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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 9, No. 7

Publication Date: July 25, 2022

DOI:10.14738/assrj.97.12584. Al-Alsaggaf, D. M. A., & Basaffar, A. A. (2022). Visual Marketing and its Impact on Consumer Buying Behavior in Clothing Stores.

Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 9(7). 18-26.

Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom

Visual Marketing and its Impact on Consumer Buying Behavior in

Clothing Stores

Dalia Mohammed Abdullah Al- Alsaggaf

King Abdulaziz University

Amaal Abdelqader Basaffar

King Abdulaziz University

ABSTRACT

Visual marketing is concerned with the way products are visually communicated to

the consumer. Nowadays, the owners of retail establishments apply visual

marketing strategies in their practices in a larger scale and in an innovative way,

where they use multiple technologies in order to present the product and make

significant investment in the store environment. The problem of the study emerged

through the researcher's review of previous studies on the subject of the study,

which indicated to the effect of visual marketing strategies in retail clothing stores

on the purchasing behavior of the consumer. The research aims to study visual

marketing and its impact on consumer purchasing behavior in the city of Jeddah

using the SOR theory to identify the degree of impact of these strategies using the

SOR theory model. The research followed the descriptive analytical approach by

conducting the study on a sample of 77 consumers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The

questionnaire was used as a tool for the study. The results showed that the

application of visual marketing strategies significantly affects the change in

purchasing behavior of consumers in the city of Jeddah, and that there was a

positive statistically significant relationship between purchasing behavior and

motivation, mental image, and feelings of happiness. The results also showed a

correlation between (stimulus, mental image, and feelings of happiness) and

purchasing behavior. The coefficient of determination indicates that the variables

(stimulus, mental image, and feelings of happiness) represent 58.3% of the variance

in purchasing behavior.

Keywords: visual marketing, buying behavior, retail stores

INTRODUCTION

Visual marketing is a purely scientific art and is the mainstay of apparel retail establishments.

Visual marketing plays an important role in apparel retail establishments. It is known as the

silent selling method, and one of its advantages is that it reduces the number of employees and

allows the use of spaces. It also helps reduce the budget, as its activity and function aim at

developing the layout of store spaces and the 3D view to maximize sales (Randawa, Saluja,

2016). With the development of retail trade from product to product, consumer shopping

environment has become very important, where retailer provides his store with modern and

consumer friendly design, consumers expect to shop in store with good experience and design.

Shopping has become a test of the brand rather than just a sale (Singh, 2009). The real purchase

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Al-Alsaggaf, D. M. A., & Basaffar, A. A. (2022). Visual Marketing and its Impact on Consumer Buying Behavior in Clothing Stores. Advances in Social

Sciences Research Journal, 9(7). 18-26.

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.97.12584

takes place at the point of accounting, where the decision is made on the amount of purchase.

The future of retail stores is based on the consumer experience in the store (Lampa, 2003).

One of the main points of visual marketing is that it is strategically placed in the store to take

advantage of the advantages and benefits of marketing. The expressive display window grabs

the attention of passersby and leads researchers and shoppers through the track changing

process. Apparel retail establishments are increasingly spending on design, fittings, style,

lighting, and signage, all of which are considered attractions.

The concept of modern consumer behavior is that consumers most often buy products not

because of their function but for the attractive value that prompted them to buy, as the product

plays a role that goes beyond the function for which it was produced (Krishnakumar, 2014).

It has been proven through empirical evidence that consumer psychological and social

satisfaction plays an important role in visual marketing, as social information leads to positive

consumer satisfaction (Liu, Kim, Hong, 2018).

Research Problem

The research problem is to answer the following questions:

1. Is there a relationship between visual marketing strategy and internal response factors?

2. Is there a relationship between internal reaction factors and consumer purchasing behavior

in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia?

Research Objectives

The research aims to study visual marketing and its impact on consumer purchasing behavior

in the city of Jeddah, using the SOR theory to identify the degree of impact of these strategies,

and the objectives were formulated as follows:

1. Detecting the effect of visual marketing strategies in retail clothing stores on consumer

purchasing behavior in Jeddah.

2. Finding the relationship between the factors of the internal reaction and the purchasing

behavior of the consumer in the city of Jeddah.

Research hypothesis

1. There is a positive relationship between visual marketing strategies and internal response

factors.

2. There is a positive relationship between the internal reaction and the purchasing behavior of

the consumer.

Research terminology

Strategy (Osman, Jaafar, 2019) defines the word strategy as coming back from the Greek word

Strategos, whose meaning is associated with plans that are used in managing battles and the

arts of military confrontation.

