The impact of visual merchandising on consumer buying behaviour

The importance of visual merchandising on consumer buying behaviour in a fashion retail store was high. This research has discussed how the main visual merchandising characteristics, such as store layout, lighting, signage and displaying of products, influence the purchase intentions of the consumers. This study was based on a quantitative research design through administering a survey questionnaire to consumers in the fashion retail outlets. The data gathered were analysed through statistical means in order to determine the correlation between the aspects of visual merchandising and buying behaviour among consumers. The results showed that the successful application of visual merchandising techniques, which included clean product displays, proper lighting and the store layouts were important determinants of the purchase intentions among consumers and aroused the impulse buying behaviour. Positive emotional reactions towards the visual stimulation in the retail setting also led to consumer involvement towards the products. The given study has added to the existing body of literature because it used the Stimulus Organism Response (S-O-R) model to clarify how the visual merchandising stimuli affected internal reactions of consumers and the following purchase behaviour. The results were practical to the fashion retailers to create effective visual merchandising strategies to the customer experience and improve retail performance.