Across a series of lab and field studies, with a total sample of over 1200 participants, we investigate how the physical proximity between salespeople and customers can impact store loyalty, purchase intentions, and actual spending. An initial survey among a representative sample of retail salespeople reveals that they associate close physical proximity between employees and customers with positive consumer outcomes, an intuition that dovetails with prior research documenting the positive influence of such proximity on purchase intentions, particularly in nonexpressive consumption contexts. Contrary to this work, we demonstrate, across four studies in which proximity was both measured and manipulated, that store loyalty, purchase intentions, and actual spending behavior are negatively impacted when consumers encounter a salesperson who is standing close by (vs. farther away), particularly in expressive consumption contexts. Psychological discomfort mediates this effect, such that consumers experience greater discomfort when a salesperson is standing close by, which in turn decreases spending. Importantly, this phenomenon is moderated by identity relevance, such that the negative influence of salesperson-customer proximity specifically emerges when consumers think about products in terms of their ability to express their identities. These findings carry important implications for retailers operating in expressive consumption contexts.

中文翻译：

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太近不舒服？销售员-顾客接近度对消费者购买行为的影响

通过一系列实验室和实地研究，总样本超过 1200 名参与者，我们调查了销售人员和客户之间的物理距离如何影响商店忠诚度、购买意向和实际支出。对零售销售人员的代表性样本进行的初步调查显示，他们将员工和客户之间的近距离物理接近与积极的消费结果联系起来，这种直觉与先前的研究相吻合，该研究记录了这种接近对购买意图的积极影响，尤其是在非表达性消费环境中。与这项工作相反，我们在四项研究中展示了测量和操纵接近度的商店忠诚度、购买意向、当消费者遇到站在附近（相对较远）的销售人员时，尤其是在富有表现力的消费环境中，实际消费行为和实际消费行为都会受到负面影响。心理不适调节了这种效果，当销售人员站在附近时，消费者会感到更大的不适，从而减少支出。重要的是，这种现象受到身份相关性的调节，因此当消费者从表达身份的能力方面考虑产品时，销售人员 - 客户接近度的负面影响就会特别显现。这些发现对在富有表现力的消费环境中经营的零售商具有重要意义。当销售人员站在附近时，消费者会感到更加不适，从而减少支出。重要的是，这种现象受到身份相关性的调节，因此当消费者从表达身份的能力方面考虑产品时，销售人员 - 客户接近度的负面影响就会特别显现。这些发现对在富有表现力的消费环境中经营的零售商具有重要意义。当销售人员站在附近时，消费者会感到更加不适，从而减少支出。重要的是，这种现象受到身份相关性的调节，因此当消费者从表达身份的能力方面考虑产品时，销售人员 - 客户接近度的负面影响就会特别显现。这些发现对在富有表现力的消费环境中经营的零售商具有重要意义。