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Marketing & Negotiation

Assignment 1 March 2015

RE 2106 Real Estate

Chia Liu Ee (A0112135Y)

Hong Kay Yeong Daniel (A0110994A)

Merilyn Milyarti Wantasen (A0112993B)

Rebecca Lau Tuck Wai (A0118861B)

Tan Pang An Leonard (A0116560M)

Tan Si Ying (A0112851N)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1

CHAPTER 2: SELECTION OF RESPONDENTS 1

2.1 Identification of Target Population 1

2.2 Selection of Sampling Procedure 1

2.2.1 Quota Sampling 1

CHAPTER 3: CONDUCT OF INTERVIEW 2

3.1 Location of Interview 2

3.1.1 Selection of Micro-Geographies 2

3.2 Date and Time of Interview 3

3.3 Method of Interview 3

3.3.1 Clarify Doubts in Questionnaire 3

3.3.2 Equipping Interviewers with Necessary Skills 3

3.3.3 Prepare Identity Verification Materials 4

3.3.4 Avoid Leading the Interviewee 4

3.3.5 Display Interest in Obtaining Responses 4

3.3.6 Controlling Duration of Each Interview 4

3.3.7 Respect Other’s Rights 4

3.3.8 Prudency in Recording Responses 4

CHAPTER 4: BRIEF SUMMARY OF FINDINGS 5

4.1 Demographics of Respondents 5

4.2 Overview of Various Atmospheric Stimuli 5

4.3 Stimuli Affecting Willingness to Stay and Patronage 6

4.4 Stimuli Affecting Shopping Experiences 7

4.5 Summary and Conclusion of Analysis 8

CHAPTER 5: LESSONS LEARNT 8

5.1 Length of Questionnaire 9

5.2 Language Barrier 9

5.3 Recruiting Respondents 9

5.4 Management of the Premise 9

5.5 Respondent Induced Bias 10

5.5.1 Courtesy Bias 10

5.5.2 Group Influence Bias 10

5.5.3 General Opinion Bias 10

5.6 Time Control 10

REFERENCES 11

APPENDIX A - QUESTIONNAIRE 13

APPENDIX B – CATEGORISATION OF QUESTIONS 16

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Chapter 1: Introduction The purpose of this research is to analyse how atmospheric stimuli can have a positive effect

on inducing both patrons to shop longer and the volume of mall patronage. In order to conduct

the research, a structured questionnaire was distributed to a sample of 80 ION Orchard patrons.

The results of the interview will be used to guide our decisions on implementing various

atmospheric stimuli in similar high end shopping malls.

A mall atmosphere is commonly referred as the attribute that strives to intensify the mall’s built

environment through different factors such as ambience, digital signage, spatial density, scent,

navigation, music and events and promotions. The environment of a mall can stimulate patrons’

emotions that eventually affects their shopping experiences which is vital in determining their

subsequent visits.

Chapter 2: Selection of Respondents This segment will cover the thought process and rationale behind our identification of the target

population as well as the selection of the sampling procedure.

2.1 Identification of Target Population We identified our target population as shoppers who were in the midst or end of their shopping

experience at ION Orchard as they would be able to recollect better the various stimuli they

experienced and provide more accurate responses.

2.2 Selection of Sampling Procedure The two types of sampling procedures considered prior to conducting this survey were

probability sampling and non-probability sampling. A low project budget and time constraints

have made it impossible to determine the sampling frame at ION Orchard. Therefore,

probability sampling is not feasible due to the absence of a sampling frame. In addition, with a

small sample size of below a hundred, certain forms of non-probability sampling may be a

better representative compared to probability sampling. This is because non-probability

sampling allows us to exercise professional judgment in selecting more reliable respondents to

ensure that the finest quality of data is collected. Taking all these into considerations, we have

decided to interview 80 respondents through Quota Sampling, a form of non-probability

sampling.

