Effects of human crowding and the physical attractiveness of others on customers in stores

Abstract

This study examines how the physical attractiveness of other customers affects consumer emotions and behaviors in the context of human crowding in a fashion store. We propose that consumers store avoidance behaviors due to human crowding are affected by the physical attractiveness of other customers, and explain the mechanism as pleasure based on the S-O-R model. With a 2 (crowding level: high vs low) × 2 (physical attractiveness of other customers: high vs low) ANCOVA of 3D virtual stores, a lab experiment was conducted. Data from a total sample of 137 females was analyzed using SPSS 18.0. Analysis of variance and moderated mediation were performed. Results provide empirical insights about the interactive effect of store crowding and physical attractiveness of other customers on in-store customers avoidance behavior, which is mediated by pleasure. Findings enrich the existing literature on store crowding and provide both theoretical and managerial implications.

对于营销商和零售商来说，越来越多的顾客在逛商店时所造成的拥挤成为了重要的店面环境因素。对店内拥挤的研究表明，拥挤 商店内的人口密度对消费者的影响并不总是消极的。拥挤的商店往往会激发消费者的认同感、竞争情绪和逛商店的欲望。在本项 研究中，我们试图根据其他顾客的特点来解释时装店内人群拥挤对消费者的影响。本文采用3D设计视频进行实证研究，探究其 它消费者的外在吸引在人群拥挤和情感行为反应中所起的调节作用。 拥挤是当感知到个人行为受到各种因素的限制和干扰时产生的一种主观体验，例如一定空间内的人或物体的数量。人群拥挤 的感知基于一定的空间里他人的数量以及他们之间的互动程度。空间拥挤与对顾客造成身体及行为上的限制有关，而人群拥挤的 限制不仅表现在社会干扰方面，还表现在社会互动方面。店内拥挤的相关研究探究了它如何影响购物情绪，趋避行为，购买以及 回购的意向。Hui和Bateson指出，对拥挤的感知通过对控制欲和愉悦心理的感知来影响规避方式的行为。Mehta等发现，由于感 知到商店拥挤所获得的愉悦感和店铺印象，对消费者再次光顾意向会产生积极的影响：当消费者因为店内环境的刺激感知到拥挤 时，他们很难做出购买决定，这有可能会导致逃避行为。店内拥挤已被发现会增加店内顾客的消极情绪。个人空间的缺失，行为