Exploring the internal antecedents that prompt consumers’ impulsive behaviour in experiential retail contexts

Miriam-Miri Retief,Alet C Erasmus,Daniel J Petzer

doi:10.4102/ac.v18i1.597

Abstract

Orientation: Experiential settings are becoming more popular to differentiate conventional brick-and-mortar retailing which now faces fierce competition from multiple other retail platforms.Research purpose: The study aims to identify and explain the internal driving forces that positively predict consumers’ impulsive behaviour in experiential retail settings.Research design, approach and method: This quantitative investigation entailed a retrospective assessment of consumers’ experiences at diverse experiential retailers. An electronic survey approach enabled the collection of 402 usable questionnaires based on a purposive sampling technique whereby a heterogeneous sample of consumers 18 years and above who have visited one of the identified experiential retailers were recruited. Stepwise regression analyses were conducted to test the hypothesised relationships between the independent and dependent variables.Main findings: Results suggest that consumers’ mood and emotions, adventure, gratification and social shopping motives as well as their desire for recreation are conducive to certain impulsive behavioural outcomes, namely irresistible desire creation, impulsive purchases and impulsive participation. A significant finding is that impulsive actions are not necessarily preceded by an irresistible urge. However, the urge to act on impulse is regarded a separate impulsive behavioural outcome.Practical/managerial implications: Impulsive behaviour should be regarded as a valuable outcome in terms of an understanding of consumers’ behaviour in experiential retail contexts. Not only does it offer retailers competitive advantage possibilities but it also constitutes more satisfying experiences for consumers.Contribution/value-add: A theoretical contribution is made in terms of an integration of literature on experiential retail and impulsive behaviour.

Highlights

The nature of consumer decisions ranges from simple to very complex, and the time devoted to the decision process will vary
Unlike traditional retail stores that are primarily focused on selling products or services to consumers, it is not uncommon for experiential retailers to exclude these from their retail strategy. This implies that consumers might not necessarily be able to follow through with the impulsive behavioural process as set out by Kim (2003) as the unavailability of merchandise will impede the result of impulse purchases
The absence of a significant relationship with irresistible desire despite the depicted significant relationship with impulse purchases and impulse participation indicates that an irresistible desire does not necessarily precede a consumer’s impulsive behavioural actions

Summary

Introduction

The nature of consumer decisions ranges from simple to very complex, and the time devoted to the decision process will vary . Authors have tried to compile a complexity continuum to differentiate products in terms of the complexity associated with particular decisions to explain consumers’ behaviour in the marketplace when dealing with different product categories (Erasmus, Donoghue & Dobbelstein 2014). When discussing differences in the complexity that are associated with different purchase decisions, impulsive decisions are not accounted for (Erasmus et al 2014). Impulsive purchase decisions are made on the spot, without prior meditation or deliberation (Bayley & Nancarrow 1998; Rook & Fisher 1995; Saad & Metawie 2015; Sharma, Sivakumaran & Marshall 2010). Impulsive purchases are unique in that they are based on stimulated interest and emotion that may even become http://www.actacommercii.co.za

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