The importance of the shopping experience in times of recession: an analysis from the perspective of the hedonic and utilitarian shopping values

Abstract

The textile industry has been one of the most resilient in the current economic recession with positive overall results in the sector although there was a contraction of the online sales last year in Spain. Precisely e-commerce is expected to be an important source of growth in the sector in the upcoming years so it seems necessary to determine the influence of the recession on consumers' shopping behaviour. To address this objective a quantitative approach has been taken through the application of a questionnaire to 1522 people in Spain to determine first, how consumers´shoppingconsumers´shopping experiences relate to their income level and secondly, what motivates consumers to use different channels and their intentions to use them based on their working situation. The results establish the need of creating a superior shopping experience in bricks-and-mortar stores and online channel and to promote the use of e-commerce by fashion retailers. The theoretical framework of hedonic and utilitarian shopping values is applied to measure consumers' shopping experiences and shopping motivations in a multichannel retail environment, in the textile sector, in Spain.