Consumer reactions to crowded retail settings: Cross‐cultural differences between North America and the Middle East

Most of the research dealing with consumer–consumer interactions emphasizes the negative consequences of sharing the service experience with other consumers. Crowding, in particular, represents one of the important environmental factors affecting consumers' retail experience. However, recent studies in the context of hedonic services (e.g., amusement parks, concerts, etc.) have mentioned that crowds may potentially enhance consumers' service experience. The present study aims at demonstrating the presence of these positive consumer responses in a crowded hedonic situation, while investigating the influence of cultural differences in crowd-related issues. With the use of consumers from different cultures (North America and the Middle East), reactions to similarly crowded situations in a hedonic situation are compared. Results suggest that Middle Eastern respondents perceive both a lower level of density and appreciate crowded situations more than their North American counterparts. Potential explanations are discussed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[1]  Fahri Karakaya,et al.  A cross-cultural exploration of attitudes toward product expiration dates , 2005 .

[2]  Aron O'Cass,et al.  What happens when things go wrong? Retail sales explanations and their effects , 2004 .

[3]  R. Belk,et al.  The Effects of Physical Surroundings on Egyptian Consumers' Emotional States and Buying Intentions , 2004 .

[4]  Ahmad Jamal.  Retailing in a multicultural world: the interplay of retailing, ethnic identity and consumption , 2003 .

[5]  A. Diamantopoulos,et al.  Theoretical justification of sampling choices in international marketing research: key issues and guidelines for researchers , 2003 .

[6]  Christina Goulding,et al.  Working Weeks, Rave Weekends: Identity Fragmentation and the Emergence of New Communities , 2002 .

[7]  Mark B. Andersen,et al.  World Cup Soccer home advantage. , 2002 .

[8]  D. Wann,et al.  Using motivation and team identification to predict sport fans' emotional responses to team performance. , 2002 .

[9]  Robert E. Manning,et al.  Coping in Outdoor Recreation: Causes and Consequences of Crowding and Conflict Among Community Residents , 2001 .

[10]  D. Cole,et al.  Number of Encounters and Experience Quality in Grand Canyon Backcountry: Consistently Negative and Weak Relationships , 2001 .

[11]  G. Evans,et al.  THE MEANING AND EFFICACY OF SOCIAL WITHDRAWAL AS A STRATEGY FOR COPING WITH CHRONIC RESIDENTIAL CROWDING , 2000 .

[12]  S. P. Sinha,et al.  Crowding Effects of Density and Personal Space Requirements Among Older People: The Impact of Self-Control and Social Support , 2000, The Journal of social psychology.

[13]  Clifford Stott,et al.  Crowds, context and identity: Dynamic categorization processes in the 'poll tax riot' , 2000 .

[14]  Susan Sprecher,et al.  Close relationships and social psychology : Intersections and future paths , 2000 .

[15]  Susan Powell Mantel,et al.  Perceived Retail Crowding and Shopping Satisfaction: What Modifies This Relationship? , 2000 .

[16]  Kirk L. Wakefield,et al.  Customer response to intangible and tangible service factors , 1999 .

[17]  Patricia Brierley Newell.  A cross-cultural comparison of privacy definitions and functions: a systems approach , 1998 .

[18]  Seong-Yeon Park.  A comparison of Korean and American gift-giving behaviors , 1998 .

[19]  J. Steenkamp,et al.  Assessing Measurement Invariance in Cross-National Consumer Research , 1998 .

[20]  Sayed M. Elsayed‐Elkhouly,et al.  Cultural Differences between Arabs and Americans , 1998 .

[21]  Mrugank V. Thakor,et al.  The Effect of Delay Type and Service Stage on Consumers' Reactions to Waiting , 1998 .

[22]  S. Vitell,et al.  A Cross-Cultural Investigation of the Ethical Values of Consumers: The Potential Effect of War and Civil Disruption , 1998 .

