this point, the concept of behavioral intention formation, which is the output of consumers' purchasing process, emerges. Behavioral intention can be estimated by consumer behavior, consumers' attitudes towards behavior, subjective norms regarding behavior, and perceived control over performing the behavior. Examining the effect of restaurant atmosphere on behavioral intention after purchase is one of the factors of strategic importance for businesses. In this context, the purpose of the research is to reveal the effect of restaurant atmosphere on behavioral intention after purchasing the service. The survey form, which was created as a result of the literature review, was used as the data collection tool in the research. The research population consists of customers of Tourism Operation Certificated Restaurants operating in Ankara. Descriptive statistics CFA (Confirmatory Factor Analysis) and SEM (Structural Equation Model) analyses were used in the evaluation of data and hypotheses. According to the findings obtained as a result of the analysis, all hypotheses created for the restaurant atmosphere dimensions (facility aesthetics, ambiance, lighting, layout and employees/personnel) were supported according to the research results. When the effect coefficients of the sub-dimensions of the restaurant atmosphere scale are examined, it is seen that the highest effect is in the "layout" dimension and the lowest effect is in the "facility aesthetics" dimension. It was determined that the restaurant atmosphere has a significant and positive effect on behavioral intention.
International student presence on U.S. college campuses is increasing. These students face personal and professional challenges navigating higher education when studying abroad. Active recreation participation may lessen these challenges. However, campus recreation participation rates among international students remain low. Researchers applied the servicescape concept in campus recreation to understand its impact on international graduate students’ recreation participation rates, and proposed recommendations for improvement. Adopting a qualitative phenomenological design, researchers conducted semistructured interviews with 10 international graduate students at a major U.S. public institution. Results revealed the presence of social servicescape, student integration into the campus community, cultivation of inclusion, and the importance of professional staff demonstrating intentionality when marketing to international students. Findings highlighted values of improving campus recreation environments to support international students and provided insights to enhance programming efforts. Servicescape influences campus recreation participation, enriches the overall campus experience for international students, and fosters a more inclusive and supportive environment.
This study examines the application of discount strategies to reduce consumer food waste in Indonesia, focusing on the interplay between bundling discounts as short-term interventions and loyalty member discounts as long-term interventions. Indonesia is a country facing serious environmental and economic challenges due to its position among the largest generators of food waste in the world. This research investigates the impact of bundling discounts, moderated by impulsive buying, and loyalty member discounts, moderated by value-seeking behavior, on reducing food waste. In a quantitative approach, SEM was employed, with data sampled through questionnaires distributed across major Indonesian cities renowned for their large restaurant industries, including Bali, Jakarta, Yogyakarta, and Malang. A total of 350 questionnaires distributed resulted in 312 being eligible for further analysis. The findings indicate that bundling discounts have certain positive effects, which are usually weakened by impulsive buying, leading to over-purchasing. However, loyalty member discounts have stronger and more sustainable impacts, mediated by value-seeking behavior that encourages planned and responsible consumption. These findings highlight that tailored discount strategies have a critical role in food waste reduction, while loyalty programs provide an effective framework for sustainability. Insights from this study put restaurant managers and policymakers in a better position to align Indonesia’s discount strategies with its sustainability goals and to advance responsible consumption practices in the restaurant sector.
Despite extensive research on brand gestalt, the influence of DestinationBrand Gestalt (DBG) on Destination Brand Equity (DBE) remains largelyunexplored, highlighting a significant gap in both theory and practice.This study investigates the impact of DBG on five DBE variables: brandassociation, awareness, image, loyalty, and perceived quality, focusing onBali, a globally renowned tourist destination. Survey data collected from305 foreign tourists were analysed using Structural Equation Modeling(SEM) via SmartPLS. The results reveal that DBG significantly enhances allfive DBE variables, offering theoretical insights into the role of holisticbrand perception in shaping brand equity. Practically, these findingsprovide guidance for policymakers in developing initiatives to enhancea destination’s holistic appeal, ultimately strengthening its brand equity.
