Sensory Marketing & Retail Design

Acknowledgement
I would like to express my appreciation to who helped me in the writing process of this research
by their involvement, advice or support.
I would like to special my thanks to my supervisor Gulberk Gultekin Salman, who have been
very supportive and always reachable with a swift responds and valuable feedbacks through the
whole journey of my MBA study.

Best Regards
Problem Audit

This research was conducted for the research methods and ethics course at my MBA study.
The research focus and study the importance of “sensory experience in the retail environment,
the subject was carefully selected among other topics and developed with my instructor Gulberk
Gultekin Salma to overlap with my MBA current study and with my architectural/ interior
background /experience
This research is conducted in the retail design industry, highlighting the application of sensory
marketing/ experience to enhance the customer experience.

The research includes studies for some examples of the world best retail designs
Abstract
This research aims to give better understanding and to explore the effect of the multi-sensory
stimulation in the retail atmosphere on consumer emotion and purchase behavior.

Earlier researches indicate that manipulating the retail atmosphere to achieve consumer multi-
sensory stimulation have a positive effect in the consumer attitude concerning emotional level and
purchase behavior through the extra time spent in a store, those research has focused mostly on the
aspects of how individual senses stimuli, contribute to store atmosphere (Turley and Milliman,
2000). Nevertheless, this research survey the impact of multi-sensory stimuli, in the form of
visual, haptic, auditory and olfactory, in relation to the store atmosphere.

The research presents some tips and guidelines for retailers and interior designers who need to
apply multi-sensory stimuli aspect into consideration during the design stage of the store
environment.

1. Problem Background
The horrible news in physical retail industry are undeniable, an example of the retail industry in
US, 7,567 national stores have been closed in the first half of 2019, those closed shop don’t
indicate the brands loss its indicating the retailer loss and how those brands are sealing more
through different e-commerce platforms.

Physical retailers are continuously threaten by the e-commerce retailers, physical retailers should
stimuli their consumer’s multi-sensory experience at the physical retail store, they need to
consider their powerful competitive advantage, the one thing that their competitors (e-commerce
retailers) can’t offer their ability to involve consumer emotions and feelings through multi-
sensory retail atmosphere.

Prior researches indicate few perceptions on multi-sensory stimuli aspects in store atmosphere
design that influence consumer experience and purchase, trying to enhance and understand these
techniques will help retailers to differentiate themselves from competitors,
2 Environment Context of the Problem

2.1 Past Information & Forecasts

The research is not conducted based on symptoms needed to be analyzed or to underlie the
causes to come up with findings.
It’s conducted based on academic purpose and the subject were selected with my personal and
my advisor interest.

2.2 Resources and Constraints

Since this is an MBA research project the resources are limited and there is some constrains that
might affect the process and the result of the project such as:

 Time Constraints – the research development and completion date will follow the instructor
and semester agenda.

 Resources Constraints - No other capabilities would be involved in the research except

myself and my supervisor.

 Resources Constraints - Limited number of collected questionnaire.

 Resources Constraints – due to the current situation and the impact of worldwide
epidemic COVID-19 on the academic process and all other life aspect such as distance
socializing, shutdown all crowded places (ex. Highstreets and malls) it will affect face-to-
face meetings with industry experts and conducting any field observation study

 Resources Constrains – limited research funds Interviews

2.3 Objectives of the Decision Maker

As mentioned earlier this research was conducted for the research methods and ethics course for
my MBA study therefore, the decision maker at the research will be my advisor Gulberk
Gultekin Salman, and the objective of the course is to enhance my ability to understand the
essentials of marketing research method, research design, techniques of data collection and data
analysis.
 2.4 Legal Environment, Economic Environment
In the legal environment of the sensory marketing and retail there should be always a
consideration for the local culture, believes and religion, some colors, designs or symbols can be
accepted and loved in one region but not in another and that may cause a legal issues.

Ex. Saudi Arabia is a conservative community and there is so many cultural and beliefs
restriction for sensory marketing and retail designs, therefore the legal system have established a
restrictions and guidelines in this regard, such as the visual ads wouldn’t show a women without
wearing hijab, no music to be played at any of the praying times, women shops such as
underwear’s and cosmetics should have less visual merchandisers and more privacy to the
interior of the shop, as well for the fitting rooms area.

2.5 Marketing and Technological Skills

Marketing knowledge/ skills is based on my previous marketing course, current consumer
behavior and research methods and ethics courses.

