Impact of Retail Disarray and Neatness on Shopper In-Store Behaviors

Abstract

This two essays dissertation proposes that an in-store display condition continuum––from disarrayed to neatly organized––exists as a function of consumers touching product displays in stores and store employees straightening the impacted displays, and that shopping behavior is negatively impacted at both the neat and disarray ends of the display condition continuum. This dissertation examines the interaction of visual and haptic sensory stimuli on consumer behaviors while examining folded apparel display, as apparel products are easily disturbed by daily shopping activities from being fabricated from materials not rigid enough to hold shapes. Essay 1 examines the impact of display disarray. Four experiments and a field study in a major retailer demonstrate that color preferences shift and product sales decline significantly for darker, but not brighter, color products when previously touched by others. The conceptual model builds on the contamination, disgust, and color literatures. Essay 2 proposes that some consumers who desire to touch neat product displays also feel anxious and uncomfortable touching neatly organized displays. Four competing theories, which are tested across five studies, are developed from the sociology social identity, social phobia, and social norms literatures, haptic sensory literature, environmental criminology literature, and management and marketing perceived ownership literature. Thus, this research suggests that apparel retailers may benefit by allowing their folded displays to appear slightly touched by shoppers. However, apparel retailers should keep the darker products neatly folded, as product selection and overall product sales decrease when the lower brightness product exhibit cues of being previously touched.