Role of Interior and Exterior Stores Visual Merchandising on Consumers’ Impulsive Buying Behaviour: Reference to Apparel Retail Stores in Sri Lanka

Purpose: With emerging modern phenomena in the world, the aesthetic appeal of a product is utilized by retailers as visual marketing strategies. The main aspiration of the study is to investigate the influence of interior and exterior visual merchandising strategies on impulse purchases of customers in apparel retail sector, Sri Lanka.

Methods: Quantitative research approach was employed. Primary data were collected through a structured questionnaire, using 343 consumers who are buying apparels from apparel retail stores in Sri Lanka. Acknowledging the Stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) framework of environmental psychology, window display, floor merchandising, promotional signage and mannequin display selected as the strategies of visual merchandising.

Findings: Multiple regression analysis results indicated that window display as the highest influencing factor followed by promotional signage and mannequin display in-store form on impulse purchases. However, the floor merchandising was not a significant influencer on impulse purchases.

Research Implication: The study contributes to theory by testing the applicability of the S-O-R framework of environmental psychology to visual merchandising strategies as stimulus in the apparel retail sector. The results of the study will pave the way for both small and large retailers to gain customer attraction and increase market space through providing value for the customers. Also, the study will help for customers to get an understanding about marketing strategies and how they should behave in shopping travels. Furthermore, the policymakers can make best decisions with optimizing the knowledge regarding apparel industry and consumer behavior.