Impact of Sensory Marketing on Online Purchase Intention: with Special Reference to Online Apparel Shopping Industry in Western Province of Sri Lanka

Abstract

In the current era, increased attention to the five senses in the marketing process suggests that companies should be aware of consumers’ inner purchasing process. Retailers are fixated on adding sensory stimulus to their store. Today, people are increasingly purchasing (food, clothes) and consuming (movies, courses) online. Over the last few years, e-commerce has become an indispensable part of the global retail framework, with many shoppers venturing on to the digital platform. At present, Sensory Marketing as a unique Marketing Strategy is considered to be a top priority. Hence, this study aims to investigate the impact of sensory marketing on online purchase intention towards online apparel shopping. The study is conducted with a sample of 385 respondents, following the convenience sampling method. A properly structured questionnaire was distributed among the selected sample. In order to test the hypotheses developed, simple linear regression and correlation analysis were used. The findings revealed that there is a positive impact of sensory marketing on online purchase intention. The three dimensions of Sensory Marketing, namely sight, sound, and touch, were deductively framed in this study. This study, thereby, contributes to building a successful consumer- brand relationship in building strong brands & increase purchase intention using sensory marketing in the online apparel shopping context.