With the increase of the demands for a shopping place in which are integrated not just quality commodities but also various services and cultural events, shopping complexes or malls are being introduced in earnest into domestic fashion distribution ma...
With the increase of the demands for a shopping place in which are integrated not just quality commodities but also various services and cultural events, shopping complexes or malls are being introduced in earnest into domestic fashion distribution markets. The concept of shopping has changed to include searching for information, using of amenities and enjoying the atmosphere itself. A shopping space has become a kind of living space. Therefore, in order to maintain and increase customers' favor in this changed environment, it is necessary to create a distinctive shopping space which is exactly characterized by the customers' particular needs.
With this concepts in mind, this study was aimed, first, to review the relationships among physical store environment, consumer emotions, perceived shopping value and store patronage, and second, to analyze the relationships among environmental response variables depending on consumer's self-regulation level.
For this study, a scale was tested through a preliminary survey to be modified and enhanced. The questionnaire consisted of 7 parts: consumer emotions, perceived physical store environment, perceived shopping value, one's self-regulation level, results of shopping, a consumer's patronage of the store and demographic variables. For this questionnaire survey, those in their 10's ~ 40's were sampled at the exit from the shopping complexes from October 21 to 26, 2001. A total 271 shoppers responded to the questionnaire survey. The collected data were processed for frequency analysis, factor analysis and reliability analysis as well as for multiple regression analysis and path analysis to construct a model.
The results of this study can be summarized as follows;
1. The effects of the physical store environment on consumer emotions, resource expenditure, perceived shopping value and store patronage can be summed up as follows;
First, as a result of analyzing the effect of the physical environment on consumer emotions, it was found that the more the consumers were aware of such shopping conveniences as the brand composition or store layout, they were more pleased and aroused. In addition, the more the consumers were aware of such entertainment as the events and other programs inside the shopping mall, they were more aroused. In contrast, the more consumers were aware of crowded inside the shopping mall, one felt less free or overwhelmed by the shopping mall.
Second, as a result of analyzing the effect of the physical environment on consumers' resource expenditure, it was found that the more they were aware of crowded inside the shopping mall, they stayed longer inside the mall.
Third, as a result of analyzing the effect of the physical environment on consumers' perceived shopping value, it was found that the more consumers were aware of entertainment, shopping convenience and amenity, their perceived hedonic shopping value was higher. In addition, the more they were aware of the shopping convenience, their perceived utilitarian shopping value was higher.
Fourth, as a result of analyzing the effect of the physical environment on consumer's store patronage, it was found that the more consumers were aware of such shopping convenience as brand composition and store lay out as well as such amenity as the comfortable temperature and air conditioning, their patronage of store was higher.
2. The results of analyzing the effects of consumer emotions on resource expenditure, perceived shopping value and store patronage can be summed up as follows;
First, as a result of analyzing the effect of consumer emotions on consumer's resource expenditure, it was found that increased feelings of dominance inside the shopping mall lowered one's time expenditure.
Second, as a result of analyzing the effect of consumer emotions on consumer's perceived shopping value, it was found that the more feelings of pleasure were increased, consumers were more aware of one's hedonic shopping value. In addition, the more feelings of pleasure were increased, their perceived utilitarian shopping value was higher.
Third, as a result of analyzing the effect of consumer emotions on store patronage, it was found that the more feelings of pleasure were increased, their store patronage was higher.
3. The results of analyzing the effects of consumer's resource expenditure on perceived shopping value and store patronage can be summed up as follows;
First, as a result of analyzing the effect of consumers' resource expenditure on perceived shopping value, it was found that the more time consumer spent inside the store, one's perceived utilitarian shopping value was lower.
Second, as a result of analyzing the effect of consumer's resource expenditure on one's store patronage, it was found that the more money consumer spent at a store, their store patronage was higher.
4. As a result of analyzing the effect of consumers' perceived shopping value on one's store patronage, it was found that the more they were aware of hedonic/utilitarian shopping value, their store patronage was higher.
5. The results of modelling the consumers' store patronage processes in relation with physical environment, consumer emotions, resource expenditure and perceived shopping value can be summed up as follows;
The variable affecting consumer's store patronage most was shopping convenience followed by perceived utilitarian shopping value and hedonic shopping value in their order. On the other hand, since shopping convenience, a factor of the physical environment has an indirect effects on store patronage through emotions of pleasure and arousal and perceived hedonic/utilitarian shopping value, it may be the most important variable affecting store patronage. The variable affecting the perceived hedonic shopping value most was feelings of pleasure, followed by entertainment, a factor of the physical environment, while the feelings of arousal/dominance and shopping convenience affected the perceived utilitarian shopping value. However, the emotions of dominance had a negative effect on consumer's time expenditure. In addition, the variable affecting the emotions of pleasure was shopping convenience, while the variables affecting the emotions of arousal were shopping convenience and entertainment. The crowded physical environment had a negative effect on the emotions of dominance.
6. The effects of various factors depending on consumers' self-regulation level in the consumer's store patronage processes in relation with physical environment, consumer emotions, resource expenditure and perceived shopping value can be summed up as follows;
The relationship between shopping pleasure and perceived hedonic shopping value was greater among consumers with low self-regulation than it is among consumers with high self-regulation. On the other hand, the effect of crowded physical environment on feelings of dominance was greater among consumers with low self-regulation than it is among consumers with low self-regulation.
It was confirmed through this study that the model of the store patronage in relation with the physical environment was proven valid, and that the shopping convenience, physical store environment played an important role. Furthermore, this study determined the effects of consumers' self-regulation in the process of their store patronage. Lastly, it is hoped that the results of this study will provide for some useful data to construction of differentiated store environment and maintenance of customer share.