Research On Relationship Between Shopping Mall Environment And Shopping Outcomes Based On Consumer Shopping Values

Since the mid-1990s, along with new industry business modes and new retail forms emerged in China, shopping malls (also called shopping center) which maintain the traditional retail mode are in more and more difficult situations, retail sale proportion of shopping malls in Chinese retailing is decreasing. As rapid economic development of China, Chinese consumers show a series of new characters, including: spending power significantly improved, consumption structure upgraded, brand consciousness enhanced, consumption ways became diverse and experience demands increased, these facts bring new ideas to mall managers, also offer more development opportunities for shopping malls. How to survive and develop in such a grim competitive environment is an important and serious issue which mall managers must deal with. Shopping malls must seek for differentiated and personalized developing ways.Facts show that shopping malls rely solely on the provision of basic shopping products and services are very difficult to win in the competition, how to get consumers'self-identity, continually possess consumer resources are the keys of success. In recent years, in the new market environment, the level of consumer spending in China increased significantly, consumer ideas and attitudes changed dramatically, the essential reason is consumer shopping values changed. In order to meet consumers'increasingly diverse demands, get more recognition, shopping malls must pay attention to the different shopping values consumers represent during their shopping process, adjust marketing strategies, regard mall environment and play the advantages compared to other retail forms, so as to enhance marketing performance. Presently, whether in research or practical areas, research of shopping mall environment and consumer shopping values is quite little, while the western countries have started these research for decades, although their research is abundant, research based on Chinese data is of high value and innovation. What is the characteristic of Chinese consumers'shopping value? How do shopping values affect shopping outcomes? Do shopping mall environment affect shopping values? These studies help mall managers to identify consumers'different shopping values, offer suggestions to mall environment improvement, so as to effectively improve mall marketing performance. It has important practical significance for shopping malls to get sustained and rapid development.Based on the above ideas, related theory and research, we set variables of shopping mall environment, utilitarian shopping value, hedonic shopping value, consumer satisfaction, visiting frequency and day spending in a frame system, built up conceptual model including mall environment, shopping values and outcomes, bring forward hypotheses, analyze relationships between variables, then we test the hypotheses in empirical way and discuss the result, show the theoretical and practical value of our research. The main study includes the following sections:First, analyzing and summarizing related theories and literatures. Mall environment literature review includes several retail organization change theories, competition categories and five parts of shopping mall environment, the classification and explanation of mall environment is the base of our environment improvement suggestions; literature review of shopping values includes the customer value theory, consumer purchase motivation, utilitarian shopping value and hedonic shopping value, utilitarian and hedonic shopping values are the key variables in our research; literature review of shopping outcomes includes consumer satisfaction, visiting frequency and day spending, the review provide ideas in conceptual model constructing.Second, we construct a conceptual model of mall environment, shopping values, shopping outcomes, and we bring forward hypotheses about the relationships between different variables. Based on related theories and literatures, we choose shopping mall environment, utilitarian shopping value, hedonic shopping value, satisfaction, visiting frequency and day spending as research variables to construct conceptual model and bring forward 15 hypotheses to be tested.Third, the empirical research. First of all we develop scales through Exploratory Factor Analysis(EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis(CFA) which reached the level of reliability and validity standard. Secondly, we do the descriptive statistical analysis of all variables, and do ANOVA of the background variables and shopping values. Then we use AMOS test conceptual model and the hypotheses, result shows that of all the 15 hypotheses, 10 of them pass the test while 5 of them fail. Last, we discuss the results; analyze the theoretical and practical significance. According to the hypotheses pass the test, we analyze the enlightenment; According to the hypotheses fail to pass the test, we analyze the reasons considering the typical situation in China.Fourth, based on the empirical research findings and the new characters of Chinese consumers, considering the actual situation of shopping malls in China, we bring forward holistic marketing strategies and environment improving suggestions.To sum up, we have got several conclusions: perceived mall environment significantly affect consumer utilitarian and hedonic shopping value positively; utilitarian shopping value significantly affect visiting frequency and day spending positively; hedonic shopping value significantly affect satisfaction positively while satisfaction significantly affect visiting frequency positively; demographic variables affect consumers'shopping values, men's utilitarian shopping value is significantly higher than women's; utilitarian shopping value increases significantly while consumers get older; education affect hedonic shopping value significantly, the higher the education is, the higher hedonic shopping value consumers have; working status significantly affect hedonic shopping value, consumers have more spare time have higher level of hedonic shopping value; Finally, based on the empirical analysis results, considering the actual situation of shopping malls in China and consumers'new characters, we first bring forward holistic marketing improving strategies, including: creating integrated business enterprise, establishing multi-format business mode; bringing in high level brands, emphasizing brand marketing; extending experience marketing, offer personalized atmosphere. Then we bring forward differentiated and Multivariate mall environment improving suggestions to meet the needs of consumers with different shopping values, so as to enhance the competitiveness of the mall.In this study, besides the review of existing theories and literatures, we have carried out some innovations, such as: first, based on exiting research of mall environment, shopping values and outcomes, considering the actual situation of Chinese shopping malls, we construct conceptual model and test it through empirical research; secondly, through the review of related research, we successfully develop scales of shopping mall environment, consumer shopping values and satisfaction, and test them with empirical data; finally, considering the new characters of Chinese consumers, the author brings forward the holistic marketing improving strategies and environment improving suggestions, which is a new attempt.