The Effects of Store Environment on Shopping Behavior: New Insights Through the Concepts of Perceived Control and Motivational Orientations

Abstract

The shopping behavior literature has not, for the most part, integrated perception of control into the store environment evaluation process. Yet a comprehensive understanding of consumer behavior in the retail environment can best be attained by including both consumer's perception of control and motivational orientation. We propose that negative effects of arousal-inducing store environments are occurring for consumers with utilitarian motivations because such environments prevent those specific consumers from controlling their shopping experience, inducing negatives responses. Using surveys, the authors collected data from a sample of real consumers (n=205) and conducted a field study in Europe that gave support to our framework.