Ann Marie Fiore

Effects of a product display and environmental fragrancing on approach responses and pleasurable experiences

The effects of atmospherics (i.e., a product display, pleasant and [in] appropriate ambient fragrances) on approach responses toward a product (global attitude, purchase intention, estimated price, and price the customer is willing to pay) and pleasurable experiences (sensory, affective, and cognitive pleasure) were investigated. In addition, the mediating effects of sensory, affective, and cognitive pleasure on approach responses toward a product were examined. Statistical analysis of responses of 109 female subjects each randomly assigned to one of four treatments showed that the appropriately fragranced display generated the most positive effect on approach responses and pleasurable experiences. A component of cognitive pleasure (seeing oneself in a fantasy) and multisensory pleasure mediated two approach responses: attitude toward the product and purchase intention. Findings suggest the importance of combining a display with environmental fragrancing as a marketing tool, but careful selection and application of environmental fragrances are required.

An Integrative Framework Capturing Experiential and Utilitarian Shopping Experience

Purpose – In line with changes in consumer demand, models used in empirical study of the shopping experience have expanded. Reflecting the integrative (experiential and utilitarian) nature of shopping experience, the paper aims to propose an overarching stimulus‐organism‐response based shopping experience framework.Design/methodology/approach – This conceptual paper offers a framework that integrates components of both the hedonic experience related consciousness‐emotion‐value model and the utilitarian experience‐related cognition‐affect‐behavior model. In this paper, articles crossing hedonic and utilitarian boundaries are briefly presented, and the array of variables used in empirical studies of shopping experience, with an emphasis on brick‐and‐mortar shopping experiences, are synthesized for each component of the framework.Findings – The resulting framework is an inclusive overarching structure that explains the consumer shopping experience. This framework is useful for both academia and industry. It ...

Individual differences, motivations, and willingness to use a mass customization option for fashion products

Mass customization entails the mass production of individually customized goods and services. Co‐design is a mass customization option where a products design is based on the customers selections from a range of design feature offerings. A model comprised of relationships between individual differences, motivations for using co‐design, and willingness to use co‐design was proposed and statistically supported using 521 university subjects from different regions of the USA and the analysis of moment structures (AMOS) statistic. As hypothesized, optimum stimulation level (OSL) predicted two clothing interest factors: experimenting with appearance (EA) and enhancement of individuality (EI). As proposed, OSL and EA predicted the two motivations, trying co‐design as an exciting experience and using co‐design to create a unique product, whereas EI only predicted using co‐design to create a unique product. Both motives were mediating variables between individual differences and willingness to use co‐design, but using co‐design to create a unique product had a stronger effect. Theoretical and marketing implications were discussed.

Influence of image interactivity on approach responses towards an online retailer

Image interactivity allows the customer to create and manipulate visual images of a product on a Web site. We measured the effect of exposure to an image interactivity function from an apparel retailer’s Web site on approach responses towards the retailer. The image interactivity function from the Web site allowed participants to mix and match apparel product images to help determine how well they coordinated. Dependent variables used to tap approach responses were attitude towards the online store, willingness to purchase from the online store, willingness to return to the online store, probability of spending more time than planned shopping on the site, and likelihood of patronizing the online retailer’s bricks‐and‐mortar store. We employed a repeated‐measures experimental design with 103 subjects. Paired t‐tests provided empirical support for the effect of image interactivity on enhancing approach responses towards the retailer. However, differences in approach responses existed between males and femal...

The role of experiential value in online shopping: The impacts of product presentation on consumer responses towards an apparel web site

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine whether Pine and Gilmores four experience realms (4Es) are affected by web site features; the 4Es affect consumer emotional components of pleasure and arousal; and pleasure and arousal lead to enhanced web site patronage intention.Design/methodology/approach – For the main experiment, two stimulus web sites reflecting high experiential value and low experiential value were developed. Data were collected in a laboratory setting from 196 participants. An analysis of the causal model was conducted using the maximum‐likelihood estimation procedure of Analysis of Moment Structures (AMOS) for hypotheses testing.Findings – Using AMOS, the results indicated that web site features affected the 4Es and three of the 4Es (entertainment, escapist and esthetic experiences) influenced pleasure and/or arousal. Pleasure, arousal, entertainment, and esthetic experiences had direct effects on web site patronage intention.Practical implications – The results present an effec...

