MEASURING EMOTIONAL RESPONSE FROM THE MALL EXPERIENCES: A CASE OF TIER II AND III CITY MALLS IN INDIA

Abstract

A mall has a holistic solution for a variety of consumer needs. Malls have aggressively spread in small cities too. The presence of malls in tier II & III cities of India may have provided diversified experiences of mall culture to its residents. Malls offer an abundance of retail offerings with entertainment and leisure. Previous studies focused upon metro city malls and provided results towards mall attributes, consumer experiences, evoked emotional responses, and patronage intentions. Hence, it is indeed necessary to examine the behavioral aspects associated with visitors of small (non-metro/tier II & III) city malls to assess the change in consumption patterns of small city consumers. The present study attempts to investigate linkages among mall attractive dimensions, visitors’ experiences, and visitors’ emotions. A sample size of 613 (from malls of tier II & III cities, India) was analyzed using SEM through SmartPLS 3. Finding suggests significant relationships with few exceptions. Responders’ emotions (pleasure and arousal) are predicted when they are interacted with mall attractive dimensions due to experiences. The results may benefit mall management, mall tenants, consumers, and society at large.