An exploratory study on shopper typologies based on architectural styles in Singapore.

Abstract

Atmospherics in shopping mall is an important element which is of great interest to researchers and practitioners alike. Nevertheless, few studies have examined the concept of Atmospherics in Singapore. The appropriate employment of Atmospherics is able to differentiate a shopping mall from the homogenous retail scene. Within Atmospherics, Architectural Styles and Tenant Variety are two crucial contributors to the attractiveness of a mall and these factors are within the developers’ control. A sequential mixed-method design, involving qualitative and quantitative studies, was adopted for our research. Preliminary interviews conducted revealed shoppers’ varied preferences for the architectural design of a shopping mall, which includes exterior and interior design, as well as the mix of tenants. Interviewees suggested Authenticity as an overarching theme that correlates Architectural Styles and Tenant Variety, as it provides a sense of place to shoppers in a shopping mall. The questionnaire was designed to gather the respondents’ preference of architectural styles for shopping malls and their desirable tenant mix. The result of our quantitative research revealed 5 major shopper clusters: Authentic, Apathetic, Luxury, Hedonic & Modern shoppers. There were significant differences and similarities among the clusters including their lifestyle and shopping behavior, which upon analysis revealed the characteristics and rationales of these shoppers and their respective preferences. Findings from this research can be useful to developers when designing an appealing shopping mall for their intended market.