Retail design knowledge/ skills is based on my bachelor’s degree in architectural engineering,

my 10 years’ experience in interior design and my expertise in the retails design and the
completion of 20+ retail projects in for high end brands in a luxurious shopping malls at Dubai,
Abu Dhabi, Qatar, Thailand.
 3. Problem Definition & Objectives
Definition
Due to increasing competition between many brands and different selling platforms (Physical
retailers and e-commers retailers) it’s no longer superior products is the only criteria for choosing
product over another, consumers these days are looking forward to a wholesome experience
while shopping, it’s not only the product features but also the environment stimulate their
decision.
It’s no longer a secret that physical retailers are threaten by the e-commerce retailers, physical
retailers need to consider their competitive advantage, the one thing that their competitor can’t
offer their ability to attract consumer to products that appeal to their senses and feelings at the
point of purchase. It is critical that retailers do not lose sight of the basics of customers’ in-store
experience. (Spence, M. Puccinelli, Grewal, & L. Roggeveen 2014)

Although prior researches indicate that retailers recognize the value of the multi-sensory stimuli
in the retail store atmosphere, but the exact value and real impact on consumer purchase behavior
and emotions are not clear. In practice, there seems to be no consensus among retailers about
what kind of sensory congruent cues should be seen as complements to visual stimuli, and in
what context (Helmefalk, Hultén 2017). How can retailer enhance the multi-sensory stimuli experience,
to create a positive shopping environment and experience for consumer to influence their
purchase behavior and emotions. A need to highlight the role of the different sensory
atmospheric cues by reviewing the five sensory domains and the influence of congruent and the
potential effects of sensory overload. (Spence, M. Puccinelli, Grewal, & L. Roggeveen 2014)

Even though there is many resources (books, articles and researches) indicates the importance of
sensory marketing in the aspect of products and branding, but few studies indicates the
effectiveness of the shop atmosphere to influence consumer purchase behavior, and show the
relation between the sensory marketing and the atmosphere of the retail.

Objective
The study aims to:
 Understand the influence of multi-sensory stimuli on the consumer emotions and purchase
behavior,
 To suggest a framework for retailers and interior designers on how they can utilize
atmospherics stimulants to improve consumer emotions, purchase behavior and overall
evaluation of the store atmosphere.
 To recommend implications for retailers to improve retail atmosphere.
4.1 Literature Review
4.1.1 The Impact of Senses on Human Behavior
The external senses have a double province; to make us feel, and to make us perceive. They give
us a variety of sensations, some pleasant, others painful, and others indifferent; at the same time,
they give us a conception, and an invincible belief of the existence of external objects. This
conception of external objects is the work of nature. The belief of their existence, which our
senses give, is also the work of nature; so likewise, is the sensation that accompanies it. This
conception and belief which nature produces by means of the senses, we call perception. The
feeling which goes along with the perception, we call sensation (The Works of Thomas Reid, Theory of
Perception, 1763).
Reid’s theory of perception highlighted the importance and effectiveness of senses and how it
acts as sort of guide for the people, forming and influencing them in one linked perceptual
system.
Lindstrom explained how senses can influence and affect our daily purchasing decisions in
Brand Sense book written by Martin Lindstrom and foreword by Philip Kotler this book reveals
how the world’s most successful brands and products assimilate all senses in product or
environmental experience, Lindstrom states that our emotions are linked to the information
gathered through the senses.
He introduced the concept of sensory branding that stimulates and enhances consumers’
imagination and perception, creating emotional ties between the brand and consumer.

4.1.2 The Impact of multi-sensory experience in retail store atmosphere

The desire to design attractive environments is an old practice since ancient times. Ancient
Greece architects created a glorious space to worship gods such as the Olympian Zeus or Apollo
temples that were designed in line with their gods. The purpose of increasing the height of the
gothic cathedrals is to show the power of the church and to symbolize its majesty. In Islam,
earlier mosques were designed with minimum use of elements and colors this approach intent to
reduce the influence of the space on the believers, so they focus on their prays.
(Mainzer Klaus, P364, 2005) pharaohs in ancient Egypt not only take into consideration the impact of
.

the space design but the light as well. Many old and modern sciences have studied the relation
between environment aspects and human behavior or emotions, such as “Feng shui”
pseudoscientific that focus on the impact of the environment on human behavior and energy, and
the psychology of colors which studies the hues as a determinant of human behavior.
In conclusion the impact of the design on human behavior and feeling has been recognized by
architects & interior designers long time back, and lately buy retailers, they start acknowledging
the impact of multi-sensory stimuli in retail atmosphere on the consumer emotions and buying
behavior. In the recent retail industry retailers acknowledge that consumer purchase decision is
influenced by not only the tangible product or service but to the whole process starting with the
advertisements, warranty, packaging etc... and one of most influencing part of this process is the
atmosphere where it was bought or consumed at. In some cases, atmosphere might have more
influence on consumer buying behavior than the product features. (Kotler, P48, 2001)

