Salient environmental attributes and their value for small independent grocers
ISSN: 0736-3761
Article publication date: 13 November 2018
Issue publication date: 22 November 2018
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to focus on the consumers’ decision process to clarify the salient attributes within the in-store environment of small independent grocers. Thus, the relative importance among environmental factors and their explicit monetary values is clarified.
Design/methodology/approach
The conjoint approach was applied to form a set of hypothetical environments virtualised through an interactive computer-aided simulation. Each of the 241 respondents was asked to evaluate their patronage intention on the basis of a given set of 18 virtual environments.
Findings
The results revealed the greater importance of the social environment in comparison to design and ambient cues, which consumers use in determining their patronage of stores. The final recommended environment offers some explicit value added to customers.
Originality/value
In contrast to most environmental studies, this study considered consumers’ decision processes, using conjoint analysis to clarify the relative importance and value of the environmental aspects affecting small independent grocers.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This work was supported by the Office of the Higher Education Commission in Thailand.
Citation
Srichookiat, S. and Jindabot, T. (2018), "Salient environmental attributes and their value for small independent grocers", Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 35 No. 5, pp. 465-479. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCM-03-2017-2135
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited