Dholakia, R.

(1999) “Going shopping”

Some researchers as Bellenger & Korgaonkar, Lesser and Hughes have specifically focused on
recreational shoppers. Bloch et al. (1994) have identified 4 types of shoppers - enthusiasts,
traditionalists, grazers and minimalists in the context of shopping behaviours in malls.
Responsibility for shopping tasks influences frequency of shopping, motives for shopping,
enjoyment of the shopping activity as well as the family reinforcement of shopping behaviours.
The shopping context affects motivations, levels of participation and satisfaction. Grocery and
household shopping, for instance, is generally thought of as a pleasureless chore. It is considered to
be mundane, part of the household routine and therefore more likely to be the domain of females.
The image of the supermarket as a place where basic needs are satisfied also tends to be associated
with women because routine shopping is part of housework rather than leisure (Lunt and
Livingstone, 1992). Clothes shopping, on the other hand, is considered to be more attractive; “it is
an opportunity for self-expression, fantasy, a break from the normal routine of shopping and
perhaps a little self-indulgence” (Buttle, 1992, p. 361). It is considered to be more recreational and
expressive.

Arnold & Reynolds, “Hedonic motivations”

Over the past decade, retailers have experienced significant changes in the marketplace. The
spread of mass discounters, the emergence of alternative retail formats, and the growing use of the
Internet have challenged traditional wisdom and strategy in retailing. Many retailers are
responding to these changes by focusing on the hedonic aspects of shopping—the fun, excitement,
and stimulation that shoppers can experience in the store.

The entertainment aspect of retailing, or “entertailing,” is increasingly being recognized as a key

competitive tool. Many retailers are responding to the threat of Internet-based shopping by
leveraging the “brick-and-mortar” advantages that virtual retailers cannot match: higher levels of
service, highly trained staff, and an entertaining and fun retail environment. Retailers from
supermarkets to video stores are sporting new and exciting ideas. In this evolving retail landscape
the hedonic experiences that a customer can now obtain are virtually endless: from rock-climbing
walls in shoe stores, to “singles nights” in grocery stores, to off-road test tracks in Land Rover
dealerships (e.g., Fournier, 1996).

Following Hirschman & Holbrook (1982), hedonic consumption has been defined as those aspects
of behaviour that relate to the multisensory, fantasy, and emotive aspects of consumption. Some
expressing excitement, increased arousal, and a deep sense of enjoyment in shopping for others (
Fischer & Arnold, 1990, p. 334); others get a sense of escapism while shopping, often describing
the shopping trip as an adventure; shoppers have also described the enjoyment of bargaining and
haggling ( Sherry, 1990) and the mood-altering qualities of the shopping experience. In
summarizing these aspects of shopping, Sherry (1990) concludes that the “seeking of such
experiences is often far more significant than the mere acquisition of products”. Tauber (1972)
developed a number of shopping motivations, with the basic premise that shoppers are motivated
by a variety of psychosocial needs other than those strictly related to acquiring some product.
These motives can be classified into personal (i.e., role playing, diversion, self-gratification,
learning about new trends, physical activity and sensory stimulation), and social (i.e., social
experiences, communication with others, peer group attractions, status and authority, and pleasure
of bargaining). From Arnolds & Reynolds’s research, 6 broad categories of hedonic shopping
motivations emerged: “adventure shopping,” “social shopping,” “gratification shopping,” “idea
shopping,” “role shopping,” and “value shopping.”

“Adventure shopping” – shopping for stimulation, adventure, and the feeling of being in another
world. A significant number of respondents reported that they go shopping for the sheer
excitement and adventure of the shopping trip. These informants often described the shopping
experience in terms of adventure, thrills, stimulation, excitement, and entering a different universe
of exciting sights, smells, and sounds. Adventure shopping is grounded in stimulation theories.
“Social shopping” – refers to enjoyment of shopping with friends and family, socialising while
shopping and bonding with others. Respondents mentioned quite frequently that shopping is a way
to spend time with friends and/or family members; shopping gives them a chance to bond with
other shoppers. Social shopping is grounded in McGuire's (1974) collection of affiliation theories
of human motivation, which collectively focus on people being altruistic, cohesive, and seeking
acceptance and affection in interpersonal relationships. “Gratification shopping” involves shopping
for stress relief, shopping to alleviate a negative mood, and shopping as a special treat to oneself.
Gratification shopping is grounded in McGuire's (1974) collection of tension-reduction theories of
human motivation. Babin et al. (1994) recognized the value of shopping as a self-gratifying,
escapist, and therapeutic activity. Tauber (1972) also identified the self-gratifying benefits of
shopping - making the shopper feel better. “Idea shopping” – keep up with trends and new
fashions, and to see new products and innovations. A significant number of both females and
males reported that they shop to keep up with the latest trends and fashions. Idea shopping is
grounded in McGuire's (1974) collection of categorization theories, which collectively attempt to
explain the human need for structure, order, and knowledge, as well as objectification theories;
attempt to make sense of himself. This motivation corresponds with Tauber's (1972) personal
shopping motive of learning about new trends and keeping informed about the latest trends in
fashion, styling, or innovations. Some consumers may enjoy browsing to obtain information as an
end in itself, not to make a particular purchase. “Role shopping” – reflects the enjoyment that
shoppers derive from shopping for others, the influence that this activity has on the shoppers'
feelings and moods, and the excitement and intrinsic joy felt by shoppers when finding the perfect
gift for others. Many respondents explained that shopping for their friends and family is very
important to them and that it makes them feel good; some - positive feelings they get from finding
the perfect gift for someone. This motive is related to Tauber's (1972) personal motive of “role
playing,” in which the process of shopping produces positive effects for people who view it as part
of their social role. The final category is labelled “value shopping” – shopping for sales, looking
for discounts, and hunting for bargains, almost as if shopping is a challenge to be “conquered” or a
game to be “won”. Value shopping is grounded in McGuire's (1974) collection of assertion
theories; human as a competitive achiever, seeking success and admiration, and striving to develop
his potentials in order to enhance his self-esteem. Consumers may obtain hedonic benefits through
bargain perceptions, which provide increased sensory involvement and excitement ( Babin et al.,
1994).

