ISSN: 2319-5967

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International Journal of Engineering Siene and Inno!ati!e "e#nolog$
%IJESI"& 'olu(e 2) I**ue 3) +a$ 2013
247
Effect of Visual Merchandising on Buying
Behavior of Customers in Chandigarh
Amandeep Kaur, Assistant rofessor, Khalsa College atiala
Abstract: Virtual merchandizing is the art of creating visual displays and arranging merchandize assortments within
a store to improve the layout and presentation and to increase growth, sales and profitability. VM helps to attract the
customers, towards the displayed products and also improves the shopping experience for customer by sending the right
message about the merchandize and presenting it in a unique manner. assion for design and creativity are essential to
be a good visual merchandiser. !he study was underta"en #n $handigarh to determine the important factors of visual
merchandising which influence consumer%s buying behavior and in&store promotion activities. 'uestionnaires regarding
visual merchandising were filled by the customers visiting the retail stores present at different locations in $handigarh.
Various visual merchandising techniques li"e graphics and signage, fixtures, props, lighting and space
management were considered and study there impact on the buying of the customers. !he study also tried to explain the
relationship between impulse buying and visual merchandising. !hrough research we will be able to see that whether
visual merchandising can attract more customers, increase the traffic in the store, which ultimately would, increases the
sales figures.
I, 'IS-./ +E0C1.N2ISIN3
Visual merchandising can !e defined as everything the customer sees, !oth e"terior and interior, that creates a
positive image of a !usiness and results in attention, interest, desire and action on the part of the customer# $t
gives the !usiness an edge over competition# %trategically used, visual merchandising can even create a !rand
identity# $t sets the conte"t of the merchandi&e in an aesthetically pleasing fashion, presenting them in a 'ay
that 'ould convert the 'indo' shoppers into prospects and ultimately !uyers of the product# Visual
merchandising has !ecome a natural component of every modern point of sale and is characteri&ed !y the
direct contact !et'een merchandise and clients( it helps clients to easily approach goods visually, physically,
mentally and intellectually 'ithout the help of a sales person )*ava&&i, 2+++,# -he importance of visual
merchandising as an essential instrument of communication for the retailer and manufacturer is derived
!asically from the demand of the customers#
II, 0O/E O4 'IS-./ +E0C1.N2ISIN3
-he !asic o!.ective for visual merchandising is a desire to attract customers to a place of !usiness in order to
sell the merchandise# Visual Merchandising is a techni/ue commonly and rightly called 0%ilent %alesman1 and
is 'idely used in mar2et to increase footfalls and attract shoppers and ma2e shopping a pleasant e"perience to
one and all# -his is achieved !y creating an environment not only to attract a customer !ut also to retain his3her
interest, create desire and finally augment the selling process#
Broadly these comprise of4
III, "OO/S O4 'IS-./ +E0C1.N2ISIN3
4i5ture*) 6ro7*) /ig#ting) Signage) 6ro(otional *ignage) /oation *ignage) In*titutional *ignage)
Infor(ational *ignage et,
Con*u(er 8e#a!ior : Consumer !ehavior research is the scientific study of the processes consumers use to
select, secure, use and dispose of products and services that satisfy their needs# Kno'ledge of consumer
!ehavior directly affects mar2eting strategy )Anderson, 2++5,# 6irms can satisfy those needs only to the e"tent
that they understand their customers# 6or this reason, mar2eting strategies must incorporate 2no'ledge of
consumer !ehavior into every facet of a strategic mar2eting plan )%olomon, 2++2,#
I', 0E'IE9 O4 /I"E0."-0E
:otler %1973& indicated that one of the most significant features of the total product is the place from 'here it is
!ought# $n some cases, the place, more specifically the atmosphere of the place, is more influential than the
product itself in the purchase decision# $n some cases, the atmosphere is the primary product# -he paper
emphasi&es that visual merchandising is not practiced 0as consciously and s2illfully as retailers no' use price,
advertising, personal selling, pu!lic relations and other tools of mar2eting#
+ill*) 6aul and +oor(an %1995& defined visual merchandising as 0the presentation of a store3!rand and its
merchandise to the customer through the team'or2 of the store7s advertising, display, special events, fashion
coordination, and merchandising departments in order to sell the goods and services offered !y the
store3company1#
8#alla and .nurag %2009& defined Visual merchandising as the presentation of any merchandise at its !est )8,
color coordinated )synchroni&ed colors,( )2, accessori&ed )related products3 props,( and )9, self:e"planatory
)descriptive3illustrative,# $t is one of the final stages in the process of setting up of a retail store 'hich customers
'ould then find attractive and appealing#
