A majority of respondents agreed that a favourable store environment could lead them to have a pleasant shopping experience. Over 99 per cent of respondents considered that a favourable store environment could achieve a pleasant shopping experience. Less than 1 per cent of respondents denied that store environment could lead them to have a pleasant shopping experience.
Store environment of fashion retailers: a Hong Kong perspective 161
Conclusion
The results of this study suggest that store environment is relatively important in affecting consumers’ store choice decision when comparing it with other factors such as store location, merchandise assortment and product price. This implies that not all consumers are price conscious; they are willing to select the store for shopping, or just going into the store for browsing if there is a desirable store environment.
According to Zeithaml and Bitner (1996), a well designed and functional servicescape can give consumers a pleasant experience. The present study shows that the majority of respondents agreed that a satisfying store envir- onment could create a pleasurable shopping experience. It is quite clear that the social factor was most important to consumers in leading them to have a pleasurable shopping experience, in comparison with the ambient and design factors.
As noted by Darden and Babin (1994), stores with courteous and friendly personnel correlated with high levels of pleasure to the consumer. This result shows that the ‘service manner of salespeople’ is the most important element of the social factor in affecting their perception of a pleasant shopping experi- ence, with the social factor regarded by respondents as the most important factor in their having a pleasurable shopping experience.
On the other hand, tidiness of the store was the most important element of the ambient factor, whereas store size was the most important element of the design factor in leading consumers to have a pleasurable shopping experi- ence. Apparently, the ambient and design factors were comparatively less important than the social factor in the consumer’s mind. Nevertheless, this does not mean that the above two factors can be ignored; we can only say that these two factors were relatively less sensitive to consumers in helping them to achieve a pleasurable shopping experience.
The results also show that consumers’ expectations on the store environ- ment could be further divided into the following nine dimensions: (1) com- fortableness; (2) number and nature of people; (3) recognition by identifiable salespeople; (4) courteous and friendly salespeople; (5) spacious environment; (6) non-irritating environment; (7) minimalist environment; (8) fixtures and displays; (9) merchandise suggestions. The results further show the detailed dimensions of consumers’ expectations on the store environment. The result of cluster analysis indicated that most of the respondents had expectations regarding the social factor. This implies that salespeople should be rich in product knowledge, and hence that they can be assured of providing quality service, as well as giving individualized suggestions on merchandise selection for each consumer. As Berry (1996) noted, consumers nowadays are concerned with respectful service offered by retailers; they expect salespeople to treat them like royalty, with courtesy, a friendly service attitude and a welcome on their arrival.
More specifically, a satisfying store environment can lead consumers to achieve a pleasant shopping experience. Store environment stimuli can affect
consumers’ emotional states of pleasure (Mehrabian and Russell, 1974). It is certain that a positive store environment can be an effective tool in evoking the consumer’s emotion of pleasure.
Recommendations
Among those areas which consumers would like stores to further improve is the social factor – the service manner of salespeople. This also proves that con- sumers definitely regard the social factor as relatively more important than the other two factors, and they also have higher expectations in this area. The result supports respondents’ concerns on the social factor of a store’s environment.
Management of casualwear chain stores will not be surprised to learn that the social factor contributed greatly in achieving consumers’ pleasant shop- ping experience. A desirable store environment can be an important element of achieving a pleasant shopping experience. This influence is likely to be especially pronounced for the social factor of the store environment. Effective retailers can seek a competitive edge in providing a unique store environment that the consumers want, to satisfy their needs and enhance their shopping experience.
The results also indicate that both the ambient and design factors are per- ceived as less important by consumers. Marketers should be more concerned with the social factor of the store environment, especially the service attitude of salespeople. Hence, it is suggested that casualwear chain stores could pro- vide a desirable store environment by paying more attention to the social fac- tor. As such, special care should be taken with regard to the service manner of sales personnel.
On the other hand, whether there is an adequate number of salespeople on the shop floor can be directly controlled by the retailer. An appropriate number of sales personnel helps to provide a responsive service to consum- ers. An inadequate number of salespeople will keep consumers waiting for ser- vice, and consumer dissatisfaction will result. However, too many salespeople would be wastage. Retailers need to clearly identify the amount of salespeople required to maintain a frontline operation.
Particular care should also be taken by retailers of casualwear chain stores on the expectation of ‘recognition by identifiable salespeople’ as consumers appreciate a sense of respect by the salespeople when they enter and leave the store. ‘Courteous and friendly salespeople’ implies that consumers have a high expectation regarding the attitude of sales personnel. Since quality service from friendly, courteous salespeople with an appropriate service attitude does not simply happen, retailers are advised to take particular care to develop a ‘service culture’ within their organizations. This can enhance the employee’s recognition of their responsibilities of customer service. Apart from the devel- opment of service culture in the organization, motivation can also be an effec- tive means to achieve this aim. Undoubtedly, financial motivation, including bonuses and commission, is an important means of encouragement.
Store environment of fashion retailers: a Hong Kong perspective 163
Particular care should also be taken by the retailers in training the sales- people to be more effective in their interpersonal encounters with consumers, since salespeople are required to be ‘friendly and courteous’ to consumers. Also, the findings show that consumers expect suggestions on merchandise selection from salespeople. It is suggested that retailers should place emphasis on continuous training of their employees, especially in the areas of being ‘courteous and friendly’ and having ‘expertise’ on the products they sell.
Provision of expert sales help can be achieved by enriching the product knowledge of salespeople. Once the salespeople possess sufficient knowledge of their merchandise, the limitations and strengths of the merchandise can be recognized by the salespeople. This enables the salespeople to be highly responsive to all kinds of consumer needs and problems, and assess the value of the merchandise, as well as offering individualized suggestions on mer- chandise selection. Hence, salespeople with sufficient product knowledge can make more accurate individualized suggestions on merchandise selection based on the different needs of consumers.
In order to provide individualized suggestions on merchandise selec- tion, retailers should not overlook the listening skills of frontline employ- ees. Salespeople who fail to be a good listener fail to understand consumers’ concerns, needs, wants and preferences, and in turn fail to give consumers appropriate suggestions on merchandise selection. To fulfil the expectations of consumers, retailers should take particular care in training salespeople to be good listeners.
Although it is suggested that the store manager pays more attention to the social factor of the store environment, the ambient and design factors should not be neglected. A store can have excellent salespeople to deliver high quality service, but if the store plays unfavourable loud music, without much air con- ditioning and space, the overall shopping experience will be affected. Instead of staying longer in the store, consumers will leave the store as quickly as pos- sible. Therefore, the three factors should be well co-ordinated so as to achieve a desirable result.
This study provides a new insight into the relative importance of the three environmental factors, the level of importance of the store environment in affecting consumer’s store choice decisions and their expectations on store environment. The study suggests that the social factor is potentially useful in leading consumers to have a pleasant shopping experience. Therefore, dur- ing the refurbishment of the stores, retailers should set aside some financial investment to enhance the social factor of the store environment.
To conclude, fashion retailers that plan to refurbish their stores need to determine in advance the concerns, preference and expectations of the target customer regarding store environment. The better the understanding of the consumer, the better the targeted result of the refurbishment can be obtained. Store environment is just like the packaging of a product; if the package is desirable or attractive to consumers, it can largely enhance the saleability of merchandise. The 1990s were ‘value driven’. Retailers are no longer tak- ing consumers for granted; they should maximize the benefits received by
consumers. Consumers want a good return on the financial investment they make in their purchasing. One of the most important benefits is a desirable store environment. Consumers, especially those for fashion and clothing, want to have a pleasant shopping experience within the store environment where they can browse and inspect merchandise freely.
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