The role of culture and purchasing power parity in shaping mall-shoppers’ profiles

Abstract

Global mall managers and retailers need to recognize and address variations among groups of shoppers, particularly how they vary between countries, to optimize their global operations. Despite many international mall-shopper studies, only few have compared countries using uniform constructs and descriptors. The present study sought to compare shopper segments from four countries––England, France, Ghana, and Morocco––to examine the impact of national culture (reflected through Hofstede's individualism/collectivism, uncertainty avoidance, long-/short-term orientation, and indulgence/restraint) and economic capacity (purchasing power parity) on shopper behavior. Findings suggest that culture shapes the nature of shoppers' profiles. However, purchase behavior and spending rates impacted more by culture in rich countries and more by the economic situation in poor countries. The implication is that international retailers and mall managers should consider national culture as well as economic factors in their global operations.