The roles of sensory perceptions and mental imagery in consumer decision-making

Abstract

The current study examines the relationship between sensory perceptions and mental imagery and the mechanism through which sensory perceptions and mental imagery influence behavioral intent in store-based retailing. An online survey was conducted with in-store purchasers (N = 455). The results showed a significant correlation between sensory perceptions and mental imagery. Supporting the sensory marketing framework, both sensory perceptions and mental imagery indirectly influenced behavioral intent via anticipatory emotion and decision confidence. No direct relationships between sensory perceptions and behavioral intent, and between mental imagery and behavioral intent were found. Supporting Construal Level Theory, sensory perceptions had consistently stronger influences on consumer responses than mental imagery, while the underlying process was identical between sensory perceptions and imagery. The findings from this study shed new light onto sensory research and offer relevant managerial implications to enhance in-store shopping experiences. © 2021 Elsevier Ltd