This research aims to analyze whether sensory stimuli such as words associated with smell, touch, and taste enhance customer engagement. We conducted five A/B experiments to analyze the relationship. Experiment 1 evaluates sensory words related to smell using a handmade soap. Experiments 2 and 3, which were related to touch with two different books, and experiments 4 and 5, which were related to the sense of taste with ice cream and artisan bread. In version A of the experiments, the content integrated sensory words related to smell, touch, and taste. In version B, the content included words related to other characteristics of the product that were not related to sensory aspects. The findings show that sensory words increase customer engagement. Analysis of consumer engagement metrics revealed significant improvements in the percentage of people interacting with contents, for example, with increases ranging from 15.3 to 21.5 points across experiments. These findings underscore the efficacy of sensory words in capturing consumer attention and fostering deeper levels of customer engagement.
This article focuses on the sensory quality of the urban environment under the influence of retail trade. It proposes a rapprochement between the geography of retail trade and research in the field of ambiances and atmospheres, and outlines three resulting research perspectives for the geography of retail trade. The first concerns the material dimension of retail facilities and the contribution of the notion of ambiance to characterising the impact of the material dimension on the qualities of the reception and the uses of public space. The following perspective looks at commercial spaces as objects of ordinary aesthetics. By drawing on the notions of atmosphere and ambiance, it aims to understand how and under what conditions users experience space through aesthetic attention. The third perspective addresses the role of atmospheres in analysing the emergence of a sense of community in commercial spaces.
The objectives of this research are as follows: (i) to study whether the presence of sound stimuli influences customer engagement; (ii) to assess this effect on different dimensions of customer engagement (sensory experience, approach-avoidance response, and emotional response); and (iii) to study whether product type and customer involvement moderate the effect of sound on customer engagement. This research analyzes the effect of two different sound stimuli for two different product types on two digital channels. The experimental design for Study 1 is a 2 sound (sound associated with the product vs. no sound) × 2 product type (hedonic vs. utilitarian) displayed in a social network (Instagram) environment. The experimental design for Study 2 is a 2 sound (voiceover vs. no sound) × 2 product type (hedonic vs. utilitarian) displayed in a blog. Both studies additionally incorporate measured variables, with a particular focus on customer involvement (low and high). A total of 512 participants interacted with a condition and then completed a questionnaire. The presence of sound increases customer engagement in the sensory experience and approaching response. The interaction of sound (voice-over) and the hedonic product positively influences the emotional response, and customer involvement negatively moderates the influence of sound on the sensory experience.
Although the tourism shopping experience is growing in volume and importance, there is a lacuna about how the experiential facets of tourism shopping shape tourists' attitudes and behaviors. Therefore, this study aims to provide a broader understanding of this, by exploring the structural relationships between tourism shopping experiences, tourism shopping value, affective attachment, and behavioral intention. Data were sourced from 500 international tourists who had shopping experiences in Ghana. Results showed that experiential facets of in‐and‐out of store ambience, product, and store policy, all significantly inform hedonic and utilitarian shopping values. Both utilitarian and hedonic values positively influenced affective attachment and behavioral intention. The results of this study have academic and practical implications, as they shed light on understanding the cognition‐affect‐behavior relationships in a tourism shopping context.
The retail industries strive to enhance the willingness to buy through various elements, such as store environment, layout, and advertising. Speech is one of the most effective methods used in advertising, particularly in broadcast advertising. Our previous study indicated that the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) theory, using emotional states, can partially explain the effect of advertising speech on the willingness to buy. It suggests that emotional states alone are not sufficient to explain this effect. In this study, we conducted an experiment to determine whether adding semantic primitives to the emotion-mediated SOR model could completely mediate the impact of advertising speech on the willingness to buy. During the study, participants listened to speech with modified features (mean fundamental frequency (F0), speech rate, or standard deviation of F0) and rated their willingness to buy the advertised products, as well as their own emotions and semantic primitives. We found that adding semantic primitives as a mediator can completely mediate the willingness to buy from the standard deviation of F0 in the advertising speech. These results will be useful for developing speech synthesis methods aimed at increasing people’s willingness to buy.
