Title: A luxury shopping experience: how atmospherics and salespeople behavioural attributes influence customer satisfaction

Authors: Roberta Crespi

Addresses: Università Cattolica Del Sacro Cuore, Largo Gemelli 1, 20123 Milan, Italy

Abstract: The aim of the present research is to provide a conceptual framework that connects store atmospherics and salespeople's attributes and behaviours and assess their relevance in shaping a customer's overall experience in a luxury store. Our findings prove empirically that salespeople's attributes and behaviours are more important than store atmospherics in determining customer satisfaction, even if the latter exerts a partial moderation effect on the perception of the former. The empirical results also suggest that giving advice to the customer and closing the sale are the most influential aspects of the development of an effective customer-centric experience and that demonstrating empathy and care skills are therefore particularly crucial in the selection and training of salespeople. The managerial implications are discussed.

Keywords: store atmospherics; salesperson-customer relationship; luxury shopping experience; customer satisfaction; overall in-store experience.

DOI: 10.1504/LRJ.2017.086726

Luxury Research Journal, 2017 Vol.1 No.3, pp.193 - 239

Received: 14 Sep 2015
Accepted: 02 Mar 2016
Published online: 24 Sep 2017 *

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