Retailers practice the multi-sensory stimuli to differentiate their products and shopping
experience from other competitors in the market (Ballantine, Parsons & Comeskey 2015). Many previous
researches and studies indicate that consumer multi-sensory cue stimulus in a retail environment
are determined to have a superior influence on consumers’ psychological aspect, such as feelings
& behavior. Any manipulation within the atmospherics factor had a major impact on consumer
purchase behaviors and emotions (Mehrabian & Russell, 1974; Hulten, 2011).
What we realize from the previous researches that retailers acknowledge how multi-sensory
stimuli is important in retail environment, but in not clear yet the precise impact on consumer
behavior, retailers need to identify how to stimulate and which sensory should be considered to
add on the visual ones, and how it relates to its offering products? retailers may enhance the
atmosphere with auditory, olfactory, aesthetic, tactile sensory stimulants, to create a multisensory
atmosphere (Spence, M. Puccinelli, Grewal, & L. Roggeveen 2014) . Therefore, in this research, we focus on
the all sense’s stimulation such not limited to the visual only.

There is no explanation in the present literature for accurate congruency intensity of the multi-
sensory stimulants in retail environment. In general observation, there is no standardized
selection criteria among the super store managers about the selection of the multi-sensory
stimulants, few experimental studies were conducted on this topic. Additionally, there is a few
studies that provides some insights on how to introduce multi-sensory cue to design a retail
environment in order to influence consumer emotions and buying behavior (Spence, M. Puccinelli,
Grewal, & L. Roggeveen 2014). At this research, the non-visual sense such as auditory and olfactory are
included as separate variables to study its influence on consumer emotions and buying behavior,
there are very little researches conducted on this topic, and this research try to explore some of
those gapes.
 4.1.3 Methods to explore the impact of multi-sensory cues in retail atmosphere

A) Mehrabian & Russell PAD Framework 1973 – Psychological Aspect

Lately psychologists start to study the relation between environment and behavior
“environmental psychology” but those studies were rarely directed to examine the relation
between environment and behavior in a retail atmosphere, Mehrabian & Russell Model 1973,
which have conclude that Manipulating the retail atmospherics had a major impact on the
consumer behaviors either in emotional or purchase dimension, they reach these result through
developing the PAD emotional framework to measure emotional states as it introduce three
dimensions, Pleasure, Arousal and Dominance to represent all emotions, the core idea is that
physical environments influence people through emotional impact.

B) Malnar & Vodvarka Sensory Slider 2004 – Interior/ Architecture Aspect

They develop this schematic to evaluate physical
environments & emotional factors concerning
customers satisfaction, they used sensory slider to
extract the clarity for a particular sense, evaluating
sensory levels in an environment provides
expanded understanding of the interior’s physical
condition in relation to sensory perception of users.
For retail, the sensory slider is designed to examine
the visual, acoustical, tactile and olfactory
information in a retail environment.

4.1.4 Comparison Between Earlier Studies

 Olfactory

Behavior
Auditory

Pleasure

Arousal

Buying
Study Year Method Field

Consumer
Robert & John 1982 Retail - - Yes Yes -
Predilections
Turley & Milliman 2000 Meta Analysis Retail Yes Yes - - -
Yalch and
2000 Retail Yes Yes Yes Yes -
SpangenBerg
Factorial
Mattila and Wirts 2001 Retail Yes Yes Yes Yes -
Research
Baker 2002 Experimental Retail Yes - - - -
2 Factors
Chebat & Michon 2003 Shopping Center - Yes Yes Yes -
Experiment
Gilbo and Rafaeli 2003 Descriptive Retail - - Yes Yes -

Rodgers 2003 Experimental E-commerce retailing - - - - Yes

Garlin and Own 2006 Meta Analysis Retail Yes - Yes Yes -
Gueguen & Peter 2006 Experimental Hypermarket Yes - - - -
Chebat 2009 Experimental Shopping Center - Yes - - -
Anderssn 2012 Experimental Retail Yes - Yes Yes -
Preferences of
Gillani 2012 Retail - - - - Yes
youths
Bakker 2014 Exploratory - - Yes Yes -
Preferences of
Hussein 2015 Retail Yes Yes - - Yes
Customers
Preferences of
Mirabi and Samiey 2015 Retail Yes - - - -
Customers
Leenders 2016 Experimental Hypermarket - Yes - - -
Helmeflak & Hulten 2017 Experimental Retail - Yes Yes - -
Francioni 2018 Longitudinal Retail Yes Yes - - -
Lindberg 2018 Observational Retail Yes Yes - - -
Tantanatewin and
2019 Behavioral Restaurant - - Yes - -
Inkarojirit
4.2 Theoretical framework and model

4.2.1 Creating superior retail atmosphere.

Designing a superior retail atmosphere is a critical part of the retailer strategy. Earlier researches
clarified the influence and the necessity of retail shop environment and focus on the non-visual
stimulants, as visual stimulant is well none and its impact sensible therefore non-visual
stimulants grab more attention to study and examine.