Understanding the movements of crowds offers more and more opportunities in the field of architecture, in both active and passive methods of implementation.
The study briefly describes crowd dynamics, the new field of research as well as the levels of investigation of human mass movements. Due to its expected large-scale spread, it particularly describes the need for and the possibilities of individual human body motion detection in retail facilities while emphasizing the architectural aspects of the rise of innovative commercial facilities. It details and compares the operational processes of modern-day queue-free “convenience” stores, Amazon Go with JWO technology, and Żabka Nano units operating according to AiFi, highlighting their architectural features.
Customer relationship maintenance practice plays a pivotal role in determining an enterprise's success and serves as a significant competitive advantage. Despite the extensive research on customer relationship management, there has been limited exploration integrating both customer and enterprise perspectives to understand their relationship. Customer relationship management practice fosters a dynamic emotional connection between customers and enterprises. This study employs the stimulus–organism–response theory to construct a comprehensive research framework for responsible consumption and production. This research broadens the scope of responsible consumption and production issues by conducting two studies at different time points. It delves into the origins and outcomes of customer relationship management practices, examining both customer and business viewpoints. The findings hold substantial theoretical and practical implications for Sustainable Development Goal 12 policies and strategies related to responsible consumption and production. It underscores the significance of customer relationship management practices involving both “push” (strategies initiated by enterprises) and “pull” (methods employed to attract customers) dynamics.
Günümüzde müşterilerin davranışlarını etkileyen çok farklı değişkenler söz konusudur. Özellikle müşterilerin örgütsel süreç ve durumlara katkı verme istekliliği ve beklentisi, müşteri vatandaşlık davranışı ve müşteri katılımı gibi davranışları ön plana çıkarmaktadır. Söz konusu bu ilişkinin müşterilerin hizmet aldığı örgütün sağladığı hizmet ortamından etkilenmesi de ayrıca önem kazanmaktadır. Bu kapsamda çalışmanın temel amacı hizmet ortamının müşteri vatandaşlık davranışı üzerindeki etkisinde müşteri katılımının aracılık rolü olup olmadığını araştırmaktır. Çalışmada veri toplama yöntemi olarak nicel araştırma yöntemlerinden olan anket tekniği tercih edilmiştir. Bu kapsamda araştırma değişkenlerine yönelik üç farklı ölçekten yararlanılmıştır. Araştırma verileri Starbucks işletmesini tercih eden 277 üzerinden kolayda örnekleme yöntemi ile toplanmıştır. Elde edilen verilerin yapısal eşitlik modellemesi ile analiz edilmesi sonucunda hizmet ortamının müşteri vatandaşlık davranışını anlamlı; hizmet ortamının müşteri katılımını anlamlı; müşteri katılımının müşteri vatandaşlık davranışını anlamlı olarak etkilediği saptanmıştır. Diğer taraftan araştırmanın temel amacına yönelik yapılan yapısal eşitlik modellemesi sonucunda müşteri katılımının hizmet ortamının müşteri vatandaşlık davranışı üzerindeki etkisinde bir aracılık rolü olmadığı belirlenmiştir. Elde edilen sonuçlara yönelik araştırma sonuçları tartışılmış ve bu kapsamda gelecek araştırmalar için öneriler çalışmanın son kısmında sunulmuştur.
The present study aims to examine the relationships between physical and social servicescape elements with inhouse dining behaviour by applying the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) framework to overcome the challenges that arose due to the breakout of COVID-19. Smart PLS software 3.3.7 has been used to conduct statistical analysis to establish the constructs' reliability and validity and test the developed hypotheses. The study confirms the fitness of the S-O-R framework in predicting in-house dining behaviour in light of COVID-19. The diners should be communicated about the hygiene standards followed during the operation cycle, and a separate zone could be created for people who are more concerned about the health risks. The restaurants cannot afford to compromise with the ambient condition, signs, symbols and artefacts, spatial layout and functionality, perceived similarities and behaviour of other customers, and physical appearance and behaviour of the employees. These components act as stimuli to develop learning and mood, leading to in-house dining.