Experience economy constructs as a framework for understanding wine tourism

Global growth in wine tourism mirrors that of wine consumption and rural tourism. Existing research reveals that wine tourists look for dining, shopping, and cultural and recreational activities along with authentic (e.g. reflecting local elements, unique events) products and experiences. This suggests the importance of hedonic and experiential consumption theories, which have been recently referenced in wine tourism literature. The present study proposes utilization of pertinent constructs of the experience economy model to explain the experiential nature of wine tourism. Evidence from wine tourism literature in support of this proposition is presented. This proposed framework advances the emergent theory in experiential consumption and wine tourism with a comprehensive approach that may be applied to wine tourism geographies in varying stages of development. Consequently, this examination of these associations promises new theoretical directions for wine tourism and contemporary applications for managers.

Relationships between optimum stimulation level and willingness to use mass customisation options

Mass customisation, defined as the mass production of individually customised goods and services, aims at providing products and services that are more suited to the needs or desires of today’s fragmented consumer markets. Mass customisers should identify how needs or desires of the fragmented market shape the customisation of not just the product and service, but also the mass customisation experience. Towards this end, the authors examined whether an individual’s preferred level for environmental stimulation defined as optimum stimulation level (OSL) was associated with the types of products, services and experiences desired from mass customisation of apparel. As the authors hypothesised, OSL had significant positive correlations with willingness to use co‐design services to create a unique design, trying co‐design as an exciting experience, overall commitment to using co‐design, and trying body scanning as an exciting experience. OSL did not have significant correlations with the more banal willingness to use body scanning services for better fitting products or overall commitment to using body scanning. There was also a significant positive correlation between OSL and interest in customising experiential products, but not between OSL and interest in customising utilitarian products, as hypothesised. Results support research of the influence of OSL on consumer behaviour. Implications for the industry include considering experience aspects and environmental stimulation when developing a mass customisation programme.

Telepresence and fantasy in online apparel shopping experience

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the roles of telepresence and fantasy in an online apparel shopping experience. Online apparel consumers undergo a virtual product experience (telepresence) that simulates the product experience in a brick‐and‐mortar store. Fantasy entails the pleasurable mental imagery involving product use.Design/methodology/approach – A total of 86 female university students completed a survey after browsing a stimulus web site in a laboratory setting. Path analysis was used to identify hypothesized relationships between telepresence, fantasy, shopping enjoyment, willingness to purchase, and willingness to patronize the online retailer.Findings – Results showed that telepresence influenced consumer fantasy and both telepresence and consumer fantasy led to shopping enjoyment (experiential value). Telepresence, fantasy, and shopping enjoyment directly contributed to willingness to purchase from the online retailer, whereas telepresence, fantasy and shopping enjoyment cont...

Acceptance of Mass Customization of Apparel: Merchandising Issues Associated With Preference for Product, Process, and Place

The purpose of our research was to examine apparel merchandising issues associated with mass customization. A questionnaire was developed to explore preferences for mass customization product, process, and place that have the potential of affecting success of a mass customization program. The questionnaire was administered to a convenience sample of 131 college students. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-tests, McNemar tests, within-subject ANOVA, and Bonferroni multiple comparisons. Successful mass customization of apparel at retail is dependent on identification of appropriate dimensions of product, process, and place. Our implications address merchandising issues associated with customer involvement in customizing design and fit of apparel products in retail store settings.

Psychographic characteristics affecting behavioral intentions towards pop‐up retail

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore relationships between consumer innovativeness, market mavenism, shopping enjoyment, and beliefs, attitude, and patronage intentions toward pop‐up retail.Design/methodology/approach – A survey technique using a national sample of consumers resulted in 869 usable responses. Structural equation modeling is used to test the hypothesized relationships among variables.Findings – Findings show that consumer innovativeness and shopping enjoyment influence beliefs about the importance of hedonic elements of pop‐up retail (novelty/uniqueness factor) and attitude toward pop‐up retail, which affects patronage intentions.Practical implications – Findings provide support for the effectiveness of pop‐up retail, an experiential marketing strategy, at enhancing the appeal of a retail venue to consumers exhibiting higher tendencies in innovativeness and shopping.Originality/value – This paper provides an investigation of consumer psychographic characteristics and their effe...