Consumers’ Strategies to Cope with Crowding-Induced Stress: An Abstract

Abstract

In-store crowding—which can result from a high social and/or a high spatial density—is an important physical environment factor that can negatively influence consumer behavior in various ways. It can, e.g., elicit negative emotions, reduce utilitarian and hedonic shopping value, and decrease shopping satisfaction (e.g., Babin et al. 1994; Eroglu and Harrell 1986; Machleit et al. 2000) and consumers’ satisfaction with a store (e.g., Harrell et al. 1980). Moreover, it has been theoretically discussed that perceived crowding can evoke stress (e.g., Machleit et al. 2000) to which consumers may, e.g., respond with a reduction in shopping time or a delay of the purchase decision (Harrell and Hutt 1976; Dion 1999). Although reactions like these can be critical with respect to a retailer’s sales and earnings, only a few potential coping strategies have been empirically examined in previous research. In fact, the concept of crowding has not yet been consistently linked to stress and coping theory. Therefore, we investigate if perceived crowding evokes feelings of stress in terms of threat and challenge emotions when consumers shop for fast-moving consumer goods in supermarkets. Furthermore, we analyze which coping strategies consumers use and examine the mediating effect of cognitive appraisals as proposed by stress theory.