The purpose of this study is to understand the role of store layout in predicting shopping behaviors by influencing the perception of crowding. With today's growing popularity of online shopping, brick-and-mortar stores are faced with increased challenges to create positive shopping experiences and attract more customers to the store. The customer's shopping experience often starts with the environment's physical appearance and navigation. Crowding is one of the known factors contributing to how stores look and feel. Using 3D simulation technology capable of offering a realistic virtual experience, we tested the hypothesis—that the negative impact of crowding could be effectively controlled through physical space configuration—by exploring the role of store layout and human density on perceived crowding using a 2 × 2 between-subjects design with 60 college students. Two distinct store layouts and their effects on perceived crowding and approach intentions were investigated. In addition, we also considered the role of individual differences in crowding perception. The findings demonstrate the critical role of store layout in controlling retail crowding and shopping motivations, potentially contributing to store success. We found increased shopping intentions in the store environment with a linear and symmetrical configuration than with a curvilinear and asymmetrical one. Such tendency was found to be significantly greater for male customers. A significant mediating role for perceived crowding on the relationship between the effects of store layout on shopping intentions was also found. This confirms the critical effect of store layout on perceived crowding that indirectly, yet significantly, influences customers' shopping behavioral intentions. No prior work in retail literature has examined retail crowding on the basis of an empirical manipulation of the environment. By using virtual walk-through simulation, this study joins a limited body of knowledge pertaining to the store environment and aims to expand our understanding of the distinct effects of retail environments on consumers' experience and behavior.

中文翻译：

---

商店布局和感知拥挤导致的购物行为意图：使用计算机走查模拟的探索性研究

本研究的目的是了解店铺布局在通过影响拥挤感知来预测购物行为中的作用。随着当今网上购物的日益普及，实体店在创造积极的购物体验和吸引更多顾客到店方面面临着越来越多的挑战。客户的购物体验通常从环境的物理外观和导航开始。拥挤是影响商店外观和感觉的已知因素之一。使用能够提供逼真的虚拟体验的 3D 模拟技术，我们测试了假设——拥挤的负面影响可以通过物理空间配置得到有效控制——通过使用 60 名大学生的 2 × 2 学科间设计探索商店布局和人员密度对感知拥挤的作用。研究了两种不同的商店布局及其对感知拥挤和接近意图的影响。此外，我们还考虑了个体差异在拥挤感知中的作用。研究结果表明，商店布局在控制零售拥挤和购物动机方面的关键作用，可能有助于商店的成功。我们发现，与曲线和非对称配置相比，线性和对称配置的商店环境中的购物意愿增加。发现男性顾客的这种趋势明显更大。还发现了感知拥挤对商店布局对购物意愿的影响之间的关系的重要中介作用。这证实了商店布局对感知拥挤的关键影响，间接但显着地影响客户的购物行为意图。零售文献中没有先前的工作基于对环境的经验操纵来研究零售拥挤。通过使用虚拟穿行模拟，本研究结合了与商店环境有关的有限知识体系，旨在扩大我们对零售环境对消费者体验和行为的不同影响的理解。这证实了商店布局对感知拥挤的关键影响，间接但显着地影响客户的购物行为意图。零售文献中没有先前的工作基于对环境的经验操纵来研究零售拥挤。通过使用虚拟穿行模拟，本研究结合了与商店环境有关的有限知识体系，旨在扩大我们对零售环境对消费者体验和行为的不同影响的理解。这证实了商店布局对感知拥挤的关键影响，间接但显着地影响客户的购物行为意图。零售文献中没有先前的工作基于对环境的经验操纵来研究零售拥挤。通过使用虚拟穿行模拟，本研究结合了与商店环境有关的有限知识体系，旨在扩大我们对零售环境对消费者体验和行为的不同影响的理解。