Several studies examining the impact of illumination on behavior are reviewed in this article. Hypotheses are derived regarding the impact of in-store lighting on various aspects of shopping behavior. As part of a field experiment in a large US city, the lighting (soft versus bright) in a centrally located retail establishment was varied over a two month period. The results of an anova indicated that brighter lighting influenced shoppers to examine and handle more merchandise, though sales were not influenced. These findings are discussed in terms of their implications for creating a functional store environment as well as an appropriate store image.
Describes an experiment conducted comparing the effects of
background and foreground music on clothing store shoppers. Concludes
that choosing to play store music solely to satisfy customers'
preferences may not be the optimal approach; instead music should be
varied across areas of a store that appeal to different-aged customers.
Major service businesses are beginning to resemble regional or national product brands. Packaging will thus become a more crucial aspect of the service mix. Unlike products, however, the actual service rendered is intangible; its attributes are embodied in the person delivering the service. This person is the focal point which must be correctly packaged. This paper proposes that the symbolic power of service apparel should be harnessed in such packaging strategies. The adoption of appropriate service apparel functions to increase the consumer's preference for the service brand, bolsters employee morale by facilitating group cohesion, and serves as a vehicle for brand positioning and promotional strategies.
Perceived retail crowding was originally conceptualized as having two dimensions, but subsequent empirical work in marketing has treated the construct unidimensionally. This paper reports a series of lab and field studies that examine the dimensionality of the construct and its relationship to store satisfaction. Two alternative crowding measures are tested. Results suggest that perceived retail crowding has distinct human and spatial dimensions that affect satisfaction differently.
The study reported here examines how combinations of specific elements in the retail store environment influence consumers’
inferences about merchandise and service quality and discusses the extent to which these inferences mediate the influence
of the store environment on store image. Results show that ambient and social elements in the store environment provide cues
that consumers use for their quality inferences. In addition, store environment, merchandise quality, and service quality
were posited to be antecedents of store image—with the latter two serving as mediators—rather than components of store image
(as they are typically treated in the store image literature). Theoretical and managerial implications of the findings are
discussed, and future research directions are proposed.
This study extends the Donovan and Rossiter (1982) study which introduced the Mehrabian-Russell (M-R) environmental psychology model into the store atmosphere literature. Donovan and Rossiter's study was exploratory in that student subjects were used and intentions rather than shopping behavior were measured. The present study uses a broader sample of shoppers, measures emotions during the shopping experience rather than before or after, and records the effects on actual shopping behavior. The 1982 study found that experienced pleasantness of the in-store environment was a significant predictor of willingness to spend time in the store and intentions to spend more money than originally planned. This finding was extended behaviorally in the new study: pleasure, as rated five minutes into the shopping duration was a significant predictor of extra time spent in the store and actual incremental spending. Arousal was found to vary in its effects across the two studies and bears further investigation. The effects of the emotional factors of pleasure and arousal were shown to be additional to cognitive factors such as variety and quality of merchandise, price specialing and value for money. The practical significance for retailers is that emotional responses induced by the store environment can affect the time and money that consumers spend in the store.
This paper suggests that explicit recognition of situational variables can substantially enhance the ability to explain and understand consumer behavioral acts. A definition and description of situations is offered, existing research is summarized, and implications for consumer research are considered.
Theories of schematic, or representational, thinking posit that schema congruity and incongruity direct people's evaluative, inferential, and action processes. However, to date research has not provided a test of schema (in)congruity theory for important environmental cues, such as the effect of retail store environment on brand judgments. Within the framework of schema (in)congruity, this paper tests the effects of retail store environment on brand judgments. Empirical evidence in support of the congruity theory, theoretical implications of the findings, and directions for future research are provided.