Drucker also defined strategy as a continuous process of organizing and implementing current

decisions, providing the necessary information, organizing resources and efforts to implement

decisions and evaluating results through an integrated and effective information system.

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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 9, Issue 7, July-2022

Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom

It can be defined as a path or plan that is followed to achieve the desired goal, such as a solution

to a problem, which is the art and science of planning and inventorying resources to be used in

the most possible way and with the greatest benefit.

Visual Merchandising

(Law, Wong & Yip, 2012) defines visual marketing as a tool for connecting products and buyers

through the use of different methods and methods. Visual merchandising is an art of displaying

the things in an attractive way so that it could attract the attention of the customer and

persuade them to buy the product. An effective visual merchandising will play a significant role

in the consumers’ purchase decision

Retail Stores

Retail Stores are a place that sells products directly to the final buyer for personal use and not

for the purpose of reselling them again (C. Haif, formerly Shiraz, 2005).

It can be defined as a workplace that opens and receives shoppers, through which the process

of selling to the final consumer takes place, and products are displayed there.

Consumer

A consumer is a person who performs some action on a service or product, in order to best

satisfy his needs and expectations for the normal duration of use (Harsha, 2016). It is the person

who acquires services and products that meet his needs and expectations.

Buyer decision Process

It is the stage that consumers go through during their transition from recognizing the need to

actually purchase a service or product and experiencing the feelings that go with it.

Research Methodology

This research has adopted the descriptive-analytical approach for its relevance. The study

followed the descriptive-analytical approach, "which is concerned with defining reality,

collecting facts about it and analyzing some of its aspects". The methodology of the study is

based on the fact that the phenomenon (the effect of visual shopping on shopper behavior) is a

social phenomenon that needs to study visual shopping and the factors affecting it, as well as

the effect of those factors on the behavior of individual consumers. For this reason, the

descriptive approach that monitors the phenomenon and tracks its impact on society, was

adopted.

Design of Research Methodology

The design of the methodology relied on fixed steps, represented in providing the means of

obtaining information, while saving time and cost factors, defining the sample, taking random

samples, collecting data systematically through the questionnaire, and implementing the

research project, analyzing the data in light of the hypotheses put forward, and finally

interpreting the data, monitoring the results, and making recommendations and suggestions.

Research Boundaries

Objective Boundaries: Examining the effect of visual marketing strategies in retail apparel

stores on consumer buying behavior.

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Al-Alsaggaf, D. M. A., & Basaffar, A. A. (2022). Visual Marketing and its Impact on Consumer Buying Behavior in Clothing Stores. Advances in Social

Sciences Research Journal, 9(7). 18-26.

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.97.12584

Human Boundaries: a sample of 77 consumers.

Spatial Boundaries: Jeddah, Kingdome of Saudi Arabia

Time Boundaries: the second semester of the academic year (2022)

Research sample

The total research sample included (66) individuals from consumers of retail stores in the city

of Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Research tool

A questionnaire consisting of 23 items distributed on three axes as follows:

First Axis: Motivations - Visual Marketing and Its Elements (Stimuli) (10) Paragraphs

The second axis: internal response factors (Organism). (8) paragraphs

The third axis: the reaction to the buying behavior (Response) (5) paragraphs

The questionnaire was distributed to the study sample consisting of (66) consumers of retail

clothing stores selling clothes in the city of Jeddah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The

researcher used a three-tiered Likert method (agree - agree to some extent - disagree).

Face Validity

The tool was subjected to face validity. The research was scored by a team of assessors after

the work has been criticized and necessary corrections effected. The tool’s stability was

verified, using the Cronbach’s alpha equation, which revealed that the overall reliability

coefficient of the study tool was (0.73 ) and, therefore, satisfies the purposes of scientific

research.

Internal consistency

Internal consistency means the degree of correlation of each of the scale expressions with the

total score of the scale to which the phrase belongs. In order to determine the validity of the

internal consistency of the study tool, Pearson’s simple correlation coefficient was used as

shown in Table (1), where the results indicate that there is a statistically significant correlation

between each phrase and the total score of the axis to which it belongs, thus indicating that the

tool has a high degree of internal consistency.

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Table 1: Simple correlation coefficient between each statement and the total score for the axis

Phrase Stimuli Mental

image

Feeling

s of

happin

ess

Purchasi

ng

behavior

Visual (presentation) marketing is an

essential source of consumer attention.

.226*

The display window gives me an

overview of the contents of the store.

.309**

Visual Marketing (Display) is a

convenient source for the latest fashion

trends.

.618**

Visual merchandising helps me

coordinate the pieces together.

