Study on shopping centre: Consumer behaviour and environmental factors -Case Skanssi

Abstract: The tendency to buy goods and especially services is increasing in our society. This has strongly affected the retail markets in Finland during the last decade. The consumers are affected by the dynamic society, which have set new challenges for consumption. Shopping centres are similar to each other and therefore the experience can be a determining factor when choosing the shopping centre. A shopping centre is not just a place where people fulfil their basic shopping needs but a recreational destination where people come to spend time and socialise. This holistic customer experience is widely affected by the retail environment that shopping centre offers. Holistic shopping experience lies beyond the satisfaction of basic shopping needs. This study examines the broader retail view of the shopping centre and how people approach to the phenomenon. Also, the competitive advantages a shopping centre can create for today's consumption society have been investigated. It has great importance to offer the retail mix in a unique style environment and creating interesting events and activities. The purpose of this thesis is to study the phenomenon of a modern shopping centre and the relationship between the modern shopping centre and the young adults. The research has been carried out through qualitative research method and a case study. Shopping centre Skanssi, located in Turku Finland, was used to evaluate the influence of shopping environment. Eight respondents were interviewed to unfold young people’s attitudes toward shopping centres. The main conclusion of this thesis is that shopping environment is widely influenced by how people appreciate their shopping experience. Shopping centre has to create an atmosphere and a retail mix that serves people on multiple levels. This process is dynamic and it is affected by different factors such as background, design and social factors. In this thesis the process is called environmental stimulation. Young adults found that modern shopping centre should produce interesting environment and social experiences.