The role of sense of place in mediating the influence of shopping area characteristics on shopping behaviour

Staging experiences for consumers is considered crucial by retailers for the creation of economic value. Previous studies have indicated an important relationship between individual’s emotional responses to a retail setting and consumer behaviour, such as time- and money expenditures. Considering the important role of emotions in shopping behaviour, and the emotion-eliciting qualities of retail environments, it is hypothesized that a consumer’s experience of a sense of place might play an important role in consumer shopping behaviour. However, the relationship between sense of place and shopping behaviour within shopping areas has not yet been fully explored in current literature. The main objective of this research is therefore to examine the role of sense of place in mediating the relationship between shopping area appreciation and shopping behaviour. In this study, individual characteristics, situational characteristics, and personality traits of consumers are hypothesized to moderate the relationship between shopping area appreciation and sense of place. Additionally, these characteristics might also moderate the relationship between a consumer’s experience of a sense of place and shopping behaviour. For this study survey data is collected among consumers at three shopping areas in the Amsterdam region. During a time-period of three weeks, 380 shoppers have completed the survey. Preliminary analyses of the data include bivariate analyses, mediation analysis and moderation analysis using multiple linear regression models. The first results indicate that shopping area characteristics indirectly influence consumer shopping behaviour by stimulating the experience of a sense of place. The extent to which consumers experience a sense of place positively stimulates time expenditures, money expenditures, store visits, use of food- & drink options, and social contacts. These findings regarding shopping behaviour hint towards an important role for the concept of sense of place in shopping behaviour. The final paper will discuss findings of a path analysis in which these preliminary analyses will be integrated. The paper will discuss the implications of these findings and recommendations for shopping area management.