The retail restorative experience

The idea that certain “atmospheres” can influence consumer behaviour is widely accepted in marketing, though research is limited and incomplete in this area. For example, studies have examined the effects of individual pleasant stimuli such as music, colour or scent on consumer behaviour, but have failed to examine how these stimuli might interact.

Environmental Psychology and in particular the notion of Gestalt can be of great help here, consumer responses to a physical environment depend on configurations (ensemble effect).

Images credits: Lula Light Mall. Image © MVRDV

Keeping this in mind, retailers have to try to differentiate themselves from their competitors creating a “shopping experience” enhancing consumer’s imagination, creativity, curiosity and promoting micro-restorative experiences associated with positive emotions. It is well known that the emotional experience predominates in some sectors, like jewelry or bookstores, and that it can also be linked to pragmatic experience, this occurs in the sports, decoration and toy sectors.

Every time you enter a retail, a rush of information it is delivered to your brain through your senses; these inputs will also influence your mood, your behaviour, and your wellbeing.  Environmental Psychology acknowledges that people experience and react to space characteristics in many ways, subtle and obvious, consciously and unconsciously.

mages credits: Lula Light Mall. Image © MVRDV

To this aim, the retail, entertainment, and hospitality industries have to follow the indications of Environmental Psychology and incorporate restorative design into their environments because research indicates that when retail environments offer certain atmospheres through lighting, decoration, smell, and so forth, these can subsequently influence several aspects of customer’s behaviour, including loyalty and satisfaction.

Article by Rita Berto, environmental psychologist and PhD in Perception and Psychophysics.