The Effects Of Stores' External Environments On Initial Impressions

Consumers will not browse stores randomly, even when they are in an unfamiliar retail agglomeration. What determines whether they approach or avoid an unfamiliar store? The previous knowledge of store image suggests that consumers'store choice decisions depend on their initial impressions of stores based on stores'external environments. But how do stores'external environments influence an individual's initial impression of a store? Besides, store image not only includes cognitive contents, but also includes affective contents. Especially when the availability of psychological resources is constrained, such as mental stress or mental fatigue, the consumer's store choice decision is influenced primarily by affect rather than by cognition. And it is very common that consumers with mental stress or mental fatigue expose to unfamiliar stores. Therefore, how do the external environments influence these consumers'initial affect toward stores?Considering this, the present study examined the influence of external store environments on individuals'initial impressions of a retail store. The author brought insights from research on aesthetic preference, mental recovery and store image development to the study of consumers'initial impressions of retail stores. Four hypotheses for the mechanism of the initial impression development were proposed, based on these ideas. First the author expected stores with low-load external environments to be affectively evaluated more positively than stores with high-load external environments. Second, the author anticipated that exposure to low-load external store environments would be associated with greater recovery from mental stress and mental fatigue than exposure to high-load external store environments. Third, the author expected preferences for stores with low-load external environments over stores with high-load external environments to be mediated by differences in measured recovery from mental stress and mental fatigue between these environments. Finally, the author tested for the moderating role of the degree of excessive arousal. Because the author expected that highly stressed and highly fatigued individual would be more sensitive to opportunities for recovery than less stressed and less fatigued individuals, he hypothesized that the intensity of negative changes in affect from the stress manipulation and cognition from the fatigued manipulation would be positively related to preferences for stores with low-load environments, and negatively related to preferences for high-load environments.To test these hypotheses, two experiments were designed. In each experiment, between-subjects design was adopted. There were two stages in the experiments. At the first stage, some stores were rated by a dependent sample of subjects on their degree of complexity and order. Low-load and high-load store environments were chosen as experimental stimuli in the following stage. At the second stage, there were three sessions. Subjects were randomly assigned to the two conditions (i.e., low-load external environments and high-load external environments) for the mental stress experiment. In the first session, they gave baseline ratings on their mood states. After providing the initial ratings, they accepted stress treatment and went on to complete the mood state measures for the second time. Next, subjects watched one set of photographs representing stores with low-load external environments or stores with high-load external environments. After watching these photographs, they first rated store affect and then completed the mood states scale for the third time. Another sample of subjects completed a concentration test in the first session. After completing the test, they accepted fatigue treatment and completed the test for the second time. They then watched store pictures with low-load external environments and high-load external environments. They first rated store affect and then completed the test for the third time in the third session.The results of the present study showed that stores with low-load external environment were affectively evaluated more positively than stores with high-load external store environment. Therefore, hypothesis 1 was supported. Low-load external environment were further found to produce greater recovery effects than high-load external environment. Specifically, exposure to low-load external environments was associated with more positively toned changes in affective states and better concentration performance than exposure to high-load external environments. Therefore, hypothesis 2 was supported. The mediation hypothesis was then tested. Stronger store affects were found to be positively associated with greater mental recovery, even when external environment load was statistically held constant. Furthermore, differences in store affect between low-load external environments and high-load external environments were significantly reduced, after recovery effects were statistically cancelled. Therefore, hypothesis 3 was supported. Theoretically, the relation between store affect and mental recovery also suggests that affect toward stores with low-load external store environments should be more stronger among highly stressed and/or highly fatigued individuals for they are more in need of recovery . In line with this, it was found that high level stress and high level fatigue were associated with stronger affect toward stores with low-load environments and less affect toward stores with high-load external environments. Therefore, hypothesis 4 was supported.Based on the initial impression development theory, the results of the present experimental study and the discussion, the author stated the conclusions as follows: individuals'initial impressions of stores are influenced by the level of external environment load of stores. Stores with low-load external environments are preferred over stores with high-load external environment; the effects of external environment on store affect are partially mediated by perceptions of positive changes in mood states and improvements on concentration performance. Furthermore, the relation between external environment load and store affect are moderated by the degree of mental stress and mental fatigue. In high stress and mental fatigue conditions, the relation is more closely associated than that in low stress and mental fatigue conditions.The present study adds to the previous theory of store image development by providing an alternative explanation for the development of consumers'initial impressions of stores, which has been supported by the two experimental studies. We did not know how the external environments influence consumers'initial impressions of stores, although the initial impression of an unfamiliar store determines an individual's choice of it, and stores'external environments are very important. Therefore, the present study fills the void left by the literature.