2.2.1 Quota Sampling

Quota sampling can be considered as a preferable form of non-probability sampling because it

forces the inclusion of members of different sub-populations. In addition, it is relatively

inexpensive, easy to administer and has the desirable property of satisfying population

proportions.

We have created 4 subgroups in order to capture an accurate representative of typical shoppers

in a popular mall. Firstly, we divided the target sample into male and female as preliminary

research suggests that individuals of different genders have very distinct shopping experiences.

In addition, we further subdivided the 2 gender groups into 4 subgroups that segregated

shoppers based on their nationalities. Foreigners will have different expectations on

environmental stimuli as they are most probably visiting the mall for the first time. In contrast,

locals are most probably recurring visitors of the mall. As such, the type of environmental

stimuli that attracts a first-time patron and a recurring patron will be different. Consequently,

there is a need to capture sufficient number of respondents from each subgroup. This ensures

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that different patrons are well represented in our market research to produce a general

population outcome.

Finally, we discretionarily prescribed a minimum of 15 respondents for each specified

subgroup in the population to be interviewed. This also ensures that we have flexibility of

choosing the respondents without compromising our goal of having a balanced representation

among all subgroups.

Figure 1: Minimum Quota for Each Subgroup

Chapter 3: Conduct of Interview This section will highlight the various reasoning for the chosen venue, date and time of the

interview. We will also be elaborating on the different principles and practices we applied

during the preparation of questionnaire to actual personal interview.

3.1 Location of Interview The interview was conducted in ION Orchard. It is the first shopping mall in Singapore that

introduced the trend of diffusing perfume throughout their premises as an effort of sensory

marketing. Through establishing a multi-sensory retail experience, ION Orchard aims to

generate a distinct image in the consumers’ minds by influencing their beliefs, feelings,

thoughts and opinions. The effectiveness of its strategy has contributed to ION Orchard’s

annual patronage of 56.2 million - the highest in Singapore when benchmarked against various

REITs reports. By conducting the interview in ION Orchard, we would be able to replicate its

success to other similar high-end shopping centres.

3.1.1 Selection of Micro-Geographies

Determining strategic micro-geographies of an interview site is essential as it impacts the

quality of responses obtained. The appropriate selection of micro-geographies enables

respondents to better relate to the questionnaires by directly observing the environment of the

mall. Moreover, it allows instant collections of respondents’ experiences in the mall. For this

personal interview, we identified three significant micro-geographies that helped us to conduct

the market research effectively and efficiently.

3.1.1.1 Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Exits

We stationed ourselves at the MRT exits of ION Orchard to target shoppers who were waiting

for their families or friends. This is because shoppers who were waiting tend to notice and

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observe the signage, music and ambience of the location they are in. Thus, this ensures that the

interviewees are adequately competent when answering the questions posed to them.

Moreover, since MRT Stations are very crowded, there is a higher potential of discovering the

appropriate target respondents.

3.1.1.2 Taxi Stand

We chose to interview shoppers at the taxi stand outside ION Orchard as they have just

completed their shopping activities. Therefore, they would have experienced the full spectrum

of stimuli and would be able provide comprehensive responses during the interview.

Furthermore, the taxi stand was perpetually crowded with long queues and waiting time. Thus,

our interviewees could have the luxury of time to respond to each question with much thought

and consideration.

3.1.1.3 Rest Area

We selected a few rest areas in the mall to conduct our personal interviews. Rest areas were

one of the most efficient sites for data collection as there is minimal noise that might hinder

and interrupt our process of interview. Additionally, rest areas provide a relaxed atmosphere

towards the target respondents. This was favourable as respondents tend to show very positive

attitudes and had more patience in assisting us on the market research. Furthermore, as

respondents are not distracted with any shopping activities at the moment of interview, we

would be able to gather a more accurate data.