Visual Sensory

“Vision evokes emotion. There is no such thing as an emotionless vision”

Andy Stanley

Vision is the most studied and dominant sense in many context (Febretti, 2013). retail store with
aesthetics environment aspects are frequently more successful than the other retails with no
design approaches or aesthetics aspect in the shop environment (Amold, 2003). Prior researches
indicates that retailers and designers acknowledge lighting to stimulate the visual sensory, and
how essential it’s to develop retail store atmosphere (Kotler, P48, 2001)

The main aspect of the visual sensory is the colors and forms, earlier studies shown that it’s
obvious how the colors in retail environment or products can contribute the positive attitudes.
Earlier neuro studies originate that numerous of sensory areas in the cortex act like an
intersectional area that gather inputs from different sensory network and affect one another
(Stanford& Stein, 2007). multi-sensory stimuli can be occurred at the same time, disturbing the
visual awareness, and emotional condition(Spence, & D 2001). An example for this matter, is the
visual & auditory sensory are mostly connected to each other. Many earlier studies have resolute
that auditory stimuli during purchase can encourage the perception of a product, relatively to an
isolated visual sense,

This research will focus on all senses, not limited to the visual sense due to the massive number
of studies have been conducted on this subject, it’s expected that visual sensory will impact
consumer perception, emotions and buying behavior.
Auditory Sensory
“because she wanted to be next the open window, she was hungry for the sound of the
street vendor's husky voice infiltrated the room: Tangerines.. fragrant, fresh
tangerines...”
The Bastard of Istanbul By Elif Shafak
Hearing in retail atmosphere mainly related to music, acoustics and noise. Retail managers
recognize that auditory sensory manipulate consumer perceptions, feelings and emotions like
(mood, stimulation, buying behavior). Background sound influences consumer shopping
experiences and supports them to find the way to the desired product faster (Yi-Chuan & Charles
Spence, 2010). At the retail environment, music influences shoppers’ perceptions, emotions and
buying behavior (Nathalie T.M, 2011). Prior researches indicate that consumer perceptions are
affected by music (Areni c., 2003).
“music is powerful enough to change your perception of the world” Patel
Earlier study reveals that playing French melody in a wine shop drive for more French wine
selling more than the German wine and vice versa (A.c. North, Hargreave DJ, and J. McKendrick, 1997) .
The key element responsible for creating time biases were the rhythm of the music. hence, the
rhythm of music manipulates the emotion of the consumer on the perception of time. (Droit-
Volet, Danilo Ramos, L. O. Bueno, & Bigand, 2013), Prior studies indicates that classic music enhance
enjoyment, whereas pop-style music to enhance the level of arousal (Kellaris, J. & Kent R. 1994). Other
studies indicate another aspect of music influence such as consumer shopping time, slower
rhythm music generates slower shopping journey accordingly rise in the purchases as consumer
is on a slower speed (Milliman, R. E. 1982). consumers feels that they have spent less time when
they enjoy the music the music, if they dislike it, and the opposite were observed consumer claim
to spent much more time relevant to the actuall time spent in the retail store when they don’t
enjoy the music. (Kellaris, J. & Kent R. 1994).

Marketers acknowledge the impact of the sound and they have been utilizing it as an audio
signature for the high-tech products such as the sound for Motorola mobiles (Hello Moto) or the
Intel Pentium greeting sound. Marketer use also the ambient sound, like the music we heard in
hospitality environment or retails and restaurants. It’s evident through multiple studies that music
affects the consumer emotions, buying behavior and the time spent (Kellaris, J. & Kent R. 1994), (A.c.
North, Hargreave DJ, and J. McKendrick, 1997) . In this study, will assume auditory sensory stimuli, like
the music affect consumer perception, emotions/ feelings and buying behavior.
Olfactory Sensory
“People could close their eyes to greatness, to horrors, to beauty, and their ears to melodies or
deceiving words. But they couldn't escape scent. For scent was a brother of breath. Together
with breath it entered human beings, who couldn't defend themselves against it, not if they
wanted to live. And scent entered into their very core, went directly to their hearts, and decided
for good and all between affection and contempt, disgust and lust, love and hate. He who ruled
scent ruled the hearts of men” Patrick Süskind, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer

Why odor information might be recognized over time versus other sensory cues? It’s vital to
understand the relation between memory and olfactory sensory. The relation goes back to the
physical relation between it. The limbic system, containing the olfactory bulb, amygdala, and
hippocampus, is characterized by quick synaptic transfers among its members (Rachel Herz, 1997).
The olfactory bulb and amygdala are connected with 2 synapses only, which are responsible to
generate & define the emotional memory (Cahill, Babinsky, Markowitsch, & McGaugh, 1995).