', 0ESE.0C1 +E"1O2O/O3; O8JEC"I'ES
-he present study 'as conducted 'ith the follo'ing o!.ectives4
-o find out the affect of visual merchandising on !uying !ehavior of customers#
-o determine the important factors of visual merchandising influencing customers7 !uying
!ehavior and in:store promotion activities#
Sa(7ling Si<e
%ample %i&e4 8++, Customers visiting the stores present at different locations in
Chandigarh#
2ata Soure
Both secondary data and primary data 'ere used for the information generation# -he inferences 'ere dra'n
mainly from primary source !y ma2ing them fill
/uestionnaire#
'I, 2.". .N./;SIS .N2 IN"E060E"."ION
6lae of 6ur#a*e: it 'as found during the survey that 94 percent of the customers purchased their apparels
from malls 'hile 2; percent customers preferred to !uy their apparels from e"clusive sho 'rooms# $t 'as also
found that 24 percent customers !ought from hypermar2ets as compared to 89 percent 'ho preferred to !uy
apparels from ordinary retailers# <ence revealing malls as the most sought after shopping destinations these
days as these malls have good am!ience, security, variety and a!ove all these malls provide customers 'ith a
great shopping e"perience#
"i(e of 6ur#a*e: -he research reveled that ma"imum num!er of respondents )79 =, preferred to shop in the
evening as its time 'hen they are free from their .o! and can devote time 'ith their families# >hereas ma.ority
of the house'ife7s )22=, preferred to shop in the morning and 5= customers shopped in afternoon#
E57enditure on 6ur#a*e of .77arel*: -oday people feel shopping as a medium of outing and this 'as
revealed 'hen it 'as found 4? percent of customers, 8+:2+ percent of their total monthly e"penditure on
shopping is for apparels 'hile 29 percent customers are in the category 'ho spend less than 8+ percent# 6or
another 89 percent of customers, 28:4+ percent of their total monthly e"penditure of shopping is contri!uted to
purchase of apparels and for the remaining 8@ percent it is more than 4+ percent# -his sho's that people are
ready to spend a good amount of their monthly income on shopping of apparels or other items of their use# -his
sho's that the people7s !uying po'er is increasing and so does the disposa!le income#
0ea*on* for 'i*iting an Organi<ed 0etail Outlet: eople /uoted many reasons for visiting retail outlets li2e
!etter /uality, variety, am!ience, discounts# 4? = of the respondents felt the am!ience and the store
environment 'as their main cause of visiting the mall follo'ed !y 9+= customer7s 'ho visit an organi&ed retail
outlet !ecause they get !etter /uality products there# romotional %chemes li2e discount offers, !uy one get one
free, coupons 'ere also the reason for the store attraction !y 22= of the respondents#
4ator* .ffeting 6ur#a*e of .77arel*: Auring the study, five important factors )/uality, price, variety,
design and visual merchandising, affecting the purchase of apparels have !een identified# -he survey clearly
indicated that 77= of customers feel that /uality is a very important factor affecting the purchase of apparels#
2@= of customers said that visual merchandising is a very important factor for purchase of apparels# -herefore
it is an indication to the retailers that they can increase the footfalls in their stores !y focusing on the art of
visual merchandising hence proving the saying visual merchandising acts as a silent salesman#
.ttention 6aid to 2i*7la$* and Signage:
$t 'as found in the research that ;9 =of the customer 'hen enters the retail store they loo2 at all the displays
and signage present in the store# -he display 'indo's displays are 'ays to gra! the customer7s attention and
drag them to'ards the store# Bne thing should !e 2ept in mind !y the retailer that the customers .ust spent fe'
seconds at the display so !ecomes important for the retailer to put such a display that 'ill attract the customer or
force the customer to visit the store or deliver the re/uired information to the customer# Very fe' only 7= do
not pay any attention to displays or signage
"enden$ to=ard* C#ange - "r$ Ne= .77arel: $t 'as found from survey that ?5 percent of customers said
that they 'ould try ne' apparels 'hich are on display 'hile 85 percent do not try and prefer their usual
garments for 'hich they have come to the store# %ince, a ma.ority of customers have a tendency to adapt change
therefore( the retailers can ma2e use of this opportunity to display ne' products or ranges on display# -hey can
ma2e use of effective visual merchandising techni/ues and can attract customers to !uy ne' apparels#
2i*7la$* .ttrat +ore .ttention: ?5 percent of respondents felt that those things 'hich are on display attract
more attention of the !uyer as compared to the ones 'hich are stac2ed in the stores #eople 'hile shopping give
lot of attention to the in:store form and 'hat is displayed on the manne/uins# -hus the display on the
manne/uins should !e attractive as the customer gets a fair of 'hat should they !uy only after loo2ing at the
display# May!e the retailer have many competitors in the mar2et !ut the 'inner is one 'ho has good display