By use of path analysis on data from 600 shoppers, the authors explore the sequential relationships among several variables pertinent to retail crowding. Results furnish evidence that perceived crowding systematically affects shopping behavior and consumers' feelings about retail outlets and shopping trips.
Retail price, newspaper advertising, display space, and display location quality were tested at two levels for selected fruits and vegetables according to a fractional factorial research design in four large supermarkets. The resulting impact on rates of sale was analyzed for four classes of items; hard fruit, cooking vegetables, salad vegetables, and soft fruit.
This paper critically reviews the literature available and presents an empirical study that examines the effects of background music on in-store shopping behavior. It finds that music tempo variations can significantly affect the pace of in-store traffic flow and dollar sales volume.
A factorial experiment measures the impact of in-store displays on sales for different product characteristics. Variables related to growth or competitive structure are found significant, while market share of the test item in the product category, level of price cut, and advertising to sales ratio have no effect on the impact of display.
The authors report a cross-sectional analysis of the effects of shelf position and space on sales for a frequently purchased, branded grocery product. As is the case in most cross-sectional studies of the effects of shelf policy variables, they are apt to be confounded with store, container size and brand differences in sales. This investigation illustrates the use of several procedures for mitigating the effects of these confounding variables.
The authors examine the relative importance of temporary price reductions, display alternatives, and newspaper advertising to unit sales of supermarket products. The research was conducted as an in-store pricing experiment characterized by a factorial design.
This study tested the effects of red and blue in a shopping-related context. Red and blue were selected because of their opposite color properties. Prior color research has shown that red is perceived as negative and tense as well as physically arousing. Blue, on the other hand, has been identified as calm, cool, and positive. Two laboratory experiments were conducted. In both experiments, retail environments were simulated using predominately red or blue colors. Both experiments corroborate the differential effects of red and blue that prior research suggested. Specifically, more positive retail outcomes occurred in blue rather than red environments. More simulated purchases, fewer purchase postponements, and a stronger inclination to shop and browse were found in blue retail environments. The second experiment helps to identify a plausible explanation to color effects. The results indicate that the affective perception of color rather than the arousal dimension of color may be responsible for the outcome. The positive effects of blue and the negative perception of red may have influenced the results. © 1992 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
This article tests the hypotheses that food product sales are responsive to changes in shelf space and that "impulse" items are relatively more responsive than staples.
A great deal of research has examined the impact that tangible cues can play in influencing patients' satisfaction with their physician. Because most people are not able to assess the technical expertise of their doctor, they often rely on tangible "surrogates" as standards of assessment for what is essentially an intangible product. While the research to date has helped us better understand the nature of this problem, it has often been characterized by some important design flaws. This paper reports on the results of a recent study that assessed patient satsifaction with a physician through the tangible cue of physical (office) surroundings. We sampled two sets of patients: one set prior to the doctor's move to newer facilities and the other after the relocation. Our findings offer mixed support for the hypothesis that physical cues influence attitudes toward and satisfaction with the medical care we receive.
In studying the impact of shelf space changes on unit sales, space elasticity was hypothesized to be a function of several product-specific variables, including physical properties, merchandising characteristics, and use characteristics. The model was tested using stepwise multiple regression, and it was found that the impact of shelf space on unit sales was very small relative to the effects of other variables.
The influence of shelf space upon sales of branded products is tested in a randomized block field experiment. Sales of two brands of salt and powdered coffee cream are measured. Managerial implications using opportunity cost indicate that retailers might limit shelf allocations for a number of brands to some minimal level.
This paper will critically review the limited literature available on the topic and present an empirical study that examines the effect of background music on the behavior of restaurant customers. It was found that music tempo variations can significantly affect purchases, length of stay, and other variables examined.