Another 3 synapses connect the olfactory and the hippocamps this causes additional solid
relation, and that’s what make the olfactory differ from other sense as none have this direct
connection with hippocamps which has a major role in learning and memory. Hence, human
bean are able to distinguish scents they have exposed to it over very long time.

Even though retailers did recognize the value of scents and its impact on consumers, it’s hard to
create the relevant smell in a retail store atmosphere and to associate with the financial aspects of
the buyer (A. mattila & J Writz 2001). Aromas affect emotions and affect buying behavior, as enjoyable
aromas motivate the brand memory, variety seeking, and shopper awareness (R. Orth & Bourrain -
2011). Furthermore, there is indication that consistent smells affect consumer perception and
influence thoughtful consumers. This emphasizes the value of the suitable scent and its
consequence according to shop design, product classifications and targeted consumers (Leenders,
Smidts, El Haji, 2016).

Environment scents can influence consumer buying behavior, emotions. enjoyable scent can also
stimulate the consumer memory, awareness and variety seeking (Michon, R., Chebat, C., and Turley, L. 2005)
This study assuming aromas influence consumer perception, feelings and buying behavior.
Haptics Sensory

“She has a warm personality, he is tough person, they are hard to communicate with, he
is cold like ice, she is tender like a rose”

Personality, emotional & physical status are usually described by haptic features. Haptic sensory
make us feel our presence, as we touch things or another human bean, we feel ourselves touching
and they do.

“It’s the core sensory for any personal or intimate experience”

Haptic sensory is the first sense we start to explore even before we are born inside the womb, we
start to touch ourselves and respond back if we felt a touch, it’s also the last sense we lose with
age. Earlier researches indicate that consumers are welling to touch the products in the
evaluating phase. Consumer practice touching the products when trying to gather more
knowledge and information. Haptic sensory stimuli can be measured through 3 different aspects:
touch, humidity & temperature. (Malnar & Vodvarka, 2004). touch provided a true picture of the
intrinsic nature of the object, ( Krishna A, 2011)

Experimental research examines the baby monkey desire level

for a mother's touch or milk? he found that the monkeys
prefer to stay close to a surrogate cloth mother than a wire
mother where the cloth mother provides warmth and the wire
mother provides nutrition. (H. Harry F., 1959)

Although prior studies indicate the important of the haptic sensory stimuli in physical
environment, the approach to occur the haptic stimuli remains strange and unfamiliar for the
retailers and designers. (J. Song, 2009)

This study assuming stimulate haptic sense influence consumer perception, feelings and buying
behavior.
Taste Sensory

Tasting food is a complex of multi-sensory stimuli, feeling its texture, temperature, hearing the
chewing echo, tasting the flavor, its enjoyable mutli-sensory experience. However, people can
only differentiate between the 4 basic tastes, sweetened, salted, bitter and sour. The real question
is how people differentiate between more sophistication flavors? The truth, is that each flavor
from lemonade to cocoa to beer to ice cream is multi-sensory experience the way it visually
appeal to us, the way it smells, its texture and how it feels in the mouth, the way it sounds in the
chew process. Although eating is a non-stop process and occur on hourly bases, but the fact is
that we are bad when it comes to differentiate between the flavors based on the sense of taste
alone. (Rachel s.h, 2007).

Our capability to differentiate between different flavors is controlled by the limited ability to
identify different flavors which is only the 4 basic tastes. Hence, what we call it tasty might have
no relation to the taste of it, for example our likeness might occur for different scenes stimuli
such as the dynamite shrimp in the Asian cuisine seasoned with chili spices in the fact spicy
food stimulate the thrill consciousness and stimulate the trigeminal sense which is linked to the
touch sense, it’s the same scenario when we feel the cool of menthol gum. The desire to eat
crunchy snakes is based on the haptic and auditory stimuli. (Rachel s.h, 2007).Is evidence that many
factors can influence the taste as its affected by many external factors, such as the physical
features, product name, info, & packaging (Stephen & young, 1987).

