Multisensory Design of Retail Environments

Vision, Sound, and Scent

verfasst von: Marko Sarstedt, Monika Imschloss, Susanne Adler

Verlag: Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden

Buchreihe : Science meets Practice

Enthalten in: Springer Professional "Wirtschaft+Technik" , Springer Professional "Technik" , Springer Professional "Wirtschaft"

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Über dieses Buch

Online retailers have gained massive popularity in recent years, plunging large parts of brick-and-mortar retail into an existential crisis. In order to survive in times of growing online retail, brick-and-mortar retailers must become aware of their unique potential to address non-digitizable consumer needs and transform retail environments into places of experience and discovery. A key building block for achieving this aim lies in the creation of sensory experiences that motivate consumers to enter and linger in stationary retail environments.

But how? To answer this question, this volume provides insights into the latest research results from sensory marketing on vision, sound, and scent. The authors describe the sometimes surprising effects of sensory cues on consumer behavior and provide clear recommendations for marketing practice. The second edition comes with an advanced coverage of various topics such as technology use in retail environments and includes new case studies.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Frontmatter

1. Experience Retail Environments with (Almost) All Senses

Abstract

If brick-and-mortar retail were a company stock, most analysts would probably recommend that investors should sell it. Currently, improved online shop systems, faster logistics, and a generation of consumers who spend a significant amount of their time online are all driving the increasing share of online purchases. This also holds for products that managers long assumed would be exclusively sold in stationary retail stores. The consequences are obvious in many cities: Empty city centers and vanishing retail stores increasingly characterize the urban landscape. Despite decades of dead sayings, physical stores are not dead. On the contrary, for example, roughly 90% of retail revenues in Germany are generated in physical stores and major US retailers such as Target and Walmart have announced multi-billion-dollar investments in their physical stores in an effort to improve customer experience and target new markets. One reason that stationary retail is alive and well is that physical stores have an unbeatable advantage over online retail. They can create multisensory experiences by providing consumers with sensory stimulation across their various senses. We provide insights into the latest research findings on sensory marketing relating to vision, sound, and scent as well as their interaction—with some surprising results.

Marko Sarstedt, Monika Imschloss, Susanne Adler

2. Vision

Abstract

People largely perceive their environment visually and visual impressions are often available before those of the other senses. Therefore, how retail environments are visually designed is an important driver of retailers’ success by guiding consumer behavior and contributing to a generally pleasant atmosphere. Eye-catching designs can draw attention and unique design concepts can communicate a brand’s image. Popular examples are the Hans im Glück restaurant chain and the Apple Stores with their brand-specific visual concepts. Many retailers also make use of social media-ready visual design elements and, for example, house selfie walls or even design “instagrammable” structures such as Bikini Mall Berlin, which installed a wall of plants and flowers with a swing in front that not only allowed visitors to take pretty pictures but also staged brands. In this chapter, we explore how visual design elements such as lighting, color, and product arrangements affect consumer behavior. We provide guidance on how to integrate visual design elements in stores and also discuss the role of in-store technologies in shaping customer experiences.

Marko Sarstedt, Monika Imschloss, Susanne Adler

3. Sound

Abstract

After more than 40 years of research on the use of music in retail environments, there is no doubt that music influences consumer behavior at the point of sale. A meta-analytic review of 25 studies covering a range of different types of music has shown that music has a positive influence on consumers’ shopping experience and buying behavior. Indeed, marketing practice has long recognized this effect and taken advantage of it. Not surprisingly, music has become one of the most frequently used stimuli in the atmospheric design of retail environments. This is not only due to music’s potential to elicit favorable consumer responses but also because it is relatively easy and inexpensive to implement in retail environments. In this chapter, we discuss how different properties of music such as tempo and volume affect consumer behavior and provide an overview of guiding questions for the use of music in retail environments.

Marko Sarstedt, Monika Imschloss, Susanne Adler

4. Scent

Abstract

You have probably often entered a room and immediately noticed a typical scent. The targeted use of scents has long since ceased to be an exception. Companies like Abercrombie & Fitch, Motel One, and Singapore Airlines have long routinely used ambient scents in their sales and service environments. In doing so, the companies pursue two primary goals. On the one hand, the use of ambient scents is intended to create a pleasant atmosphere. On the other hand, their use aims at communicating a distinctive and likable brand identity. For example, the signature scent of Hugo Boss comprises a mix of basil, oak moss, and bergamot to convey superiority and prestige. This chapter addresses how companies can employ ambient scents to produce desirable effects. It also highlights that the “ideal scent” depends on a variety of consumer characteristics and situational parameters. As such, this chapter illustrates that consumers perceive scents differently based on their origin, gender, and purchasing situation, which complicates the use of scents in stationary retail environments.

Marko Sarstedt, Monika Imschloss, Susanne Adler

5. The Interaction of Different Sensory Stimuli

Abstract

The previous chapters described the relevance and impact of individual sensory stimuli on consumer behavior. In retail, however, the reality is considerably more complex. Consumers inevitably perceive retail environments and products in a multisensory way (i.e., simultaneously with all their senses). Thus, the presence of one sensory stimulus (e.g., scent) can influence how consumers react to another stimulus (e.g., music). Specifically, stimuli that appeal to different sensory modalities reinforce or complement one another, thereby influencing the perception and evaluation of the retail environment, the retailer, individual products, or even brands. Combining a scent with specific background music can, for example, lead to an enhanced shopping experience compared to using scent or music in isolation. In general, a multisensory approach has stronger effects on consumers than simply adding other stimuli appealing to the same sensory modality. The chapter highlights the concept of multisensory congruence, where stimuli that fit well together enhance evaluations of the retail environment, products, and brands. Additionally, we discuss the concept of crossmodal correspondences, illustrating how perceptions in one sensory modality can influence perceptions in another sensory modality.

Marko Sarstedt, Monika Imschloss, Susanne Adler

Titel: Multisensory Design of Retail Environments
verfasst von: Marko Sarstedt
Monika Imschloss
Susanne Adler
Verlag: Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden
Electronic ISBN: 978-3-658-45678-8
Print ISBN: 978-3-658-45680-1
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-45678-8