'hich as a 'ay of attracting the customer to'ards your store and once he is in then it is salesman s2ill 'hich
'ill 'or2 to ma2e an effective sale# <ence the important step is to !ring the customer to the store and this is
possi!le !y attractive displays#
0ea*on for C#oo*ing a 6artiular Store: .* *aid in a>o!e 7oint t#ere are (an$ o(7etitor* 7re*ent in t#e
(ar?et =#o are *elling t#e *a(e 7rodut, 8ut the survey 4+ percent customers feel that !etter /uality is the
main reason for choosing a particular store# Another, 99 percent customers said that offers and discounts are the
main factors 'hich help them to decide 'hich store to chose# %tore environment3 visual merchandising 27= are
the main reasons for visiting a particular store# -hough, visual merchandising is not the main reasons !ut that
does not mean retailers can ignore on this infact the retailers should the strategy of com!ining visual
merchandising 'ith /uality products there!y increasing their mar2et share#
0elation*#i7 of Color) /ig#ting) .(>iene and .ttrati!e 'i*ual* =it# "i(e S7ent in Store:
?5 = of the respondents felt that color, lighting, am!ience and attractive visuals ma2e them spend more time in
store 'hile 85= customers feel that various attri!utes of visual merchandising do not have any relation 'ith the
time spent in the stores# *esults clearly indicate that in general, stores that are !rightly lit, 'ith the lights
cleverly !lending 'ith the interiors lead to higher customer comfort, and as such, more sales#
Effet of 3ood Interior* and 2i*7la$ on 8u$ing 8e#a!ior4 ?+= of customers feel that good interiors and
display affect their !uying !ehavior and stimulate to shop more# -he reason !ehind this is that once customers
'al2 in, it is !ut imperative to ensure that they en.oy their first encounter 'ith the store# After all, repeat visits
'ill only happen if a customer7s first visit is a memora!le one# -he logical arrangement of counters, 'ith clear
passage'ays allo's for easy access to merchandise# *emaining 2+= said that their !uying !ehavior is not
affected !y good interiors and display#
Connetion of 'i*ual (er#andi*ing and +ar?eting of 6rodut: -he study indicated that ?; percent of
customers feel that !y applying effective visual merchandising techni/ues the companies can mar2et their
products in a !etter 'ay# Aata depicted that only five percent of customers said that effective visual
merchandising has no effect on mar2eting of products# -he remaining si" percent said that they had no idea
regarding effect of visual merchandising on mar2eting of products#
Effet of 'i*ual* and 2i*7la$ of .77arel* on 4inal 8u$ing 2ei*ion: -he survey revealed 75= percent of
customers said that their final !uying decision is affected !y visuals and display of apparels 'hile 25=
customers said that visuals and display have no effect on their final !uying decision# Visual merchandising sets
the conte"t of the merchandise in an aesthetically pleasing fashion, presenting them in a 'ay that 'ould convert
the 'indo' shoppers into prospects and ultimately !uyers of the product# Various tools of visual merchandising
li2e graphics and signage, 'indo' display, manne/uins and lighting can !e effectively used to influence the
final !uying decision#
0elation*#i7 >et=een 'i*ual +er#andi*ing and I(7ul*e 8u$ing: Auring the study, it 'as found that @5=
customers said that effective visual merchandising induces impulsive !uying# *emaining 95= of customers said
that visual merchandising does induce impulsive !uying# *etail setting, such as visual merchandising, therefore,
can influence consumers7 impulse !uying !y providing information or reminding needs as 'ell as producing
positive feelings# At the stages of the impulse !uying process, retailers can attempt to provo2e consumers7
desire for the products, and the a'areness of the products, 'hich can satisfy the desire, can !e achieved !y
!ro'sing and !eing e"posed to the stimuli, such as visual merchandising# -he positive impulse !uying
e"periences contri!ute to esta!lishing store loyalty and customers7 perceived value and satisfaction influences
future !uying decisions#
4inding*
An important finding is that the store derives as much of its identity, character and gravity from its physical
contours, as from the products it houses and the individuals 'ho manage the transactions there in#$n addition it
'as also found that visual merchandising practices certainly influence customers7 !uying !ehavior# -he
research revealed that is a direct proportional relationship !et'een customers7 !uying !ehavior and in:store
form3manne/uin display, promotional signage and 'indo' display# -hrough the study it 'as also found most
of the firm7s main idea of display is to sho' the ne'est trends and the ne' arrivals# $t is o!served that most
people are lured into !uying the product loo2ing at the shop7s am!ience and visual display# -herefore retailers
should put more efforts creating attractive and eye:catching 'indo' display providing information regarding
ne' products, fashion trends, or coordination tips# %tudies indicated that a retailer has roughly seven seconds to