Earlier studies indicate that the color of a drink can affect the consumer taste perception of it. In
other studies its indicated that product name/ brand along with its description are also affecting
the consumer taste perception of a product (Krishna A, 2011) For ex. the foreign products names like
French names were more attractive to consumers in dairy products.

This study assuming taste sense influence consumer perception, feelings and buying behavior.
4.2.2 Methodology and Hypothesis
Based on the prior studies and the literature reviews, an guideline to develop the framework
specify the value of designing multi-sensory stimuli in retail shop environment in the aspect of
its influence on consumer perception, feeling and buying behavior, questions and hypothesis to
test that theory. Hence, this research is designed based on the desire to explore how multi-
sensory stimuli influence the consumer perception, emotions & purchase behavior.

Below model is contouring the multi-sensory stimuli, emotions via valence, arousal and buying
behavior, in purchase and time aspect.

Multi-sensory stimuli influence on feelings/ emotions (valence & arousal)

The multi-sensory stimulants have influence emotional state of the consumers, prior studies
confirm and support that any manipulation change in the store environment brought a major
change in the consumer’s emotions.

The consumer’s emotional state affected by two variables frequently known as the pleasure and
arousal. Many researches and studies confirm that implementation of the multi-sensory
stimulants in the store atmosphere have huge impact on consumer emotions & behavior.

On the basis of above dialogue, the following hypotheses are developed:

H1. Multi-sensory stimuli affect consumer valence level at retail point of purchase.
H2. Multi-sensory stimuli affect consumer arousal level at retail point of purchase.
Multi-sensory influence on buying behavior: (time & purchase)
Mehrabian-Russell model indicates that the retail environment multi-sensory experience
stimulants have a major impact on customer behavior during shopping, it also influences buying
behavior of consumers in the time spent in the store aspect. The prior studies present the
significant results about the purchase behavior of the consumers in the manipulation store
environment (Miralem Helmefalk & Bertil Hultén, 2017)

The research is performed to discover the answer of the question:

Q; Is purchase intention of consumer influenced by the emotional level of his/her?

Purchase behavior is quantified via consumer intention to purchase again.

H3. Multi-sensory stimuli affect consumer purchase behavior at retail (POP)
H4. customer time spent have good impact on purchasing process in a retail.

5. Type of research design

“It’s the process of turning the research design question into a research project”
Robson Colin
Based on the above conducted exploratory research which consist of the literature review and
secondary data analysis, I was able to identify the problem, develop an approach to it, and raise
questions along with hypothesizes and I would recommend conducting a descriptive research,
since the research aim to understand the consumer behavior and perception in relation to multi-
sensory stimuli in retail environment experiences.
Due to the time and budget constrains it’s not possible to conduct a longitudinal research to dive
into the matter by using observational techniques in order to repeat the measures from the same
sample over different times as this type of research will rise the research accuracy level and
detect the changes. In order to save time and cost, the research will be a mix nature consist of a
descriptive and casual research since the needed data can be conducted through experiment &
questionnaire survey. The study objective is to identify the impact of multi-sensory stimuli in
retail environment in relation to the time spent and purchase behavior. This Theoretical
framework and previous model enable me to formulate 4 hypotheses that are tested and
measured in five field experiments.
 6. Experiment Field
I choose (RITUALS Cosmetics) a Dutch retail store with a natural inspiration for home and body
cosmetics products, located in Dubai shopping mall, UAE which is the largest mall in the world .
The nature sounds were played in the background at a modest (ocean, forest, birds). A woody aroma
was diffused in air. A texture experience was already provided in the store atmosphere. Visual
aesthetic was existing and dominant in the shop environment in this field experiment, green matcha
tea where provided to the consumer, the experiment should occur at none-promotional period.

Visual Olfactory Haptic - Testing product textures &

Existing visual sense dominance Perfume aroma store surfaces
atmosphere
7. Data collection
Information to be obtained and how (Chapters 4-5-6)
There are two methods for collecting quantitative data in a descriptive research,
1. Survey: information is collected by questioning the respondent.
2. Observational: information obtained by observing behavior.

As stated earlier observational method might be more suitable but due to the time, cost and
resources constrains, I have chosen a questionnaire and experimental survey method.

SOR-model of Mehrabian and Russell (1974)

8. Hypotheses Testing.
Table indicates the chosen methods specifically for each hypothesis testing.
 Hypothesis Methods Status

H1 Multi-sensory stimuli affect consumer valence To be continue Accepted or Not

level at retail point of purchase.
H2 Multi-sensory stimuli affect consumer arousal To be continue Accepted or Not
level at retail point of purchase.
H3 Multi-sensory stimuli affect consumer purchase To be continue Accepted or Not
behavior at retail (POP)
H4 Customer time spent have good impact on To be continue Accepted or Not
purchasing process in a retail.

