Influence of environmental stimulation on impulse purchases in shopping malls

Abstract

Impulse purchases play a vital role in the sales revenue of shopping malls. This study utilized the Stimulus-Organism-Response framework to explore how shopping mall atmosphere stimulates consumer emotions, thereby impacting impulse purchase behavior. Structural equation modeling was employed for data analysis. The findings revealed that both positive and negative emotions can act as mediators in the process of forming impulse purchase behavior, albeit with distinct and sometimes antagonistic effects. This phenomenon is attributed to the differential impact of the service atmosphere on stimulating consumer emotions. Additionally, the study identified that only positive emotions can serve as mediators between spatial atmosphere and impulse purchases. In essence, stimuli in the shopping environment can influence consumer emotional responses, thereby prompting impulse purchase behavior.