capture the attention of a passing customer# -he follo'ing elements com!ine to from a distinctive image that
not only reaches out and gra!s the customerCs attention, !ut also ma2es a positive impression 'ithin those
precious seconds# -he image ma2ers are4 an identifia!le store name, a po'erful visual trademar2, an
unmista2a!le storefront, an inviting entrance and a consistent and compelling store loo2 and hoo2# %ince most
of the tools of visual merchandising significantly influence customers7 !uying !ehavior, retailers should
continuously reinforce their usage to create favora!le shopping environments to influence customers7 !oth in:
store responses and future store choice decisions# Everything you do in the store must fit into the image you
chose to create# Creation of a recogni&a!le image that 'ill !e applied and communicated effectively through
multiple media to gain customer recognition and loyalty#
'II, S-33ES"IONS
>indo's display acts as a stimulus for the customers to enter the store# $t has various !enefits
li2e displaying !est merchandi&e, providing information a!out ne' arrivals and attracting
price sensitive customers !y displaying promotional merchandise therefore retailers should
put up a attractive and informational display#
Most of customers are 'illing to purchase products from retail stores in the evening hours and
therefore, managers can pay special attention to ma2e attractive environment in the store
premises and ma2e action to control the rush condition#
Colors create a psychological impact on the minds of the customers and can capture attention#
-hey reflect one7s moods and thus, add meaning #-herefore color plays a vital role in creating
a positive shopping e"perience# <ence, retailers should !e careful at the time of selecting the
color scheme#
Ma.ority of customers respond to the lighting more positively# -hey specially mentioned that
lighting helps to select correct products, reduce the time 'asted and feel rela"ation during the
shopping tours# -herefore, visual merchandisers can select appropriate lighting system that
creates satisfaction of psychological needs of customers#
Music is played in retail store not 'ith the o!.ective of providing entertainment !ut for
influencing !uying !ehavior# -he type of the music played at the outlet depends upon the
products !eing sold and target audience# -herefore the selection of the music to !e played at
the store and at 'hat volume is some of the challenges that retailers generally face# -he soft
and classic music are highly recommended than other type of music#
-here should !e proper relation !et'een the season and the products displayed# -he store
environment should !e 'arm, 'elcoming and friendly giving a customer a memora!le
shopping e"perience#
-he %tore should !e organi&ed logically li2e proper groups and categories should !e
mentioned, so that all merchandi&e of one type, color, and si&e is positioned together helping
the customer to ma2e a clear choice#
Visually appealing stores and outlets did help the respondents to create an image of the !rand
in the minds of the customers#
Among the various features of the store li2e the lightening, display on the manne/uins , staff
!ehavior , cleanliness 'ere important to convert the 'indo' shoppers into the real !uyers#
-he shop managers should al'ays supervise these personally so as to increase the footfalls#
'III, CONC/-SION
Visual Merchandising as a silent salesperson, as its tools does not spea2 !ut definitely convey their sales
message through visual appeal# $n order to fulfill the changing e"pectations of today7s customers, retailers need
to place greater emphasis on presentation of merchandise# *etailers have to understand the importance of
shopper7s e"pectations and provide the right environment to lure them#
VM serves as a significant influencer of the retail e"perience and the shopper7s decision ma2ing process# $t
provides competitive advantage and helps in !uilding the overall image of the store# %ince a lot of retailers have
started adopting this concept, one should !e innovative enough in VM to achieve !etter results# $t 'as 2no'n
from the research that visual merchandi&ing has direct relation 'ith the sales performance# Aue to Visual
merchandising the customers gets attracted to'ards hence increasing the stores footfall, 'hich ultimately has a
positive impact on the sales figures# -he research also thre' light on the fact that visual merchandising has the
capa!ility to invite people to enter the store and develop their !uying !ehavior# -he results proved that there
'as relationship !et'een customers7 !uying !ehavior and in:store form3manne/uin display, promotional
signage and 'indo' display# -he study also provided insights a!out types of visual merchandising that can
influence customers7 !uying !ehaviors# -hree most important factors of visual merchandising namely
attractiveness of 'indo' display, innovative assortments and cleanliness and neatness of store3 store
environment have !een identified# <ence, Visual merchandising has !ecome an important varia!le in present
scenario#
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