I Feel Good: The Impact of Atmospherics General Interior Variables on Shopper Behavior: An Abstract

Abstract

The retail atmosphere is one of the most active areas of retailing studies (Applebaum 1951; Cox 1964; Cox 1970; Curhan 1972; Frank and Massy 1970; Granbois 1968; Kotler 1973; Kotzan and Evanson 1969; Smith and Curnow 1966). This area of studies has grown in the retailing literature encompassing all the environmental cues that surround shoppers and influence their behavior. However, studies undertaking a comprehensive approach of shopping atmosphere factors are lacking. This research uses the atmospherics’ classification provided by Turley and Milliman (2000), the general interior variables (GIV). This framework encompasses an extensive list of atmospherics including flooring and carpeting, color schemes, lighting, music, temperature, etc. This research empirically examines the effect of the Shopping Mall’s GIV on shopper’s emotions and behaviors. For this purpose, a convenience sample of mall shoppers was investigated. Data has been analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to test the proposed research model. The results indicate several direct relations between color schemes, mall lighting, scent and temperature, on one side, and shopper satisfaction and the desire to stay at the mall, on the other. When considering the mediating role of emotional states, pleasure and arousal mediate the impact of many relations between different variables and shopper satisfaction and desire to stay. Specifically, pleasure mediates the impact of flooring and carpeting, color, music, and physical characteristics and both outcomes, Arousal mediates only the relationship between color, music, and the desire to stay at the mall. The mediation of dominance is not supported. In addition to contributing to studies using the S-O-R model, and extending the atmospherics macro level literature, the current study demonstrates how different combinations of variables influence consumer emotions and shopper behavior. Moreover, the study adds to research about the effect of general interior variables on satisfaction and desire to stay at the mall while considering the mediating role of shopper’s emotional states. Furthermore, the study provides several managerial implications; although retailers are already aware of the importance of atmospherics, this study stresses the importance of considering all the variables surrounding shoppers during their shopping visit and sheds light on how atmospherics influence consumers. Importantly, the current study demonstrates how different formulas of variables aligned with each other to influence different outcomes.