3.2 Date and Time of Interview We conducted the interview on 14 February 2015, from 2pm to 5pm. With Valentine’s Day

coinciding with the weekend, we saw it as an opportunity for capitalizing on the massive crowd

to aid us in our selections of suitable respondents. Weekdays were not preferable as the target

populations would be skewed to mostly reflect the opinions of office workers, tourists and

housewives. Aside from the day chosen, the timing is equivalently important. Approaching

target respondents late at night would not be desirable. Individuals would be exhausted from

the activities throughout the day, resulting in greater reluctance to participate in the interview.

Therefore, we decided to commence with the interview in the afternoon. Most target

respondents would have already finished their lunch and some might even have the intention

to shop in the mall while waiting for dinner time. As a result, the likelihood of capturing target

respondents without compromising their conveniences would be maximized.

3.3 Method of Interview This section will focus on the various practices that we applied during the interview in order to

obtain valuable information from the respondents that could affect the outcome of the market

research.

3.3.1 Clarify Doubts in Questionnaire

Before commencing with the interview, we familiarized ourselves with the questionnaire by

understanding the questions thoroughly. In doing so, we were able to anticipate and eliminate

any ambiguity in the questions beforehand, hence making it clearer for the respondents to

interpret them. Moreover, we made sure that all the inquiries required to analyse the data are

included in the questionnaire. This is essential in order to produce a comprehensive analysis.

3.3.2 Equipping Interviewers with Necessary Skills

The interviewers are responsible over multiple tasks such as selecting respondents, explaining

the purpose of the study, motivating the respondents to participate and putting the respondents

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at ease. This requires us to be equipped with the relevant skills prior to the day of interview.

We practiced on synchronizing our method of interviews for a more consistent data collection.

In addition, we rehearsed conducting a personal interview with one another to attune to a proper

tone and pace. We also ensure that we had similar judgements in choosing the suitable

respondents by thoroughly understanding the criteria for selection.

3.3.3 Prepare Identity Verification Materials

Verifying our identities at the beginning of our interviews emanates a credible and professional

impression. This help mitigates the insecurity issues commonly faced by respondents in

completing a personal interview. In view of this, we imprinted the university’s insignia on all

the survey forms in addition to displaying our academic matriculation cards.

3.3.4 Avoid Leading the Interviewee

To mitigate interviewer-induced bias, we showed neutral expressions and reactions towards

responses given by respondents. We clarified unclear questions by repeating the questions

exactly as written in the questionnaire, giving minimal explanation to avoid influencing the

respondents. We also refrained ourselves from giving any personal opinions to ensure that we

did not contribute to the data. This is important to ensure that the data collected was solely

based on respondents’ opinions. It is important not to influence the respondent by showing

expressions of agreements or disagreements to their responses.

3.3.5 Display Interests in Obtaining Responses

Throughout the interview process, we demonstrated interests and attentiveness in our conduct

so as to evoke quality responses from respondents. This is because respondents would be more

willing to respond constructively throughout the interviews knowing that their opinions are

taken seriously.

3.3.6 Controlling Duration of Each Interview

Adherence to the time schedule for each interview is crucial as it provides sufficient time for

the respondents to complete the survey at a comfortable pace and prevent respondents from

blathering on. This will allow the entire survey interview to be done in an efficient manner for

both interviewer and respondents. Therefore, we tried to allocate approximately 10 minutes for

each interview and subtly timed each session.

3.3.7 Respect Other’s Rights

A respondent’s decision to accept or decline the request to be interviewed depends solely on

his or her prerogative. Thus, there is a need for us to seek co-operation from the respondent.

Also, we did not impose further on respondents who declined to be interviewed. We remained

unperturbed even if the responses offered by the respondents were unpalatably critical because

it would be disrespectful to judge the respondents for stating their honest opinions.

Furthermore, we were respectful towards the respondents during the interview by showing our

appreciations and keeping their responses confidential. At the end of the interview, we

acknowledged their efforts for participating and contributing to an integral part of our study.

3.3.8 Prudency in Recording Responses

When recording the responses in the questionnaire, we gave particular attentions on ticking the

boxes accordingly to reduce error that deteriorates the quality of data collected. In addition, we

verified that all questions have been filled in upon completion of the interview to ensure

comprehensiveness of data.

