Consumer impulse buying and in-store stimuli in Chinese supermarkets

This paper examines the effect of retail store environment variables on consumer impulse buying behavior. Specifically, we propose two separate effects of in-store point-of-purchase (POP) posters on shoppers’ impulse purchase behavior in a supermarket setting in China. The first effect relates to the informative function of in-store POP posters (i.e., promoting discounts and cheaper prices). This can also be termed as the promotional effect. The second effect deals with the atmosphere engagement (i.e., enjoyment, modern, and attractiveness) conveyed by in-store POP posters. This can also be referred to as the atmospheric effect. We subsequently test and confirm the proposed effects using a survey data obtained from mall respondents in a supermarket setting in China. The results provide important insights to the formulation of strategic retail marketing stimuli. Further discussion and managerial implications are provided.