Impact of Visual Merchandising Strategies on Impulsive Buying Behavior Towards Fashion Products: With Special Reference to Y Generation Customers in Colombo District

Abstract

The new dynamic of the environment creates the fierce competition in the fashion industry and visual merchandising strategies are adopted by fashion companies to maintain the competitive advantages. However, there is no sufficient studies to identify the effectiveness of visual merchandising of fashion industry. Therefore, this article aims to analyze the impact of visual merchandising strategies on impulsive buying behavior towards the fashion product among the customers of generation Y. Based on a review of the literature, this study develops an integrative model, using window display, mannequin display, floor merchandising, promotional signage as independent variables and impulsive buying behavior as dependent variable. The data was collected by using sample survey among 157 consumers of who are regularly purchasing fashion products from the modern retailers. The findings demonstrated that the window display, mannequin display, floor merchandising have positive and significant impact on the impulsive buying behavior towards the fashion product in the present research context. Further, promotional signage has negative impact for impulsive buying behavior. The results of this study proved that elements of visual merchandising like window display, mannequin display and floor merchandising serve as strong stimulus for reminding and inspiring the customer to do impulse buying choice of fashion product. And also promotional signage was not attractive tool of visual merchandising in Sri Lankan context. Finally, the researchers concluded that the visual merchandising plays a vital role in developing customer’s impulse buying behavior in the fashion retailing context in Sri Lanka.