IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jouret/v93y2017i2p228-240.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Calibrating 30 Years of Experimental Research: A Meta-Analysis of the Atmospheric Effects of Music, Scent, and Color

Author

Listed:
  • Roschk, Holger
  • Loureiro, Sandra Maria Correia
  • Breitsohl, Jan

Abstract

Atmospheric in-store stimuli have been the subject of considerable empirical investigation for over 30 years. This research presents a meta-analysis of 66 studies and 135 effects (N=15,621) calibrating the atmospheric effects of music, scent, and color on shopping outcomes. At an aggregate level, the results reveal that environments in which music or scent are present yield higher pleasure, satisfaction, and behavioral intention ratings when compared with environments in which such conditions are absent. Warm colors produce higher levels of arousal than cool colors, while cool colors produce higher levels of satisfaction than warm colors. The estimated average strength of these relationships ranged from small to medium. Effect sizes exhibited significant between-study variance, which can be partly explained by the moderators investigated. For instance, larger effect sizes were observed for the relationship between scent and pleasure in those samples with a higher (vs. lower) proportion of females. Data also indicated a tendency toward stronger music and scent effects in service settings as compared to retail settings. The results of this analysis, based on data aggregated across the research stream, offer retailers a guide to enhance customers’ shopping experience through judicious use of in-store atmospheric stimuli.

