Entertainment‐seeking shopping centre patrons: the missing segments
International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management
ISSN: 0959-0552
Article publication date: 1 February 2003
Abstract
Entertainment is increasingly an integral part of the marketing strategy used by shopping centres to entice consumers. Further, entertainment can be a means of image differentiation for shopping centres, given that the image of a competitive retail institution is a critical determinant in consumer patronage decisions. However few studies have examined the contribution of entertainment to shopping centre image. Moreover, using entertainment as a means of identifying distinct market segments has not been explored. Hence, the purpose of this study was twofold. First, a model of attributes that represented the shopping centre image was identified. Three essential attributes that have been neglected in most shopping centre studies were revealed, namely entertainment, food and security. Second, six market segments of shopping centre patrons were identified and labelled the “serious” shopper, the “entertainment” shopper, the “demanding” shopper, the “convenience” shopper, the “apathetic” shopper and the “service” shopper. In particular, the “entertainment” shopper and the “service” shopper are identified as entertainment‐seeking segments. Managerial implications of the findings and future research directions are addressed.
Keywords
Citation
Sit, J., Merrilees, B. and Birch, D. (2003), "Entertainment‐seeking shopping centre patrons: the missing segments", International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, Vol. 31 No. 2, pp. 80-94. https://doi.org/10.1108/09590550310461985
Publisher
:MCB UP Ltd
Copyright © 2003, MCB UP Limited