Adolescent's Preferences for Complexity in Retail Store Environments
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Date
2007-03
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The Ohio State University
Abstract
Shopping is a large part of American's lifestyles whether they like it or not. It is specifically a large part of adolescent's lives with them spending $300 billion per year. Store targeting adolescents can use aesthetics as a competitive advantage to keep adolescents customers coming back for more or to intrigue new ones. The purpose of this study is to better understand the behaviors (emotional) of adolescents in the apparel retail environment. More specifically to determine their level of preferred complexity, how their immediate feelings are affected by store complexity, how adolescents describes different levels of complexity, and how adolescents react to certain aesthetics within retail stores.
In order to do conduct this research a sample of ten adolescents females experienced three retail environments ranging in complexity (simple, simple/complex, and complex). They were asked to complete a set of surveys pertaining to their store preferences, immediate feelings, aesthetic preferences, and descriptions of ranging complexities.
The results suggest that adolescents prefer complex retail environments. While in complex stores their stress levels decrease, their energy increases, and their positive feelings increase. These aspects are the exact opposite for simple retail environments. The adolescents described complex retail environments positively and simple retail environments negatively. The adolescents were not affected by organizational aesthetics but reacted positively to complex aesthetics pertaining to the elements of design including color and textures. However, more research is needed to compare adolescents from around the globe and to compare within environments that offer different types of products. Advisor: Susan Zavotka
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Keywords
adolescents, complexity, retail environments, shopping behaviors