Annotated Bibliography: Visual Merchandising on Unplanned Shopping

This annotated bibliography examines the influence of visual merchandising on unplanned shopping and consumer behavior. It analyzes several research papers, including studies by Thomas et al. (2018), Hefer & Cant (2013), Makhal (2015), and Claus & Garaus (2015), to understand how store design, product presentation, and visual displays affect customer purchase decisions and brand loyalty. The bibliography highlights the importance of window displays, in-store layouts, promotional signage, and overall store design in attracting consumers and influencing their shopping experiences, with a particular focus on impulse buying. The studies also emphasize the significance of considering consumer preferences, needs, and the creation of a positive shopping environment to enhance customer loyalty and drive sales. The research suggests that effective visual merchandising can differentiate retailers, improve customer experiences, and ultimately impact consumer behavior.

Running Head: ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY ON VISUAL MERCHANDISING 1.
Annotated Bibliography on the Influence of Visual Merchandising on the Unplanned Shopping
Name
Institution
Introduction

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY ON VISUAL MERCHANDISING 2.
Consumers are said to be rational decision makers in a business where there self-interests
come first. Their consumption and purchase behavior is influenced by different characteristics of
the circumstances as well as situations surrounding their shopping trips. Developing knowledge
on what attracts consumers or influences their purchase decision is critical for marketing
purposes as well as for the development of effective product design strategies. Everything that a
customer sees concerning a product, whether it is interior or exterior impacts them either
positively or negatively. Just as many business retailers through merchandising can help
consumers identify the right products, it is also likely that product design may influence
consumer purchase behavior. The annotated bibliography in this study an evaluation of reflective
texts in helping us understands the influence of Visual Merchandising on unplanned shopping.
Thomas, A. K., Louise, R., & Vipinkumar, V. P. (2018). Impact of Visual Merchandising, on
Impulse Buying Behavior of Retail Customers. International Journal for Research in Applied
Science and Engineering Technology, 6(2), 474-491.
Thomas, Louise, and Vipinkumar developed a study that was aimed at examining the
relationship between customer impulse buying behavior and the common external factors which
trigger impulse buying. The authors define visual merchandising as the effective presentation of
goods or products that impact customer purchasing behavior. According to their arguments,
intelligent store design for products as well as the layout and other visualizing merchandizing
factors affect consumer purchase behavior. Understanding consumer consumption behavior is
critical to product development and design. What the visual presentation of a product depends on
its design and the appearance of a product in the eyes of consumer plays a more significant role
in attracting them and making a purchase decision. The authors classified consumer purchase
behavior into two categories including planned behavior and unplanned behavior. Consumer

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY ON VISUAL MERCHANDISING 3.
planned behavior occurs after a period to analysis and decides on a particular product to
purchase. In this case, it is difficult to influence the consumer because his or her decision to buy
a product takes into consideration some factors. The secondary category is the unplanned
behavior where the authors argue that consumers make a purchase without any advanced
planning and mostly involves impulse buying.
In their journal, they further discuss four different types of visual merchandising and their
impact on unplanned shopping or impulse buying and includes; Window display, in-store form
display, floor selling as well as promotional signage. This helps us in understanding that every
product design display is critical to influencing consumer purchase behavior. The authors
provide that visual merchandising as a means to communicate the value of a company or store
fashion and quality image to prospective customers. Therefore, the authors argue that each
company or store, they always seek to build and enhance its image and concept through
visualization presentations for their target or prospective customers. Creating an attractive
product design will, therefore, be the priority in the development of visual merchandising.
Product design helps in developing an image that captures the immediate interests of the
consumers and influences their motives and purchase behavior of individuals.
The findings of their study showed a positive relationship or correlation between window
display and consumer purchase. However, how a product looks at the window display depends
on the design of the product. Therefore, the authors should have explained why retailers pay
more attention to the design features of their products and brands to improve their sales through
customer impulse buying. A good product design, with amazing features and characteristics that
reflect the internal needs of the consumers, will always impact customers positively. In my
opinion, the authors have provided an argument that impulse buying or unplanned shopping

