Multi-sensory Consumer Behavior: Designing New In-store Experience

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 15K03753
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Commerce
• Research Institution: Kwansei Gakuin University
• Principal Investigator: SUNAGA Tsutomu 関西学院大学, 商学部, 教授 (20438914)
• Project Period (FY): 2015-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: 消費者行動 / 消費者心理 / 感覚マーケティング / 実験心理学 / 消費者意思決定

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study demonstrated that a display with light (dark) colored products positioned in the upper (lower) shelf positions increased shoppers’ perceptual fluency and facilitated their visual search. Moreover, the lightness-location congruent display was shown to influence people’s choice behavior positively as well. When consumers consider the lightness (in terms of their weight) of the products, they were more likely to choose light (vs. dark) colored products located in the upper shelf positions.
This study also demonstrated that low-frequency (vs. high-frequency) music increased perceived distance. Consequently, Low-frequency (high-frequency) music matched products with abstract (concrete) representations and marketing messages signifying far (near) psychological distance. Moreover, the study provided evidence that supports the congruency → fluency → evaluation chain (i.e., the mediating role of fluency), and showed that the congruency had downstream effects.

Free Research Field

マーケティング

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

異なる感覚間の対応関係に関する研究はマーケティングや消費者行動の分野で始まったばかりであり、本研究で示した成果がその端緒を開くことになるであろう。また、解釈レベル理論と感覚マーケティングという消費者行動研究において近年大きな注目を集めている2つの理論・枠組みを結びつけることで、消費者行動の理解を深化させることができた。
小売業者は、消費者の感覚対応と一致するように店舗内環境をデザインすることによって、買い物のしやすさを改善し、効率化させることで顧客のストレスを低減することができるだろう。