Reassessing the pleasures of store shopping
Introduction
Consumers continue to carry out shopping at stores even in the presence of other alternative ways. This prompted the research to unveil the reasons behind the shopping choices by different consumers. In the build up to the research, a concrete literature review revealed six possible reasons why consumers shop at brick stores or malls. The six reasons presented include; bargain hunting, social interaction/mingling, sensory stimulation, window shopping/browsing, attention directed towards the shopper/being pampered and kinesthetic experiences. The research was conducted to confirm if the above proposals had any influence in choices made by the consumers in relation to shopping. It was also designed to determine if the reasons for their choices were related to other variable like age and income.
Description of the study population
The subjects used for this research were 1369 women randomly chosen from various organizations. These constituted of women from different religious, senior citizens, teachers and parents groups from Midwestern metropolitan area, which host a population of approximately one million citizens. The sample contained women aged 18 and over, projecting the median at the age of 44. Two fifths of the sample population was employed outside their premises, 84% were whites and the group had an income median of $40000. Within the sample, almost have of the women had minor children, two fifths had college level education and two thirds were married.
Methods used
Questionnaires were used to unfold the hidden truth as per requirements of this research. Women participating in this study were required to fill the questionnaires during the planned meetings of the groups. As a way of motivation, $1 was provided to the sample members for each fully completed questionnaire. Those who had completed the questionnaire were entered into a draw for a chance to win $250. The questionnaires presented to the sample population were structured in a manner that it had 25 statements to give a clear and extensive examination of the six proposed reasons influencing consumer choices in relation to shopping. The study agents were to rate the statements in a six-point Likert scale.
Evaluation of the tool used
In order to show the relationship between the 6 proposals and the 25 statements provided in the questionnaire, a confirmatory factor analysis was conducted. This verification was done using asymptotically distribution-free estimates. The respondent rated eight statements low, hence discarded from the list. Chi-test was then applied to determine the significance and validity of the results or correlation between the proposals and the statements. Discriminant validity test was carried out on three occasions; each proposal-statement relationship was constrained to equal one, estimation of the confidence interval in each relationship, and the examination of the average variance of statement-proposal relationship. ANOVA test was applied to determine the degree of enjoyment experiences during shopping across different groups or classes within the society. The tools proved to be effective as they attained the required results.
Summary of the findings
The findings of this research revealed that most women enjoyed vast variety of the six proposals under certain degrees of enjoyment. Bargaining experience came first with the largest degree of enjoyment, followed by window shopping/browsing, being pampered, sensory stimulation, kinesthetic experiences and mingling/social interaction in that order. The research also revealed that browsing experience is prominent in lowest income groups and bargain enjoyment is high in the high-income groups. It also confirmed that women with children enjoy little shopping experiences and childless shoppers enjoy the highest degree of mingling experiences. The elderly enjoys the kind of attention they receive from the shop attendants while the young enjoys window-shopping most.
Evaluation of the work
This research meets the necessary standards required for the development of quality research. It clearly illustrates the statement problem, extensive literature review, methods of the study, sample population, findings, discussion and conclusion based on the research subject. This research presents exclusive evidence and confirmation of the pleasures enjoyed in store shopping thus can be a vital research tool for other researchers intending to carry out research in the same field.
Reference
Cox, A., Cox D. & Anderson, R. D. (2005). Reassessing the Pleasures of Store Shopping.
Journal of Business Research, 58, 250-259.