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Chapter 4: Brief Summary of Findings The basic assumption of this research is that atmospheric stimuli such as ambience, digital

signage, spatial density, scent, navigation, music and events and promotions will influence

shoppers to stay longer or patronise the mall.

4.1 Demographics of Respondents Table 1 shows a fair distribution between male and female respondents. Further survey analysis

will be based on the contributions from this sample.

Table 1: Percentage of Respondents based on Gender and Age

4.2 Overview of Various Atmospheric Stimuli The structured questionnaire consists of questions that cover the different categories of

atmospheric stimuli found in ION Orchard. The multivariate technique was used to measure

the effectiveness of each environmental stimuli in inducing the shoppers to stay longer and

attract higher patronage. Multiple questions were aggregated to gauge different atmospheric

stimuli (Appendix B). The stimuli that scores an average of 5 and above represents satisfactory

and those below 5 represents not satisfactory.

*Satisfactory Criterion: 5 ≥ means Satisfactory; <5 means not Satisfactory **Green: Above Satisfactory ***Red: Below Satisfactory ****Based on the average of 80 consolidated views for each factor

Figure 2: Results of Various Atmospheric Stimuli

Figure 2 shows the satisfactory levels of different atmospheric factors found in ION Orchard.

Based on the average responses collected from 80 respondents, stimuli such as “Digital

Signage”, “Ambience”, “Spatial Density” and “Navigation” implemented in ION Orchard is

above satisfactory level. In contrast, stimuli such as “Scent”, “Music” and “Events &

Promotions” were deemed below satisfactory level. However, this outcome is insufficient in

providing a conclusive result of how these stimuli enhance the behaviour of shoppers to

<20 20-29 30-39 40-49 >50

Male Count 8 18 8 7 6 47

% Within Age 53.3% 48.6% 80.0% 70.0% 75.0% 58.8%

Female Count 7 19 2 3 2 33

% Within Age 46.7% 51.4% 20.0% 30.0% 25.0% 41.2%

Total Count 15 37 10 10 8 80

% Within Age 100% 100% 100.0% 100% 100% 100.0%

TotalWhat is your Age?Age

1 2 3 4 5 6

Events & Promotions

Music

Scent

Navigation

Spatial Density

Ambience

Digital Signage

Average Score

Stim

ulu

s

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patronise longer in the mall. The following section will include an analysis that categorize

respondents into those who are willing to stay longer and those who are not in order to achieve

a more conclusive result.

4.3 Stimuli Affecting Willingness to Stay and Patronage

*Willing to Stay Criterion: 5 ≥ means Willing to Stay; <5 means Not Willing to Stay **Based on the average of 80 consolidated views for Question 22 to 29. ***44 Respondents are willing to stay in the mall. ****36 Respondents are not willing to stay in the mall. *****The Green Line gives the ratio between scores given by respondents who are Willing to Stay and Not Willing to Stay. Figure 3: Effects of Stimuli on Respondents’ Willingness to Stay and Patronage

In order to determine the effects of the various atmospheric stimuli on shoppers’ willingness

to stay or patronage, further classification has to be made. By organizing the 80 responses into

2 categories of respondents - those who are willing to stay longer and not, we can better

establish the impact of these stimuli on both types of patrons. The degree of difference in rating

of stimuli given by the 2 different categories of respondents indicates the effectiveness of a

particular stimulus in enticing shoppers to stay longer and increase patronage. The degree of

difference is represented in terms of a ratio.

The higher the ratio, the more effective the stimuli, vice versa. Therefore, if both categories of

respondents rated the stimulus highly, it means that the stimulus is satisfactory. However, this

also suggests that respondents do not recognise the stimulus rated as a substantial factor that

induce them to stay longer in the mall, hence the low ratio.

