Asian Journal of Home Science

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Effect of Store Atmospherics on Customer Buying Behaviour


Affiliations
1 Department of Anthropology, Punjab University, Chandigarh (U.T.), India
2 Department of Fashion Technology, Punjab University, Chandigarh (U.T.), India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


The present study investigated the design of an environment via visual communications, lighting, colours, music and scent to stimulate customers' perceptual and emotional response and ultimately affect their purchase behaviour. For the present research work purposive sampling, Interview schedule and convenient sampling methods were used to carry out the research work. The sample size consisted of 140 research scholars from faculty of arts and Sciences of Punjab University, Chandigarh. The major findings showed that store atmospherics bring a psychological feeling in the mind of customers who enters the store. The sight, sound, smell, displays, colour, mannequins in a retail store all contribute to customer perceptions. Almost all the customers get motivated by elegant store fronts, fantasy windows, mannequins, posters which influence their buying behaviour. It was further found out that store atmospherics emphasize on combining visual and other sensory elements that capture customer attention who enter the retail stores, awaken their senses through music, scent, and provides the customer a wonderful buying experience. Different types of displays attract, compel and persuade customer's senses, striking the right chord in him and arising in them an emotion to possess the product in display, thus persuade them to make an impulse purchase.

Keywords

Store Atmospherics, Windows, Displays, Customer Senses and Mannequins.
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size


  • Baker, J. (1986). The role of the environment in marketing services: the con- sumer perspective. In Czepeil, J. A., C. A. Congram, and, J. Shanahan. (Eds.), The Services Challenge: Integrating for Competitive Advantage. Chicago, IL: American Marketing Association. 79–84

  • Baron, R.A. and Bronfen, M.I. (1994). A whiff of reality : empirical evidence concerning the effect of pleasant fragnances on work related behavior. J. Appl. Soc. Psychol., 24(13) : 1179–1203

  • Bell Judy, A. and Kate Ternus (2012). (4th edition). Silent selling: best practices and effective strategies in visual merchandising. Fair Child Book Publications, New York (U.S.A.).

  • Bellizzi, J.A., Crowley, A.E. and Hasty, R.W. (1983). The effects of colour in store design. J. Retailing, 59 : 21–45.

  • Berman, B. and Joel, R. Evans (2007). Retail Management: A Strategic Approach. Macmillan Publishing Co., New York (U.S.A.).

  • Berman, Barry and Joel, R. Evans (2009). Retail Management: A Strategic Approach. Macmillan Publishing Co, New York (U.S.A.).

  • Bhalla, Swati and Anurag, S. (2012). Visual Merchandising. Tata Mc Graw Education Private Limited, New Delhi (INDIA).

  • Bone, P.F. and Jantrania, S. (1992). Olfaction as a cue for product quality. Marketing Letters, 3(3) : 289-296.

  • Bruner, G.C. (1990). Music, Mood and Marketing. J. Mktg., 54 (4) : 94-104.

  • Clynes, M. (1977). Sentics : The touch of emotions anchor. New York (U.S.A.).

  • Crosby, L.A. and Cowles, D. (1986). A role consensus model of satisfaction with service interaction experiences. Creativity in Services Marketing: What’s New, What Works, What’s Developing, Proceedings Series. Chicago, IL: American Marketing Association. 40–43

  • Darden, W.R., and Babin, B.J. (1994). Exploring the concept of affective quality: expanding the concept of retail personality. J. Business Res., 29 : 101–109.

  • Darden, W. R., Erdem, O. and Darden, D.K. (1983). A comparison and test of three causal models of patronage intentions. In Darden, W. R. and R. F. Lusch (Eds.).Patronage Behaviour and Retail Management. New York: North- Holland. 29–43.

  • Davidson, W.R., Sweeney, D.J. and Stamp, R.W. (1988). Retailing Management. John Wiley.

  • Diamond, E. and Diamond, Jay (2007). (4th Ed.). Contemporary visual merchandising. Prentice Hall. Upper Saddler River, NJ.

  • Diamond, Jay and Sherilitt (2003). Retailing in the New Millenium. Fairchild, New York (U.S.A.).

  • Gerad, R.M. (1957). Differential effects of colored light on psychophysiological functions. Doctoral Dissertation. University of California.

  • Gnanaolivu, S. (2013). Visual merchandising and retail design, 9 (1) : 46-47.

  • Gobe, M. (1990). Visceral Merchandising. Visual Merchandising & Store Design, 121: 16-18.

  • Harris, K., Baron, S. and Ratcliffe, J. (1995). Customers as oral participants in a service setting. J. Services Mktg., 9 (4). 64–76.

  • Hasty, R. and Reardon, J. (1997). Retail management, Mcgraw Hill, New York, U.S.A.

  • Hirsch, A.R. (1990). Preliminary results of olfaction Nike study, smell and taste treatment and research foundation ltd. Chicago.

  • Kotler, P., Swee Hoon Ang, Siew Meng Leong and Chin Tiong Tan (1996). Marketing Management: An Asian Perspective. Prentice Hall.

  • Levy, Michael, Barton A. Weitz and Arjun Pandit (2008). Retail Management. Tata Mc Graw Education Private Limited, New Delhi (INDIA).

  • Liard, D.E. (1932). How consumers estimate quality by subconscious sensory impressions: with special reference to the role of smell. J. Appl. Psychol., 16 : 241-246.

  • Liaw, G.F. (2007). The influence of Multiple Store Environment cues on shopping mood and Patronage satisfaction.Global Conference on Business & Economics, 7:116.

