Impact of Multi-Sensory Brand Experience on Impulse Buying Tendency: With Special Reference to Super Markets in Sri Lanka

Abstract

It is important to understand sensory stimulation of people in human environments in designing super market. Human senses play significant roles in human experience and the memories. In retail design brands related to sensory experience attract customers and stimulate strong, positive, and distinctive impression across all five senses. In this study multiple sensory cues are found in relation to sight, sound, scent and touch. The main objectives of executing this research is to investigate the impact of multi-sensory brand experience attributes; sight, sound, scent and touch on impulse buying tendency of Sri Lankan Super market consumers and to identify the most influential sensory attribute that impacts impulse buying tendency. A quantitative study carried out under this research using a survey method and convenient sampling techniques was used.The researcher used regression analysis technique in order to test the hypothesis and identifying the impact multi-sensory branding experience on impulse buying tendency, addressing the significance of each independent variable. According to the findings of the study it was revealed, there is no significant influence of sound and touch on impulse buying tendency whereas there is a significant impact of sight and scent on impulse buying tendency. Further finding revealed that Sight is one of the most important sensory channels in comparison to other sensory receptors such as sound, smell, touch, and taste on impulse buying tendency of Sri Lankan super market consumers.