In store-atmosphere studies, pleasant spaces spur impulse buys through what path?
Show answer & explanation
Answer: Mood and buying urge
Easier product search — Easier search can reduce friction, so it is a plausible retail benefit. But the cited store-atmosphere studies are asking a broader psychological question than whether products are easy to find. In those models, the setting changes affect, and affect changes the urge to buy.
Mood and buying urge ✓ — Right: in these store-atmosphere studies, the path runs through positive emotion and the urge to buy. Mohan et al. found store environment drove impulse buying through positive affect and urge, and other retail studies report similar links between store atmosphere, emotional response, urge, and impulse buying. The unexpected part is that the path is emotional without being random: mood changes what options feel worth acting on.
Longer browsing time — Longer browsing time can matter because more exposure creates more chances to buy. But in the atmosphere-to-impulse model, time is not the main psychological path. The setting first changes affect and urge; extra browsing is more like a downstream opportunity.
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