With reference to figure 3, “Ambience” has the largest ratio of 1.25 while “Events and

Promotions” has the lowest ratio of 1.03. This suggest that “Ambience” is the most effective

stimuli in attracting patronage and longer stay while “Events & Promotions” is the least

effective. High-income shoppers at ION Orchard appreciate a well-lit and air-conditioned

environment. Hence, the “Ambience” of the mall will greatly increase shoppers’ willingness

to stay. In addition, ION Orchard’s tenants are mostly branded labels which target the higher-

income group due to its positioning as a luxury shopping mall. As such, shoppers who patronise

ION Orchard would not have expected frequent discounts, hence less significance placed on

“Events & Promotions”. Based on this analysis, since we are assisting a developer of a similar

0.9

1

1.1

1.2

1.3

3

4

5

6

7

Ambience Navigation SpatialDensity

Scent DigitalSignages

Music Events &Promotions

RA

TIOA

VER

AG

E SC

OR

E

STIMULUS

Willing to Stay Not Willing to Stay Ratio

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high-end mall to implement various effective atmospheric stimuli, we would recommend to

prioritise “Ambience” as the main stimuli to increase patronage and encourage the patrons to

stay longer.

4.4 Stimuli Affecting Shopping Experiences

*The shopping experience above are based on the weighted average of 80 respondents. Figure 4: Shopping Experiences of Respondents

Figure 4 shows the various shopping experiences by the 80 respondents found in ION Orchard.

According to Mehrabian and Russell’s (1974), shopping experience can be measured in two

dimensions, pleasure and arousal. Pleased, contented and happy exemplify pleasure; while

aroused, stimulated and excited are represented by arousal.

With reference to figure 4, level of pleasantness of ION Orchard is above satisfactory. The

level of pleasantness is often affected by tenant mix, spatial density and ambience of the mall

(Rajagopal, 2009). Larger tenant mix will satisfy shopper’s needs and desire, while spatial

density and ambience of the mall will affect their comforts. ION Orchard is able to attain a

higher level of pleasantness because it has an extensive range of retail labels as well as F&B

stores. With a large gross floor area of 941,700 square feet, it is able to provide substantial

space along its walkway and a sizeable area for each shop.

In contrast, based on figure 4, the level of arousal in ION Orchard is below satisfactory. The

level of arousal is often affected by the degree of shoppers’ satisfactions on stimuli such as

music, scent, digital signage as well as events & promotions in the mall. The difference in

tempo of music will influence the level of arousal (Mattila & Wirtz, 2001). Fast-tempo music

is commonly referred to high arousal music while slow-tempo music is referred to low arousal.

In ION Orchard, the music that was being played in common spaces such as the lift lobbies,

toilets and resting areas were generally slow-tempo. Furthermore, the scent in ION Orchard is

uniquely customised so that patrons would only be able to associate it with ION Orchard. Thus,

this will trigger a sense of familiarity and calmness among recurring patrons (Zaccheus &

Yong, 2013). Even though digital signage are installed throughout the mall, patrons may

merely perceive them as background fillers and thus fail to be visually stimulated. Finally,

events & promotions held in a shopping mall arouse the shopper and affect their subsequent

re-patronage to the mall (Shu & Chiu, 2014). Nevertheless, due to the positioning of ION

Orchard, events & promotions are not organised frequently.

4 4.5 5 5.5

Aroused

Excited

Stimulated

Pleased

Contented

Happy

Average Score

Sho

pp

ing

Exp

erie

nce

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Based on the result of our analysis, ION Orchard has incorporated a higher level of pleasantness

and a moderate level of arousal. The success of ION Orchard in implementing the right

combination of atmospheric stimuli is reflected in its high patronage. Therefore, stimuli

affecting level of pleasantness need to be prioritised ahead of stimuli affecting level of arousal

to induce shoppers to stay longer and increase patronage of high-end shopping centres. This

outcome is further supported by Mehrabian & Russell (1974) who stated that a moderate level

of arousal in a pleasant environment usually generates positive shopping behaviour, while a

low or high level of arousal in a pleasant environment will result in negative shopping

behaviour. Generally, it is critical for developers to establish the right combination of

pleasantness and arousal in the mall regardless of their types.

