Abstract

In a well-functioning market, consumers exert choices not just in purchases of products but also in
selections of locations to enjoy shopping. Scholarly research has demonstrated that retail
atmospheres impact on shoppers’ pleasurable shopping experiences. Demonstrating the marketing
concept in action, shoppers consistently respond to this empowerment by for example, spending
more time shopping and spending more money in retail facilities that are perceived to offer a
pleasanter atmosphere and experience. This research pivots round an in-depth qualitative study that
evaluated the impact of a plasma screens and specific informational content on shopping centre
user behaviour. A phenomenological study of the effects of the medium, and the way in which
these systems influence behaviour, permitted a far deeper investigation of our sample group vis-àvis
increased browsing time and the propensity to spend. A series of eight focus discussions were
conducted with local user groups of varying age and gender. Key themes drawn from the group
discussions using axial coding indicated that the influence created by the images varied with
subjects and settings. The general consensus was that such ‘screens’ created a certain ambience that
influenced the way our subjects felt about the selling environment under study. Moreover, for our
sample groups, there was clearly a link between the screened images and modern expectations of a
selling environment. The plasma screens provided added enjoyment to shoppers’ experiences,
providing them with more information enabling more informed shopping choices. The research
concludes with implications for strategic marketing, theory and practice.