Mall Shopping Behavior Essay

2006 IABR and TLC Conferences Proceedings

Cancun, Mexico

Mall Shopping Behavior of Turkish Consumers
Elif Akagün Ergin, Çankaya University Handan Özdemir, Çankaya University Bülent Özsaçmacı, Çankaya University Abstract The main purpose of this study is to examine the mall shopping behavior of Turkish consumers. Our emphasis is on issues such as shopping behavior patterns, purchase experiences and shopping motivations of urban Turkish consumers. Consumers between the ages of 15-59 have been selected for this research and surveys were conducted at three major shopping malls in Ankara, Turkey with the participation of 384 subjects. Introduction Extensive research has been conducted on consumers’ shopping behaviors. When Tauber (1972) explored the reasons consumers had for shopping, he suggested two general categories: personal and social. He found that one major motivation of consumers was the need for diversion, getting away from the boredom and routine of everyday life. Diversion could also be extended into self-gratification by spending money on oneself. For some other consumers, the physical activity associated with shopping is desirable, so much so that many malls open their doors early so that people can take their constitutionals. On the social side, Tauber (1972) identified the fact that shopping incorporates a social experience outside the home, enabling shoppers to meet with peers and to communicate with others who have similar interests. In other words, malls are places where people gather who have a “common bond of interest, activity, and participation” (Roslow et al., 1993) Consumers may differ significantly in their motivation for shopping, mall selection criteria, buying patterns, purchasing decision making. The act of shopping may have significantly different meanings among consumers. Some consumers view shopping as a purely utilitarian function, while others expect hedonistic values from it (Babin et al., 1994; Bauman et al., 1981). Crowley...