9. Questionnaire administering method, Scaling techniques

330 Questionnaire need to be distributed (mall-intercept interviews) to collect response from
respondents. Data need to be collected during weekdays at the store, the questionnaire needs to
be given for respondent before they leave the store. Small sample of questionnaire might take
place as pilot/ pretest to check if there is any error in the questionnaire, if yes then a modification
to the questionnaire is needed, if not then we can proceed. Free products testers would be a
motivation technique for respondent to answer questions. The scale of the questionnaire is based
on the Likert scale approach, measuring either positive or negative response to a statement. Or if
the person agree/ disagree

9.1 The nature of the questionnaire

Its divided into 3 parts, based on the hypothesis 1 st part is classification questions, 2 nd part is related to the
sensory stimuli and 3rd part examine the purchase buying behavior. Questions from 1 to 4 are
classification questions. Question number 1 and 2 are collected to provide demographic information on
the respondent (age & gender). Questions 3 and 4 are multiple choices type. Questions 5 to 7 are
measured on 10-point scale. The purpose of these questions is to find consumers perception towards each
sensory experience they were exposed to it in the retail environment. Question 8 & 9 is aimed to specify
the relation between the multi-sensory stimuli and the time spent, question 10 & 11 aimed to specify the
relation between the multi-sensory stimuli and the purchase behavior (time & spent)
9.2 Questionnaire

1. Your Gender
o Male
o Female

2. Your Age
o 15 to 25
o 26 to 30
o 31 to 40
o 41 to 50
o 50 to 60
o Above 60

3. How frequently you visit the shop?

o More than once a week
o 2 to 3 time in a month
o Others

4. How long do you stay?

o 0-10 min
o 10 – 20 min
o 20 – 30 min
o More than 30 min

5. What do you think of the store environment?

1 don’t agree, 10 totally agree

o Appealing Unappealing
o Dark Bright
o Fast tempo music Slow tempo music
o Heavy aroma smells Light aroma smell
Taste of the green mocha tea
o Pleasant Unpleasant
Product and surface texture experience
o Limited Unlimited
 6. What is your opinion on the below – emotions aspect?
1 don’t agree, 10 totally agree

o I like the space layout

o I like the lighting of the store
o I like the shop interior design
o The space design, lighting, and color motivate me to stay longer time

o I like the touching surfaces and products process

o Music on the background has affected me positively

o I enjoy the mocha green tea taste

o I like the aroma in the shop

7. Store environment have affected my emotions

1 don’t agree, 10 totally agree

8. What is your opinion on the below – time aspect?

1 don’t agree, 10 totally agree
o Store design affect the time I spent in the store

o Touching experience affect the time I spent in the store

o Music on the background affect the time I spent in the store

o Green mocha tea affected the time I spent in the store

o The shop aroma affected the time I spent in the store

 9. Store environment affect the time I spent in the store
1 don’t agree, 10 totally agree

10. What is your opinion on the below – purchase aspect?

o Store design affect my purchase in the store

o Touching experience affect my purchase in the store

o Music on the background affect my purchase in the store

o Green mocha tea affected my purchase in the store

o The shop aroma affected my purchase in the store

11. Store environment affect my purchase in the store

1 don’t agree, 10 totally agree

9.3 Sampling plan & sampling size

The is 2 types of sampling:
1. non-probability sampling
2. probability sampling.
Probability sampling techniques are more accurate, in this study, we need to examine the multi-sensory
experience influence on the consumer emotions, buying behavior and the time spent. The target
respondent for the survey need to be both female and male consumers shopping at the chosen store
(Rituals) in Dubai Mall store, 15yrs and above. therefore, I have considered a Judgmental sampling, due
to the low cost and less time consuming.
It’s also beneficial to collect data through different platform such online channels using the Rituals data
base, and social media platforms.
10. Fieldwork/ Data Collection

This part of the study is based quantitative approach and the required data need to be collected and
evaluated, these data can be categorized into two types, primary data and secondary data, the primary data
is collected through different channels such observations, focus groups, interviews, and surveys, in this
research I chose to conduct a questionnaire, administrating in a mall-intercept interviews, the required
data can be collected through online platforms by collaborating with the store management to provide the
contact details needed for the consumers who did purchase at the selected store while the multi-sensory
stimulant where provided.

This method have its advantages such as reducing time, cutting cost, and resources, but since the study
involves consumer feelings, emotions and multi-sensory stimuli in the store atmosphere, I prefer to
conduct the required data right after the purchase to have more accurate feedback from the respondent.