4.5 Summary and Conclusion of Analysis According to the analysis done in Section 4.3 and Section 4.4, we can identify the relationship

between atmospheric stimuli and shopping experience (level of pleasantness and arousal). With

reference to Table 2, it can be seen that the ratio of the stimuli affecting the level of pleasantness

(Dimension 1) is relatively higher than the ratio of stimuli affecting level of arousal (Dimension

2). We observed that the stimuli influencing emotions in Dimension 1 are the most effective

stimuli as it affects patrons’ willingness to stay by increasing the level of pleasantness in the

shopping mall. On the other hand, the stimuli influencing emotions in Dimension 2 are

relatively less effective in affecting shoppers’ willingness to stay due to the positioning of ION

Orchard as a luxury mall which deemed level of arousal less significant. Therefore, from the

analysis conducted, we can conclude that the most effective way to increase patronage and

duration of stay in a similar high-end mall would be to prioritise ambience, navigation and

spatial density as these stimuli will be able to offer a more pleasurable shopping experience.

Stimuli Ratio Type of Shopping Experience Dimension

Ambience 1.2464

Level of Pleasantness

(Happy, Contented, Pleased)

1 Navigation 1.2121

Spatial Density 1.1895

Scent 1.1709

Level of Arousal

(Stimulated, Excited, Aroused)

2

Digital Signage 1.1301

Music 1.0734

Events & Promotions 1.0342

*Ratio = Score given by individuals who are Willing to Stay : Score given by individuals who are Not Willing to Stay Table 2: Type of Shopping Experience

Chapter 5: Lessons Learnt This section will highlight the various difficulties that we have encountered during the personal

interview and the valuable lessons that should be taken into considerations for our future

market research. The challenges listed below have made us realized the complexity in carrying

out a proper and effective interview.

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5.1 Length of Questionnaire Length of questionnaire corresponds to the amount of information we can achieve through the

interview. Thus, in order for us to achieve a comprehensive market research, we cannot

compromise on the length of the questionnaire. This has caused many respondents to turn down

our requests for interview. Moreover, many of the respondents felt deceived and regretful upon

their realisations that the questionnaire has been customized to fit a double-sided paper. As a

result, towards the end of the survey, respondents seem to give less considerations on the

questions asked and were more reluctant to provide constructive responses. From this

observation, we have learnt that it is imperative for interviewers to have high levels of

enthusiasm, sustaining the interests of our interviewees and eliciting optimum responses.

5.2 Language Barrier The target respondents consists of diverse age groups and backgrounds. Language barrier

became one of the few problems we faced, especially when conversing with older generation

respondents who are Chinese-educated. Since personal interview is a two-way interaction

between the interviewer and interviewee, it is important to master the languages commonly

used by target respondents to be able to deliver the questions and interpret the responses given

accurately. This posed an immense challenge for many of us as we are not well articulated in

Chinese. Additionally, this obstacle was worsened due to our different locational positions in

the mall when the interview was conducted. As a result, we have to be independent by

struggling through with our limited Chinese conversational skills. The inadequacy in our

language skills has displayed an unprofessional image and slowed down the process of the

interview. After we realized this obstacle, we decided to delegate the task of interviewing

Chinese-speaking respondents to our members who are fluent in Chinese.

Additionally, since the market research involves assessing atmospheric stimuli in the mall, it

is inevitable to use some technical terms. However, this imposed issues regarding their

interpretations by respondents. Despite our efforts in trying to explain technical terms used in

the questions, some respondents were still unable to relate to them. Furthermore, some

respondents were unable to comprehend and distinguish sentimental terms listed in the

questionnaire.

