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Effects of show windows on female consumers’ shopping behaviour

Varsha Jain (Mudra Institute of Communications, Ahmedabad, India)
Mika Takayanagi (Department of Business Administration, Meiji University, Tokyo, Japan)
Edward Carl Malthouse (Department of Integrated Marketing Communications, Northwestern University, Evanston. Illinois, USA)

Journal of Consumer Marketing

ISSN: 0736-3761

Article publication date: 11 August 2014

5372

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study if to investigate the effects of show windows on shopping behaviour among female consumers to provide insights that a manager can use to encourage purchase behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

On the basis of 20 in-depth interviews, we developed a survey, which we administered to female consumers (n = 209). The survey was based on a stimulus–organism–response framework. Each respondent was exposed to an image of a show window (images were taken from apparel departments of well-known department stores) and rated her perceptions of the window and intentions to purchase items sold in the store.

Findings

Using factor analysis, we identify five components of the show window: social, hedonic, informational, image and “feel-good” factors. The first four factors are aggregated into a “show window” metric, which is shown to influence purchase intentions; this influence is fully mediated by the feel-good factor. The image factor and the social and hedonic factors each significantly influence the feel-good factor.

Practical implications

When developing show windows, brand managers should aim to touch on all factors of the show window to make shoppers “feel good”; these positive feelings might intensify shoppers’ purchase intentions.

Originality/value

This study identifies five factors that make up consumers’ perceptions of show windows. It shows that exposure to a show window affects consumers’ purchase intentions, and that this influence is determined primarily by the extent to which consumers “feel good” about the store.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the editor, associate editor and anonymous reviewers for the valuable suggestions and constructive feedback. The authors are grateful to all the respondents for their valuable insights and opinion. The authors would also like to thank Mr Dhruvinkumar Chauhan, Research Assistant, MICA, for help with the project.

Citation

Jain, V., Takayanagi, M. and Malthouse, E.C. (2014), "Effects of show windows on female consumers’ shopping behaviour", Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 31 No. 5, pp. 380-390. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCM-04-2014-0946

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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