Conceptual models and empirical studies of the relationship of shelf space allocation to unit sales are reviewed in this article. This knowledge is organized to support specific recommendations for the practical management of shelf space for profit maximization.
Sales-to-shelf facing relationships for three drug store products were proven significant in eight chain drug stores over a period of nine to sixteen weeks. Courses of action for the manufacturer and the retailer are defined by the significance of the relationship.
The effect of music-induced pleasure and arousal on consumers' desire to affiliate in buyer-seller interactions were investigated in the context of bank services. Background music was manipulated using classical music extracts pretested to vary in pleasure (low, moderate, and high) and arousal (low, moderate, and high) according to the Affect Grid (Russell, Weiss, & Mendelsohn, 1989). Independent and interactive effects of music-induced pleasure and arousal on consumers' desire to affiliate were found. Higher desire to affiliate was associated with more pleasure and more arousal; pleasure had a stronger positive impact under low and high arousal than under a moderate level, and arousal had a stronger effect under low and high pleasure compared to moderate level. Theoretical and practical implications of the results are provided. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
For consumers, evaluation of a service firm often depends on evaluation of the "service encounter" or the period of time when the customer interacts directly with the firm. Knowledge of the factors that influence customer evaluations in service encounters is therefore critical, particularly at a time when general perceptions of service quality are declining. The author presents a model for understanding service encounter evaluation that synthesizes consumer satisfaction, services marketing, and attribution theories. A portion of the model is tested experimentally to assess the effects of physical surroundings and employee responses (explanations and offers to compensate) on attributions and satisfaction in a service failure context.
Reports the findings of a controlled field study examining the effects of background music on shopping behavior in a traditional service environment: a supermarket. Finds that musical preference influenced both the amount of time and money shoppers spent in the service environment, although musical tempo and volume had no observable effects. Provides additional insight into the effects of background music on shopping behavior as well as some important considerations for the design of retail and service environments and ambience.
Services marketing research has largely focussed on measuring service
quality and satisfaction associated with the primary service itself,
with little attention given to the effect of the physical surroundings
of the service setting. Leisure services in particular, may be concerned
with how consumers perceive the quality of the “servicescape” and what
effect the servicescape has on customer satisfaction and repatronage.
Investigates these effects, as well as the interactions of perceived
crowding, excitement and enduring involvement associated with the
leisure service. Results indicate that servicescape quality does play an
important role in determining customer affective and behavioural
response to the service.
Aims to examine the relationship between the merchandising strategies employed in the configuration of a power aisle and consumers’ price perceptions of those products within a warehouse grocery store setting. The results suggest that a power aisle comprising a smaller number of stock-keeping units (SKUs) and a correspondingly greater quantity of each item will convey a lower price image than will a power aisle comprising a greater number of SKUs and a correspondingly smaller quantity of each item. Evidence that the merchandising policies used in the power aisle of a warehouse grocery store have the ability to affect consumers’ perceptions of those prices, therefore, was observed.
Introduces a method for measuring the prototypicality of retail environments and explores the relationship between environmental prototypicality, affect, and market share. The relative influence of the external physical environment and the internal physical environment of retail stores on the store's overall perceived prototypicality, and the prototypicality–attitude relationship, are examined. 86 undergraduates attended 3 of 15 restaurants in groups of 14–29 under the guise of determining nutritional value of foods served. On completion of site visits, Ss completed measures regarding the restaurants, including family resemblance, interior environment, and typicality. Customers' perceptions of the prototypicality of fast food restaurants, and their attitude toward such restaurants, appear to be influenced by environmental cues. External environmental attributes seem to be more important. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Surveyed a sample of 190 dental patients (aged 31–40 yrs) who visited a dental office for treatment over a 2-mo period with regard to their opinions about the office atmosphere. In order of importance, Ss were affected by (1) how well the office was organized, (2) whether the examination rooms were well equipped, (3) whether the office furniture was comfortable, and (4) whether the dentist was a member of a group practice. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Examined the association between the in-store marketing environment and characteristics of the purchase behavior of 597 purchasers of regular ground coffee over 2 yrs in 2 communities. Data were collected, using in-store unit product code scanners. After the 1st yr of data collection, a new brand was introduced in both communities. Ss exposed to different environments exhibited significant differences in their brand loyalty, promotion sensitivity, price sensitivity, and response to new brands. These differences in behavior were related to environmental attributes such as width of product assortment and promotional activity. Implications for pricing strategy are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Research has shown that consumers like large quantities of product information and believe that it helps them to make better purchase decisions. In light of this finding, it is quite possible that consumers might make brand choice decisions based on the amount of information provided. In cases where brands differ in amount of information, consumers may choose those brands that provide the most information. This article reports the results of exploratory research designed to examine this question as well as the effects of two information display types on brand choice in situations of varying information quantity. The findings revealed evidence to support the hypothesized consumer preference for high-information brands over low-information brands. The magnitude of the effect was also found to differ by type of information display.