5.3 Recruiting Respondents Many of the target respondents were uninterested in doing the personal interview as they

perceived us as interrupting their shopping experiences. Target respondents generally came

with families and friends as the survey was conducted during the weekend. Consequently,

many hesitated to participate in the survey as they are unwilling to hold back their families and

friends from resuming their activities. Moreover, in contrast with corporate surveys, there was

lack of incentives given to our respondents in exchange for their time and efforts. The interview

also involves meeting respondents face-to-face, hence their identities are more susceptible to

exposure. These factors have contributed to the numerous rejections we encountered during the

recruitment process. We recognized that rejections will continue to be a challenge in

conducting surveys. Therefore, this experience has helped us to nurture our tolerance in coping

with rejections.

5.4 Management of the Premise Ion Orchard is an upscale shopping mall targeting on high-end shoppers. Its management

strives to give the ultimate shopping experience to its patrons. This has resulted in stringent

and tight control regarding unauthorised activities within its premise. However, we did not seek

for proper approval from the management beforehand as the market research was small-scale

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and intended only for academic purposes. In consequence, during the day of the interview, we

were often confronted by the mall concierges. We were then obliged to provide explanations

and assured them of our intentions repeatedly. Moreover, it was crucial for us to be cautious of

our behaviours and surroundings to avoid unnecessary attention.

5.5 Respondent Induced Bias Respondent induced bias will hinder the potential of obtaining useful and reliable data to make

an accurate analysis for the market research. However, a personal interview is susceptible to

bias as perceptions and opinions can be easily influenced by a myriad of external and internal

factors. Some forms of respondent induced bias that were observed during our interview are

stated below.

5.5.1 Courtesy Bias

Some respondents appeared to filter their opinions regarding Ion Orchard in view of being

courteous towards the interviewer. They did not want to come across as impolite or offensive,

hence giving diplomatic responses. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that as the interviewer,

we should remind and encourage the respondents to be forthright in providing their opinions

to minimize the courtesy biases.

5.5.2 Group Influence Bias

The personal interviews were mostly done in the presence of other individuals who were

accompanying the respondent. This could affect the data that was collected as their families or

friends might influence their opinions. In some cases, instead of giving truthful responses,

respondents may also be pressurized to select options that reflects a reputable outlook in the

eyes of the other observers. We had to observe the behaviour of the respondents towards those

around them and ensure that there were no inconsistencies in the responses given. It was

therefore necessary to emphasize on giving their true opinions when interventions from others

arose by cultivating a relational interview.

5.5.3 General Opinion Bias

During our interview, we discovered that some respondents were responding in place of the

general population. This may not be representative of their own opinions. For instance, we

encountered respondents that compared their own opinions based on their own age group with

other age groups and made adjustments in their chosen responses. In the case when the

respondents did so explicitly, we were able to record the original response instead of the general

response, avoiding the bias. However, the chances of respondents exposing their thoughts

process were slim, making bias inevitable.

5.6 Time Control Time management is vital to ensure efficient use of time to capture subsequent target

respondents. Vocal respondents who were eager to give their opinions tend to immerse

themselves into the questions and provide more information than required. This has

prolonged the whole process of personal interviews despite the closed questions applied to

shorten the time consumed. On the other hand, interrupting their responses would seem to

have disregarded their genuine opinions. Therefore, the difficulty in abiding to our pre-

arranged limit of approximately 10 minutes per interview was escalated.

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Zaccheus, M. & Yong, C. (2013). Just follow your nose to the malls. Retrieved 22 February

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Story20130304-406080.html

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APPENDIX A: QUESTIONNAIRE

Dear Sir/Mdm,

We are students from National University of Singapore (NUS) conducting a survey for our

project, which seeks to understand how various atmospheric stimuli such as digital signages,

and ambience (temperature and lighting) might induce shoppers to stay longer or patronise Ion

Orchard. Kindly give your views by ticking the boxes to complete this questionnaire. The

survey will take only a few minutes to complete. All information will be kept confidential.

Thank you for taking time to participate in this survey.