[23]  Susan Tyler Eastman,et al.  THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS: SPORTS FANS FIND GOOD SEATS AT THE BAR , 1997 .

[24]  Laurette Dubé,et al.  The impact of music on consumers' reactions to waiting for services , 1997 .

[25]  R. Fisk,et al.  The impact of other customers on service experiences: A critical incident examination of “getting along” , 1997 .

[26]  J. Wooldredge.  Explaining Variation in Perceptions of Inmate Crowding , 1997 .

[27]  Charles L. Martin.  Consumer-to-Consumer Relationships: Satisfaction with Other Consumers' Public Behavior , 1996 .

[28]  Eric J. Arnould,et al.  Consumers’ emotional responses to service encounters , 1995 .

[29]  D. Holt.  How Consumers Consume: A Typology of Consumption Practices , 1995 .

[30]  Kirk L. Wakefield,et al.  The Importance of Servicescapes in Leisure Service Settings , 1994 .

[31]  R. Donovan.  Store atmosphere and purchasing behavior , 1994 .

[32]  Saeed Samiee,et al.  Cross-cultural research in advertising: An assessment of methodologies , 1994 .

[33]  James J. Kellaris,et al.  Human versus spatial dimensions of crowding perceptions in retail environments: A note on their measurement and effect on shopper satisfaction , 1994 .

[34]  William R. Darden,et al.  Work and/or Fun: Measuring Hedonic and Utilitarian Shopping Value , 1994 .

[35]  D. Oyserman.  The lens of personhood: Viewing the self and others in a multicultural society. , 1993 .

[36]  Linda L. Price,et al.  River Magic: Extraordinary Experience and the Extended Service Encounter , 1993 .

[37]  Bo Edvardsson,et al.  Service Break-Downs a Study of Critical Incidents in an Airline , 1992 .

[38]  J. Klofas,et al.  The Meaning of Correctional Crowding: Steps Toward an Index of Severity , 1992 .

[39]  Bernd H. Schmitt,et al.  Intrusions into waiting lines : does the queue constitute a social system ? , 1992 .

[40]  M. Hui,et al.  Perceived Control and the Effects of Crowding and Consumer Choice on the Service Experience , 1991 .

[41]  H. Markus,et al.  Culture and the self: Implications for cognition, emotion, and motivation. , 1991 .

[42]  Hun-Joon Park,et al.  REWARD ALLOCATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES, JAPAN, AND KOREA: A COMPARISON OF INDIVIDUALISTIC AND COLLECTIVISTIC CULTURES , 1990 .

[43]  James C. Anderson,et al.  STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING IN PRACTICE: A REVIEW AND RECOMMENDED TWO-STEP APPROACH , 1988 .

[44]  L. G. Pawlson,et al.  Importance of the Physical Environment for Older People , 1985, Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

[45]  J L Sanders,et al.  Personal space amongst arabs and americans. , 1985, International journal of psychology : Journal international de psychologie.

[46]  James C. Anderson,et al.  Path Analysis of Buyer Behavior under Conditions of Crowding , 1980 .

[47]  Irwin Altman,et al.  Personal Space: An Analysis of E.T. Hall’s Proxemics Framework , 1977 .

[48]  S. Worchel,et al.  The experience of crowding: a two-factor theory. , 1976, Journal of personality and social psychology.

[49]  R. Baron,et al.  Effects of social density in university residential environments. , 1976 .

[50]  C. Loo.  The Effects of Spatial Density on the Social Behavior of Children1 , 1972 .

[51]  D. Stokols.  On the distinction between density and crowding: some implications for future research. , 1972, Psychological review.

[52]  J. M. McPherson,et al.  Population density and pathology: what are the relations for man? , 1972, Science.

[53]  J. Desor,et al.  Toward a Psychological Theory of Crowding. , 1972 .

[54]  J. Baxter.  Interpersonal spacing in natural settings. , 1970, Sociometry.