Suggested Citation

  • Roschk, Holger & Loureiro, Sandra Maria Correia & Breitsohl, Jan, 2017. "Calibrating 30 Years of Experimental Research: A Meta-Analysis of the Atmospheric Effects of Music, Scent, and Color," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 93(2), pages 228-240.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:jouret:v:93:y:2017:i:2:p:228-240
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jretai.2016.10.001
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022435916300458
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.jretai.2016.10.001?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Spangenberg, Eric R. & Sprott, David E. & Grohmann, Bianca & Tracy, Daniel L., 2006. "Gender-congruent ambient scent influences on approach and avoidance behaviors in a retail store," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 59(12), pages 1281-1287, November.
    2. Sayin, Eda & Krishna, Aradhna & Ardelet, Caroline & Briand Decré, Gwenaëlle & Goudey, Alain, 2015. "“Sound and safe”: The effect of ambient sound on the perceived safety of public spaces," International Journal of Research in Marketing, Elsevier, vol. 32(4), pages 343-353.
    3. Andersson, Pernille K. & Kristensson, Per & Wästlund, Erik & Gustafsson, Anders, 2012. "Let the music play or not: The influence of background music on consumer behavior," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 19(6), pages 553-560.
    4. Garlin, Francine V. & Owen, Katherine, 2006. "Setting the tone with the tune: A meta-analytic review of the effects of background music in retail settings," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 59(6), pages 755-764, June.
    5. Herrmann, Andreas & Zidansek, Manja & Sprott, David E. & Spangenberg, Eric R., 2013. "The Power of Simplicity: Processing Fluency and the Effects of Olfactory Cues on Retail Sales," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 89(1), pages 30-43.
    6. Eda Sayin & Aradhna Krishna & Caroline Ardelet & Gwenaëlle Briand Decré & Alain Goudey, 2015. "“Sound and safe”: The effect of ambient sound on the perceived safety of public spaces," Post-Print hal-01735784, HAL.
    7. Mitchell, Deborah J & Kahn, Barbara E & Knasko, Susan C, 1995. "There's Something in the Air: Effects of Congruent or Incongruent Ambient Odor on Consumer Decision Making," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 22(2), pages 229-238, September.
    8. Turley, L. W. & Milliman, Ronald E., 2000. "Atmospheric Effects on Shopping Behavior: A Review of the Experimental Evidence," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 49(2), pages 193-211, August.
    9. Chebat, Jean-Charles & Morrin, Maureen, 2007. "Colors and cultures: Exploring the effects of mall decor on consumer perceptions," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 60(3), pages 189-196, March.
    10. Babin, Barry J. & Hardesty, David M. & Suter, Tracy A., 2003. "Color and shopping intentions: The intervening effect of price fairness and perceived affect," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 56(7), pages 541-551, July.
    11. Bateson, John E G & Hui, Michael K, 1992. "The Ecological Validity of Photographic Slides and Videotapes in Simulating the Service Setting," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 19(2), pages 271-281, September.
    12. Chebat, Jean-Charles & Michon, Richard, 2003. "Impact of ambient odors on mall shoppers' emotions, cognition, and spending: A test of competitive causal theories," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 56(7), pages 529-539, July.
    13. Rajesh Bagchi & Amar Cheema, 2013. "The Effect of Red Background Color on Willingness-to-Pay: The Moderating Role of Selling Mechanism," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 39(5), pages 947-960.
    14. Peterson, Robert A, 2001. "On the Use of College Students in Social Science Research: Insights from a Second-Order Meta-analysis," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 28(3), pages 450-461, December.
    15. Michon, Richard & Chebat, Jean-Charles & Turley, L. W., 2005. "Mall atmospherics: the interaction effects of the mall environment on shopping behavior," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 58(5), pages 576-583, May.
    16. Morrin, Maureen & Ratneshwar, S., 2000. "The Impact of Ambient Scent on Evaluation, Attention, and Memory for Familiar and Unfamiliar Brands," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 49(2), pages 157-165, August.
    17. Morrison, Michael & Gan, Sarah & Dubelaar, Chris & Oppewal, Harmen, 2011. "In-store music and aroma influences on shopper behavior and satisfaction," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 64(6), pages 558-564, June.
    18. Babin, Barry J. & Darden, William R., 1996. "Good and bad shopping vibes: Spending and patronage satisfaction," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 35(3), pages 201-206, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Helmefalk, Miralem & Hultén, Bertil, 2017. "Multi-sensory congruent cues in designing retail store atmosphere: Effects on shoppers’ emotions and purchase behavior," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 1-11.
    2. Leenders, Mark A.A.M. & Smidts, Ale & Haji, Anouar El, 2019. "Ambient scent as a mood inducer in supermarkets: The role of scent intensity and time-pressure of shoppers," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 270-280.
    3. Errajaa, Karim & Legohérel, Patrick & Daucé, Bruno, 2018. "Immersion and emotional reactions to the ambiance of a multiservice space: The role of perceived congruence between odor and brand image," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 100-108.
    4. Martin Amsteus & Vidar Hwang, 2015. "Scent in Mail: The Effect of Scented Direct Mailings," Journal of Economics and Behavioral Studies, AMH International, vol. 7(6), pages 24-33.
    5. Ramona Luca & Delane Botelho, 2021. "The unconscious perception of smells as a driver of consumer responses: a framework integrating the emotion-cognition approach to scent marketing," AMS Review, Springer;Academy of Marketing Science, vol. 11(1), pages 145-161, June.
    6. Francisco I. Vega-Gómez & Francisco J. Miranda-Gonzalez & Jesús Pérez Mayo & Óscar Rodrigo González-López & Laura Pascual-Nebreda, 2020. "The Scent of Art. Perception, Evaluation, and Behaviour in a Museum in Response to Olfactory Marketing," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-15, February.
    7. Lunardo, Renaud & Roux, Dominique & Chaney, Damien, 2016. "The evoking power of servicescapes: Consumers' inferences of manipulative intent following service environment-driven evocations," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(12), pages 6097-6105.
    8. Kechagia, Varvara & Drichoutis, Andreas C., 2017. "The effect of olfactory sensory cues on willingness to pay and choice under risk," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 33-46.
    9. Andreas C. Drichoutis & Varvara Kechagia, 2016. "The effect of olfactory sensory cues on economic decision making," Working Papers 2016-4, Agricultural University of Athens, Department Of Agricultural Economics.
    10. Dennis, Charles & Newman, Andrew & Michon, Richard & Josko Brakus, J. & Tiu Wright, Len, 2010. "The mediating effects of perception and emotion: Digital signage in mall atmospherics," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 17(3), pages 205-215.
    11. Diogo Conque Seco Ferreira & Jorge Mendes Oliveira-Castro, 2010. "Effects of background music on consumer behaviour: behavioural account of the consumer setting," The Service Industries Journal, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 31(15), pages 2571-2585, September.
    12. Errajaa, Karim & Daucé, Bruno & Legohérel, Patrick, 2020. "Consumer reactions to olfactory congruence with brand image," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    13. Shuvam Chatterjee & Pawel Bryla, 2023. "Mapping consumers’ semi-conscious decisions with the use of ZMET in a retail market setup," DECISION: Official Journal of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, Springer;Indian Institute of Management Calcutta, vol. 50(2), pages 221-232, June.
    14. Girard, Marc & Girard, Anna & Suppin, Anna-Caroline & Bartsch, Silke, 2016. "The scentscape: An integrative framework describing scents in servicescapes," jbm - Journal of Business Market Management, Free University Berlin, Marketing Department, vol. 9(1), pages 597-622.
    15. José Verissimo & Rui Alves Pereira, 2013. "The Effect Of Ambient Scent On Moviegoers’ Behavior," Portuguese Journal of Management Studies, ISEG, Universidade de Lisboa, vol. 0(2), pages 67-80.
    16. Eliane Schreuder & Jan van Erp & Alexander Toet & Victor L. Kallen, 2016. "Emotional Responses to Multisensory Environmental Stimuli," SAGE Open, , vol. 6(1), pages 21582440166, February.
    17. Dehling, Noémie, 2023. "Silence in the consumer experience: A conceptualization and research agenda," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    18. Herrmann, Andreas & Zidansek, Manja & Sprott, David E. & Spangenberg, Eric R., 2013. "The Power of Simplicity: Processing Fluency and the Effects of Olfactory Cues on Retail Sales," Journal of Retailing, Elsevier, vol. 89(1), pages 30-43.
    19. Michon, Richard & Chebat, Jean-Charles & Turley, L. W., 2005. "Mall atmospherics: the interaction effects of the mall environment on shopping behavior," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 58(5), pages 576-583, May.
    20. Errajaa, Karim & Hombourger-Barès, Sabrina & Audrain-Pontevia, Anne-Françoise, 2022. "Effects of the in-store crowd and employee perceptions on intentions to revisit and word-of-mouth via transactional satisfaction: A SOR approach," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:jouret:v:93:y:2017:i:2:p:228-240. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/journal-of-retailing .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.