.566**

The visual (display) marketing method

makes it easier for me to use the

products offered by the store.

.620**

The overall composition used in the

merchandise view convinces me of the

store's features.

.736**

The use of lighting in the display and

shop window on the products highlights

them well.

.342**

The colors shown help convince me of

the features of the store.

.566**

The arrangement of the mannequin in

the display window and the store

contributes to the display of the

products in a remarkable way.

.370**

The materials used in the display

window and the store are an important

source of consumer demand.

.354**

The view in the View and Store window

gives me an impression of the store and

its contents.

.305**

The pieces shown give me ideas on how

to coordinate with my previous

purchases.

.667**

Seeing the view in the show window

and in the store I feel how well the

pieces shown will fit me when I wear

them.

.785**

The impression I got from the display

window and the store convinces me of

the importance of the offered products.

.844**

I feel relieved when looking at the view

in the display window and in the shop.

.697**

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Al-Alsaggaf, D. M. A., & Basaffar, A. A. (2022). Visual Marketing and its Impact on Consumer Buying Behavior in Clothing Stores. Advances in Social

Sciences Research Journal, 9(7). 18-26.

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.97.12584

The view from the window display and

the shop makes me feel very cheerful

and happy.

.811**

The terms used in the display window

and the store show interest in me as a

consumer.

.712**

I feel confident in the quality of the

store's contents from the view of the

exhibits.

.661**

The view in the view window entices

me to discover the contents of the store,

and to get information about its

products.

.725**

The data in the display window and the

store increases my desire to enter the

stores (price - material - working

hours).

.632**

The products shown in the display

window and the store make me accept

the purchase.

.782**

The impression I got from the view in

the display window prompts me to buy

in the store, and even to visit it

frequently.

.864**

Feelings of happiness from seeing the

view in the display window and the

store led me to buy products.

.822**

*Statistically significant at the 0.05 probability level **Statistically significant at 0.01

Tool Stability

To determine the stability of the study tool, Cronbach's alpha coefficient was used as in Table

(2), where the results in the table indicate that the values of the Cronbach's alpha coefficient

for the four axes are greater than or equal to 0.7, which indicates that the tool has a high degree

of stability.

Table 2: Cronbach's alpha coefficient to measure the stability of the tool

Axis Number of

phrases

Cronbach's alpha

coefficient

Stimuli 10 0.7

Mental image 4 0.7

Feelings of happiness 4 0.71

Purchasing behavior 5 0.82

Statistical methods used

The researcher used the SPSS statistical program to analyze the study data, using a set of

statistical methods that fit the nature of the data, and these methods are: frequencies,

percentages, arithmetic mean, standard deviation, simple correlation coefficient, partial

regression coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression coefficient.

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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 9, Issue 7, July-2022

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Study Findings

First: The first hypothesis states that "there is a positive relationship between visual marketing

strategies and internal response factors."

To test this hypothesis between visual marketing strategies and internal response factors, the

researcher studied the correlational relationships between purchasing behavior and each of:

motivation, mental image, and feelings of happiness by testing this hypothesis according to the

simple correlation coefficient as in Table (1).

The results indicate that the value of the simple correlation coefficient between purchasing

behavior and internal feelings amounted to 0.631, the value of the simple correlation coefficient

between purchasing behavior and mental image was 0.648, while the value between

purchasing behavior and feelings of happiness was 0.696, all of which are statistically

significant values at the probability level 0.01, which shows that there is a positive, statistically

significant relationship between purchasing behavior and motivation, mental image, and

feelings of happiness. Thus, the finding was found to be consistent with the first research

hypothesis.

Table 1: Simple correlation coefficient between purchasing behavior and motivation, mental

image, and feelings of happiness

Purchasing

behavior

Stimuli Mental image Feelings of

happiness

Purchasing

behavior

1 .631** .648** .696**

Stimuli .631** 1 .708** .573**

Mental image .648** .708** 1 .630**

Feelings of

happiness

.696** .573** .630** 1

*Statistically significant at the 0.05 probability level **Statistically significant at 0.01

Second: The second hypothesis states that “there is a positive relationship between the internal

reaction and the purchasing behavior of the consumer.” The researcher studied the regressive

relationships between purchasing behavior and motivation, mental image, and feelings of

happiness. This hypothesis was tested by analyzing simple linear regression as in the table (2),

and the results in the table showed that the multiple correlation coefficient between (stimulus,

mental image, and feelings of happiness) and purchasing behavior amounted to 0.764, and the

p value of the multiple correlation coefficient test was 34.047, which is a statistically significant

value at the probability level 0.01, which shows that there is a correlational relationship

between (stimulus, mental image, and feelings of happiness) with purchasing behavior. The

coefficient of determination shows that the three variables together explain 58.3% of the

variance in purchasing behavior.