  • Livingstone, N.S. (1997). Service tips included. Fw, May/June. 56–57

  • Lopez, M. (1995). Retail Store Planning and Design Manual. New York: Wiley.

  • Lovelock, C.H. (1991). Service Marketing. Prentice Hall.

  • Matilla, A.S. and Wirtz, J. (2001). Congruency of scent and music as a driver of in-store evaluations and behaviour. J. Retailing, 77 (2) : 273-289.

  • Marans, R.W. and Spreckelmeyer, K.F. (1982). Measuring overall architectural quality. Environ. & Behaviour, 14 : 652– 670.

  • McGrath, M.A. and Otnes, C. (1995). Unacquainted influencers : When strangers interact in the retail setting. J. Business Res., 32 : 261-27.

  • Meer, J. (1985). The light touch. Psychol. Today, 19: 60–67.

  • Mehrabian, A. and Russell, J.A. (1974). An Approach to Environmental Psychology. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.

  • Milliman, R.E. (1982). Using background music to affect the behaviour of supermarket shoppers. J. Mktg., 46 : 86–91.

  • Miller, C. (1991). Research reveals how marketers can win by a nose. Marketing News, 25 : 1-2.

  • Quartier, Katelijn. Henri Christiaans and Koenraad. Van Cleempoel (2008). Retail design : Lighting as an atmospheric tool, creating experiences which influence consumers’ mood and behaviour in commercial spaces. In Undisciplined Design Research Society Conference 2008, Sheffield Hallam University, Sheffield, UK, 16-19 July 2008

  • Rea, M. (Ed.). (1993).(8th edition). Lighting Handbook Reference and Application. New York: Illuminating Engineering Society of North America.

  • Schneiderman, I.P. (1997). New retailers’ old tricks. Women’s Wear Daily, 9 September, 10

  • Spangenberg, Eric A., Ayn E. Crowley, and Pamela, W.

  • Henderson (1996). Improving the store environment: Do olfactory cues affect evaluations and behaviors? J. Marketing, 60 (2) : 67-80.

  • Spears and Gregoire (2004). Pearson education, Inc. Upper Saddle river. New Jersey.

  • Summers, T.A. and Hebert, P.R. (2001). Shedding some light on store atmospherics: Influence of illumination on consumer behavior. J. Business Res., 54 (2) : 145-150.

  • Swanson, Kristan K. and Judith, C. Everette (2000). Promotion in the merchandising enviroment. New York : Fairchild.

  • Sweeney, J.C. and Wyber, F. (2002). The role of cognitions and emotions in the music- approach-avoidance behavior relationship. J. Service Mktg., 16(1) : 51-69.

  • Ti, C. (2009). The Effects of Window Display Setting and Background Music on Consumers’ Mental Imagery, Arousal Response, Attitude, and Approach-Avoidance Behaviors. Dissertation. Oregon state University.

  • Underhill, P. (1999). Why we buy, the science of shopping. Newyork: Simon and Schuster Publication.255-256

  • Ward, L.M. and Russell , J.A. (1981). Cognitive set and the perception of place. Environ. & Behaviour, 13 : 610–632

  • Wilson, Glenn D. (1966). Arousal properties of red versus green. Perceptual & Motor Skills, 23 (3) : 947-949.

  • Wineman, J.D. (1982). Office design and evaluation: an overview. Environ. & Behaviour, 14 :271–298.

  • Yalch, R.F. and Eric, R. Spangenberg (1990). Effects of store music on shopping behavior. J. Consumer Marketing, 7 : 5563.

  • Clark, D. (2007). Visual Merchandising and Store Design, retrieved from http://vmsd.com/content/seibu-jakartaindonesia0.

  • Dawes, C. (2008). Visual Merchandiser, retrieved from http:/ /www.sunburysc.vic.edu.au/pdfs/newsletters/September2008. pdf,


Abstract Views: 405

PDF Views: 1




  • Effect of Store Atmospherics on Customer Buying Behaviour

Abstract Views: 405  |  PDF Views: 1

Authors

Ramandeep Bawa
Department of Anthropology, Punjab University, Chandigarh (U.T.), India
A. K. Sinha
Department of Anthropology, Punjab University, Chandigarh (U.T.), India
Rita Kant
Department of Fashion Technology, Punjab University, Chandigarh (U.T.), India

Abstract


The present study investigated the design of an environment via visual communications, lighting, colours, music and scent to stimulate customers' perceptual and emotional response and ultimately affect their purchase behaviour. For the present research work purposive sampling, Interview schedule and convenient sampling methods were used to carry out the research work. The sample size consisted of 140 research scholars from faculty of arts and Sciences of Punjab University, Chandigarh. The major findings showed that store atmospherics bring a psychological feeling in the mind of customers who enters the store. The sight, sound, smell, displays, colour, mannequins in a retail store all contribute to customer perceptions. Almost all the customers get motivated by elegant store fronts, fantasy windows, mannequins, posters which influence their buying behaviour. It was further found out that store atmospherics emphasize on combining visual and other sensory elements that capture customer attention who enter the retail stores, awaken their senses through music, scent, and provides the customer a wonderful buying experience. Different types of displays attract, compel and persuade customer's senses, striking the right chord in him and arising in them an emotion to possess the product in display, thus persuade them to make an impulse purchase.

Keywords


Store Atmospherics, Windows, Displays, Customer Senses and Mannequins.

References