Therefore, the field work will be subcontracted to a fieldwork agency and with a close supervision from
my side to ensure high quality of data collection procedure, by:

1. Selection and training of the fieldworkers.

2. Supervision of worker who collect the data. (QC, Sampling & cheating control)
3. Validation and evaluation of fieldwork.

In the other hand secondary data is conducted through previous related researches, books, journals,
studies, on the same topic or one of the topic keywords, using online searching engines Google scholar,
scopus journal, Elsevier Journal, Wikipedia, etc.
11. Data Analysis

11.1 Data Preparation Process

 Questionnaire checking – completed, qualified participant, collecting date
 Editing – assigning missing values, returning to the Field
 Coding – codebook, code questionnaire
 Data transcribing
 Data c leaning
 Statistically adjusting the data

Once the data is checked, edited, cleaned and entered we need to select a data analysis strategy, selecting
the strategy will be based on the earlier research process, characteristics of the data, properties of
statistical techniques, and my background.

Several types of data analysis methods can be conducted to have a better insight to the collected data via
SPSS software. Consumer information, demographic & shopping patterns would be assessed by
descriptive statistics. It is also important to ensure the questionnaire reliability, in particular Likert-scale
ones, to test scale consistency.

SEM will be applied as its popular to use in psychological & social science. SEM will recognize the
relation between several variables, this will allow to evaluate hypothesized and quantify the impact of
latent variables. However, there is few things we need to consider when we are using SEM (check below
table)

SEM Fitness Relationships among variables Impact of size among

variables

 Absolute fitness index  Independent variable: When β ≦ 0.10

 Relative fitness index 4 sensory stimuli When 0.11 ≦ β ≦ 0.25,
 Simple fitness index  Mediator variable: When β > 0.25,
Emotional state
 Dependent variable:
Purchase intention

11.2 Reliability & validity

Are the testing tools for enhancing the veracity of evaluation. different kinds of researches, like
quantitative and qualitative, reliability and validity can reveal various meanings.
12. Findings
This part outline findings based on quantitative data, these data will be analyzed by SEM.

12.1 Response
The questionnaire was collected with the help sub-contracted surveyor. The whole responses were
gathered from the store in one weeks in the period of (…). After the collecting process, the results can be
converted directly to SPSS for further use. The total 330 responses will be collected during the time
frame. Any incomplete responses will be deleted or if it didn’t match with the study targets respondent ex.
males under 15 yrs old.

12.2 Reliability Summary

In order to evaluate the reliability of the Likert-scale questions of the designed questionnaire. Cronbach’s
alpha to be conducted to check internal consistency of these scale questions.

Question Cronbach’s alpha No. of items

Evaluation of store environment 0.-- -
Evaluation of emotion states 0.-- -
Evaluation of time aspect 0.-- -
Evaluation of purchase pattern 0.-- -
Conclusion:

12.3 Respondent Introduction

Items Response Distirbution Percentage

(330)
Gender Female -- --
Male -- --
Age 15 to 25 -- --
26 to 30 -- --
31 to 40 -- --
41 to 50 -- --
51 to 60 -- --
Above 60 -- --
Purchase Pattern More than once a week -- --
2-3 times I a month -- --
Other -- --
Conclusion:

12.4 Descriptive Information

Will be analyzed with cross tabulation, consumers purchasing rate (n=330)
 Purchase time How long do you stay?
0 - 10 min -- --
10 - 20 min -- --
20 – 30 min -- --
More than 30 mon -- --
Conclusion:

12.5 Results of Structural Equation Model

The SEM need to be conducted to study conceptual model & hypotheses. This study intends to value the
impact of sensory stimuli on consumers emotions & buying behavior. maximum likelihood method would
be applied to test the degree of fitness between the parameters & the model.

12.6 Results
Based on above, results need to summary relations between variable & path coefficient.
Relation path coefficient P
Direct Effect -- -- --
Indirect Effect -- -- --
Direct & Indirect -- -- --

12.7 Based on The Above Hypotheses Will Be Tested as Below

● Hypothesis H1a, H2a, H3a, H4a test

Hypothesis Methods Status

H1 Multi-sensory stimuli affect consumer valence To be continue Accepted or Not

level at retail point of purchase.
H2 Multi-sensory stimuli affect consumer arousal To be continue Accepted or Not
level at retail point of purchase.
H3 Multi-sensory stimuli affect consumer purchase To be continue Accepted or Not
behavior at retail (POP)
H4 Customer time spent have good impact on To be continue Accepted or Not
purchasing process in a retail.

12.8 Hypotheses Findings

Based on the above hypotheses results, will reveals hypotheses conclusions.

13. Discussion & Conclusion will be provided here

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