EFFECT OF STORE AMBIENCE ON PATRONAGE OF SHOPPING MALLS: A STUDY OF EVERY DAY SUPER MARKET, PORT HARCOURT

Abstract

Our study on effect of store ambience on patronage of shopping malls drew an empirical analysis of Every Day Super Market. The population of the study was given as 1200 and sample size as 300 via Taro Yemen’s statistics. The non probability convenience sampling was used in arriving at the sample, and descriptive survey was adopted with questionnaire as the major instrument for data collection. The study was guided by three research questions and three hypotheses. The parametric student t-test statistics was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. In course of the study it was found and held among others that there is significant relationship between music tunes and customer purchase intentions in shopping malls. There is significant relationship between store scent and customer repeat patronage of shopping malls, and that there is significant relationship between store lightings and customer loyalty to shopping malls. Consequently, the following recommendations among others were put forward: That owners and managers of retail outlets should effectively utilize ambience to showcase to their customers what their stores, thereby communicating and creating right image of the store in the minds of their customers. That efforts should be geared towards shopping experience which replete with sights, sounds of background music, with different colors and cozy environment present in the store as to ultimately creates a lasting impression in the minds of the customers that encourages repeat purchase cum customer loyalty. The study strongly recommend regular training of retail outlet staff to adequately orientate them procedures and specific schemes that suits customer needs satisfaction, display needed courtesy for a wonderful customer experience having trained and motivated staff.