TY - JOUR
T1 - On Store Design and Consumer Motivation
T2 - Spatial Control and Arousal in the Retail Context
AU - Van Rompay, Thomas J L
AU - Tanja-Dijkstra, Karin
AU - Verhoeven, Joost W M
AU - van Es, Annemiek F.
PY - 2012/11
Y1 - 2012/11
N2 - Research testifies to the influence of environmental factors in shopping environments. However, few studies examine effects of store design in interaction with shoppers' motivations. The authors propose that task-oriented shoppers prefer stores that are spacious, whereas recreational shoppers enjoy and prefer the arousing properties of color. To provide controlled tests of these hypotheses, we created visual simulations of stores that varied by color (arousing red vs. less arousing blue) and layout (spacious vs. cluttered), and induced either task-oriented or recreational shopping motivations. Customers at a clothing store responded to one of these four store video displays. Results showed that motivations interact with environmental factors. Task-oriented shoppers preferred shopping in spacious stores, whereas recreational shoppers preferred high-arousing store environments. These findings suggest that store managers could increase arousal levels using ambient design elements, such as colored lights, when shoppers are likely recreationally oriented and provide spacious environments to appeal to task-oriented shoppers.
AB - Research testifies to the influence of environmental factors in shopping environments. However, few studies examine effects of store design in interaction with shoppers' motivations. The authors propose that task-oriented shoppers prefer stores that are spacious, whereas recreational shoppers enjoy and prefer the arousing properties of color. To provide controlled tests of these hypotheses, we created visual simulations of stores that varied by color (arousing red vs. less arousing blue) and layout (spacious vs. cluttered), and induced either task-oriented or recreational shopping motivations. Customers at a clothing store responded to one of these four store video displays. Results showed that motivations interact with environmental factors. Task-oriented shoppers preferred shopping in spacious stores, whereas recreational shoppers preferred high-arousing store environments. These findings suggest that store managers could increase arousal levels using ambient design elements, such as colored lights, when shoppers are likely recreationally oriented and provide spacious environments to appeal to task-oriented shoppers.
KW - arousal
KW - interior color
KW - layout
KW - shopping motivation
KW - spatial control
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84868155041&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84868155041&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1177/0013916511407309
DO - 10.1177/0013916511407309
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84868155041
SN - 0013-9165
VL - 44
SP - 800
EP - 820
JO - Environment and Behaviour
JF - Environment and Behaviour
IS - 6
ER -