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Al-Alsaggaf, D. M. A., & Basaffar, A. A. (2022). Visual Marketing and its Impact on Consumer Buying Behavior in Clothing Stores. Advances in Social

Sciences Research Journal, 9(7). 18-26.

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.97.12584

Table 2: Results of simple linear regression

Partial Regression

coefficient

Standard Partial

regression coefficient

t

value

Relevanc

e level

1 Constant -1.473- -.705- .483

Stimuli .228 .235 2.140 .036

Mental

image

.302 .212 1.823 .072

Feelings of

happiness

.513 .428 4.274 .000

Multiple correlation coefficient = 0.764, coefficient of determination = 0.583 p-value

= 34.047** *D at the 0.05 level **Dal at 0.01

In order to clarify the percentage of the contribution of each variable (stimulus, mental image,

and feelings of happiness) in explaining the variation in purchasing behavior, the researcher

performed a test of correlation analysis and stepwise multiple regression. The results showed

a regression equation that includes two variables as in Table (3), namely: feelings of happiness

and stimuli, as they represent 56.4% of the variance in purchasing behavior, and feelings of

happiness alone represent 48.4%, while the stimuli variable represents 8% in explaining the

variance in purchasing behavior.

Table 3: Results of the ascending gradient multiple correlation and regression analysis

The

coefficient

of

determinati

on

Change in

coefficient of

determination

Standard Partial

regression coefficient

t

value

Significa

nce level

Feelings

of

happines

s

.484 .484 .498 5.319 .000

Stimuli .564 .0.80 .345 3.683 .000

Multiple correlation coefficient = 0.751 Coefficient of determination = 0.564 p-value

= 47.905** *D at the 0.05 level **Dal at 0.01

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

1. The application of visual marketing strategies significantly affects the changing

purchasing behavior of consumers in the city of Jeddah.

2. The approval rate on the effect of stimulus strategies in visual marketing on changing

the purchasing behavior of consumers of the sample members in the city of Jeddah

reached a high level of 58% to 93%, and the arithmetic mean values ranged between

2.53 degrees to 2.93 degrees

3. The approval rate on the effect of mental image strategies in visual marketing on

changing the purchasing behavior of consumers among the sample members in the city

of Jeddah reached a high level of 57.1% to 85.7%, and the arithmetic mean values ranged

between 2.50 degrees to 2.86 degrees.

4. The approval rate on the effect of feelings of happiness on changing the purchasing

behavior of consumers of the sample members in the city of Jeddah reached a high level

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of 55.8% to 66.2%, and the arithmetic mean values ranged between 2.59 and 2.53

degrees.

5. There is a positive statistically significant relationship between purchasing behavior and

motivation, mental image, and feelings of happiness, and this result supports the first

hypothesis.

6. There is a correlation between each of the internal feelings (stimulus, mental image, and

feelings of happiness) and buying behavior, and the coefficient of determination

indicates that the three variables explain 58.3% of the variance in buying behavior.

7. Feelings of happiness and stimuli represent 56.4% of the causes of variation in

purchasing behavior, and the happiness variable alone represents 48.8%, while the

stimuli variable represents 8%.

Study Recommendations

In light of the previous results, the researcher suggests a number of recommendations that can

be summarized as follows:

1. Raising awareness on the importance of visual marketing in influencing the buying

behavior of different groups of consumers.

2. Increasing the interest of store owners to design them in modern and modern ways that

attract customers and help increase the demand for the store.

3. Paying attention to displaying clothes in stores in an attractive and tidy manner because

of its impact on the purchasing behavior of consumers

4. Store owners' interest in stimulating consumers' buying behavior through discounts

and offers that increase feelings of happiness in consumers, which helps to increase the

purchase rate.

References

Lamba A J (2003): The Art of Retailing Retail Operations, Tata Mc Graw Hill, p. 387

Liu, Kim, Hong, (2018). An fNIRS-based investigation of visual merchandising displays for fashion stores – plos

one journal, United Kingdom

Randhawa,Saluja, (2016): Dose Visual Merchandising have an Effect on Consumer Impulse Buying Behavior,

symbiosis center for management studies, journal of general management research, volume 4 , issue2, July 2017,

pp. 58-71

Singh H (2009): Presenting Merchandise, Retail Management: A Global Perspective, 1st Edition, S Chand and Co,

p. 315

Krishnakumar, (2016): The Role of Visual Merchandising in Apparel Purchase Decision, national institute of

fashion technology, India