Studies have shown that ambient aromas impact on consumers' behavior. To further investigate such effects, for one weekend, two slot-machine areas in a Las Vegas casino were odorized, each with a different aroma. A third slot-machine area served as an unodorized control. The amounts of money gambled in slot machines located in the three areas were measured and compared for the weekend of the odorization and for the weekends before and after as well, to control for extraneous variables. Our data show that the amount of money gambled in the slot machines surrounding Odorant No. 1 during the experimental weekend was greater than the amount gambled in the same area during the weekends before and after the experiment by an average of 45.11% (p = < 0.0001). Further, the amount of the increase appeared greater on Saturday when the concentration of odorant was higher: mean increase on Saturday was 53.42% (p = < 0.0001) versus mean increase on Sunday of 33.66% (p = < 0.003). The amounts of money gambled in the slot machines surrounding Odorant No. 2 and in the control area did not change significantly compared to the previous weekend and the weekend following the experiment. The likely mechanism of action of the effective odorant and the implications of these results are discussed. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Prior research has typically grouped color effects into a single class of effects and has ignored situational aspects of consumer responses to color. In the present study, color effects are shown to exhibit different patterns depending on the type of response examined. Further, these effects are described as a function of color wavelength. Evaluative effects are most positive at the short wavelength (blue) end of the visible spectrum, while the activation response engendered by color exhibits a U-shaped pattern across wavelengths. Results of the study support the existence of these two distinct dimensions, and potential applications of the findings are discussed.
Atmospheric responsiveness is the tendency to base patronage decisions on stores' physical design and condition and alter shopping behavior because of crowding. This study examines the relation between responsiveness and environmental dispositions. Findings suggest atmospheric responsiveness is related to dispositions reflecting customers' openness to environmental experience, stimulation, and distraction, urban and pastoral preferences, and adaptiveness to physical circumstances.
This article examines the effects of music on consumers' reactions to waiting for services. An experimental study was conducted to test three different constructs—perceived wait duration, emotional evaluation of the service environment and emotional response to the wait—as mediators between music and behavioral response to the service organization. Results of the study showed that, regardless of its valence, music ameliorates emotional evaluation of the service environment which in turn positively affects approach behavior towards the service organization. Furthermore, positively valenced music triggers a more positive emotional response to the wait and a stronger approach behavior towards the service organization than negatively valenced music. Although positively valenced music also increases perceived wait duration, the latter does not have a significant effect on consumers' behavioral response to the service organization.
In the study of consumers' evaluation of the service setting, laboratory experiments using environmental simulations provide researchers with a level of control that can otherwise be difficult to achieve in field studies. This article demonstrates that photographic slides and videotapes, used as environmental simulations in testing a theory of crowding, have ecological validity. The same theoretical model is tested with data obtained from a field quasi-experimental study and with data from a laboratory study that used photographic slides and videotapes to simulate the service setting. Conditions that may constrain the applications of various kinds of environmental simulations in consumer research on services are also discussed. Copyright 1992 by the University of Chicago.