_____________________________________________________________________

Strongly Strongly

Part I Centre Characteristics Disagree Neutral Agree

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

1. Directions within the mall are adequate □ □ □ □ □ □ □

2. Easy to find one’s way in the mall □ □ □ □ □ □ □

3. Mall directory is good □ □ □ □ □ □ □

4. Easy to find the toilets □ □ □ □ □ □ □

5. Easy to find the escalators and lifts □ □ □ □ □ □ □ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----

6. The interior design of the mall is good □ □ □ □ □ □ □

7. Lighting in the mall is adequate □ □ □ □ □ □ □

8. The mall is clean and tidy □ □ □ □ □ □ □

9. The mall temperature is comfortable □ □ □ □ □ □ □

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10. The mall has digital signages □ □ □ □ □ □ □

11. The mall has bright signs and displays □ □ □ □ □ □ □

12. Mall has installed technological devices □ □ □ □ □ □ □

13. There are electronic signs/mall directory □ □ □ □ □ □ □

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

14. The mall is crowded □ □ □ □ □ □ □

15. The mall is spacious □ □ □ □ □ □ □

16. The internal layout of mall is adequate □ □ □ □ □ □ □

17. Easy to navigate or move around mall □ □ □ □ □ □ □ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----

18. The mall has frequent sales promotions □ □ □ □ □ □ □

19. This mall has promotional displays □ □ □ □ □ □ □

20. This mall has frequent activities □ □ □ □ □ □ □

21. Mall holds many entertainment events □ □ □ □ □ □ □ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----

14

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Strongly Strongly

Disagree Neutral Agree

22. I like to stay at mall as long as possible □ □ □ □ □ □ □

23. I enjoy spending time at the mall □ □ □ □ □ □ □

24. I enjoyed shopping at the mall □ □ □ □ □ □ □

25. I would stay at the mall after purchase □ □ □ □ □ □ □

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26. Given a choice, I would probably go aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa,aaaal

back to the mall □ □ □ □ □ □ □

27. I would recommend mall to other people □ □ □ □ □ □ □

28. Likelihood I would shop here is high □ □ □ □ □ □ □

29. I would be willing to buy things here □ □ □ □ □ □ □ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---

30. The volume of the music is adequate □ □ □ □ □ □ □

31. The genre of the music is suitable □ □ □ □ □ □ □ 32. The music is compatible to the AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAiiiiiAAA

wwshopping experience □ □ □ □ □ □ □

33. The choice of song is favorable □ □ □ □ □ □ □ ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---

34. The ambient scent in the mall is aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

adequate □ □ □ □ □ □ □ 35. I am comfortable with the ambient

scent of the mall □ □ □ □ □ □ □ 36. The ambient scent improves my aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

shopping experience □ □ □ □ □ □ □ 37. The ambient scent in the mall is

necessary □ □ □ □ □ □ □

Part II Describe your shopping experience on a scale of seven 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

38. □ □ □ □ □ □ □

happy______________________________________ unhappy

39. □ □ □ □ □ □ □

pleased______________________________________annoyed

40. □ □ □ □ □ □ □

contented____________________________________sad

41. □ □ □ □ □ □ □

stimulated___________________________________relaxed

42. □ □ □ □ □ □ □

excited______________________________________calm

43. □ □ □ □ □ □ □

aroused______________________________________unaroused

15

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Part III Personal Characteristics

44. Sex Male □ Female □ 46. Occupation

45. Your age Below 20 □ Professional/Managerial □

20 to 29 □ Technical/Manufacture □

30 to 39 □ Sales & Service □

40 to 49 □ Office Personnel/Admin □

50 & above □ Housewife □

Student □

Other (specify___________________)

----End of Survey----

16

APPENDIX B: CATEGORISATION OF QUESTIONS

Format of Questionnaire Question Number

1. Navigation 1 - 5

2. Ambience 6 - 9

3. Digital Signage 10 - 13

4. Spatial Density 14 - 17

5. Events & Promotions 18 - 21

6. Willingness to stay 22 - 29

7. Music 30 - 33

8. Scent 34 - 37