First, knowledge of distinct shopper segments is useful for retailers in constructing marketing
communication strategy and designing appealing store environments. For example, advertising in
many cases may need to be designed to attract shoppers who are motivated for different hedonic
reasons. This could be accomplished by focusing on the experiential aspects of the store
environment, positioning shopping as a chance to visit with friends. According to Babin et al.
(1994), retail research suggests a direct link between shopping motivations and outcomes such as
retail satisfaction, loyalty, and assessments of hedonic and utilitarian shopping value.

Wulf & Odekerken-Schröder (2003) “Retailers relationship effort impacts on consumer’s

behaviour and attitudes”

According to Morgan & Hunt (1994), Parasuraman et al. (1988) and Woodruff (1997) retailers are
more than ever obliged to continually seek out products, processes, and technologies that increase
customer value. Relationship efforts increasingly become important as a source of customer value.
First, consumers' quality expectation levels related to consuming products and services have risen.
As stated by Davis (1997), “the philosophical shift toward retail relationship marketing is fuelled
not only by reduced customer loyalty, but also by escalating consumer demands for value”.
Second, retailers are increasingly competing with each other on basis of the same or highly
comparable marketing tactics and strategies. Berry & Gresham (1986), Davis (1997) argue that
typically, retailers offer comparable merchandise, copy competitors' price promotions, share
common distribution systems, and treat their customers well in terms of services offered. Third,
Juttner & Wehri (1994) retailers are faced with new claims of the marketing environment such as
blurring boundaries between markets or industries, an increasing fragmentation of markets, and
shorter product life cycles. Thus, several authors argue that the delivery of relationship benefits
becomes an important means of gaining competitive advantage.

Communication is often considered as a necessary condition for the existence of a relationship;

communication is regularly included in relationship models. Crosby et al. (1990): efforts to `stay in
touch' with the customer have been identified as a key determinant of relationship enhancement in
business-to-business as well as in consumer contexts.

increase the probability of discovering behaviours that generate rewards, enhance the prediction of
behaviour of the other party and clarify each other's roles, lead to easier discovering of similarities
between parties, and encourage feelings of trust, special status, and closeness.
Retailers can distinguish between at least two identifiable consumer segments: loyal consumers
and non-loyal consumers. Preferential treatment refers to the fact that loyal consumers are
provided with extra recognition in terms of better service and additional efforts that are not being
made to other, non-loyal consumers. Tangible rewards are of a more functional, economic nature:
e.g. frequent flyer programs, customer loyalty bonuses, free gifts, personalized cent-off coupons,
and other point-for-benefit `clubs' are examples of these efforts. Frequently reported relationship
outcomes are trust, relationship commitment, and behavioural loyalty. Behavioural loyalty defined
as “a consumer's purchasing frequency and amount spent at a retailer relative to other retailers the
consumer buys at”. The results of Wulf & Odekerken-Schröder’s study indicate that retailers can
influence consumer trust by rewarding consumers for their patronage to the retailer.

Consequently, retailers should direct more of their attention at developing and implementing
relationship efforts. Consequently, managers and employees of retail companies need to be trained,
motivated, and rewarded for making relationship efforts to regular customers.

In addition, several scholars (Berry, 1995) warn that tangible rewards generally do not lead to
sustainable competitive advantages as price is the most easily imitated element of the marketing
mix; that some customers may react opportunistically, and that already-loyal customers can be
`unnecessarily' rewarded. Nevertheless, O’Brien & Jones (1995) advocated that rewarding
strategies can lead to sustainable competitive advantages if such strategies are no short-term
promotional give-aways, but planned and implemented parts of a larger loyalty management
strategy. This study provides strong empirical support for the potential competitive advantage
resulting from the practice of rewarding consumers for their patronage.