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY ON VISUAL MERCHANDISING 4.
behavior by customers was related to their feelings of delight, enthusiasm as well as joy as a
result of the first impression created by the product. Their findings also established a positive
correlation between customers buying behavior or unplanned shopping and Mannequin display
as well as with creative floor display and promotional offerings at the entrance. These types of
visual merchandising tools, therefore, influence the consumer purchase behavior leading to
impulse buying.
Hefer, Y., & Cant, M. C. (2013). Visual Merchandising Displays' Effect On Consumers: A
Valuable Asset Or An Unnecessary Burden For Apparel Retailers. The International Business
& Economics Research Journal (Online), 12(10), 1217.
In their journal of international business and economics, Hefer and Michael have
investigated the effects of visual merchandising on consumer behavior. The study was influenced
on the understanding that most consumers believe that they only purchase goods or products
when they go shopping without the realization that they are buying the shopping experience in
the store. In their study about consumer behavior, the authors have established that it is
influenced by a limited extent of the visual merchandise display that informs or directs the
consumers about a product to make a choice. The understanding of shopping experience and how
it contributes to or influences unplanned shopping is a critical marketing tool for any business.
However, according to these authors, the experience of shopping in a given store is profoundly
affected or determined by visual merchandising used in the store.
Consumer behavior is also influenced by their individual preferences and the quality of
the displays. For any product design, it is critical that it takes into consideration the various
consumer tastes and preferences when designing or branding the product as this will enhance its

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY ON VISUAL MERCHANDISING 5.
visual display contributing to impulse buying. According to the findings of their research,
consumer attention was found to be drawn by certain aspects of visual merchandising display
such as color and ability of the store to providing a breathing space where they can enhance their
shopping experience.
This is a critical component of product design as well as in-store designs through which
enhancing products design to reflect the different consumer tastes such as color and shopping
space is essential to influencing their impulse buying. Most important their research finds were
able to establish that. Women and men exhibited different degrees of retail experiences which
had an impact on their shopping experiences.
In this case, women were found to be more attentive to complex retail expertise than men
whose purpose of shopping is limited to certain factors. Women would, therefore, be more likely
to be influenced by visual displays of products in the store compared to men. Therefore, the
authors should have ensured it is clear that designing the visual merchandising display aspects of
the store, therefore, requires more understanding of the type of consumers, and which types of
goods and services would motivate the have a positive shopping experience. I have learned that
window display, mannequin display, floor merchandising as well as promotional signage aspects
of visual merchandise should be developed towards understanding consumer needs, tastes and
preferences, types of consumers as well as what is likely to draw their attention. If product
design is focused on the aspects which are likely to attract consumer attention, then the
businesses will be able to influence consumer shopping experience.
Makhal, A. B. (2015). The Importance of Visual Merchandising on Customer Loyalty, a Study
Conducted in Kolkata. The International Journal of Business & Management, 3(5), 195.

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY ON VISUAL MERCHANDISING 6.
In his, Journal Makhal provided an understanding of the importance of the influence of
visual merchandising on customer loyalty. Customer loyalty in business is critical aspects or
factor that influences their purchase behavior in a particular store. According to the author, to
build long-term customer loyalty with a company brand or store, there are critical factors
influencing consumer purchase decision such as price, quality of brands or products, variety as
well as developing the right image should be taken into consideration. Therefore, due to the
nature of competition in the retail industry, visual merchandising is critical to determining the
kind of experience customer gain from a store. It offers a differentiation strategy for the
businesses where in this case the experience that customers obtain from a given store determines
their shopping experience.
The quality of a product is not only determined by the specific elements of a product but
as a whole package. The product design is a critical display aspect that is used by many
consumers to assess the quality of the brand and its ability to help them achieve their satisfaction
levels. Visual merchandising therefore plays a critical role in the determination of customer or
consumer brand loyalty of loyalty to a specific store. Thus, the author suggests that the most
significant purpose of retailers is to provide their shoppers with an unforgettable experience as a
competitive strategy that provides them with a competitive advantage.
In my opinion, increased customer loyalty is positively correlated with increased business
sales, and therefore customer loyalty can be used to influence consumer behavior. To offer an
unforgettable experience, the author should have proven that the quality of store design and
products designs both interior and exterior design should be focused on aspects which will
contribute to increased customer loyalty. From the article, I have learned that the window display
features should be differentiated from those of other retailers while the promotional visual

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY ON VISUAL MERCHANDISING 7.
merchandise strategies should also be focused on customer retention strategies. For instance,
offering after sales services such as delivery of customers shopping to their homes can influence
their shopping behavior positively in that they won’t care of the transportation costs or the
convenience of delivering their products to their homesteads.
Claus, E., & Garaus, M. (2015). Store Design and Visual Merchandising: Store Design and
Visual Merchandising. Business Expert Press.
Claus and Garaus in their publication in the business express have explored the
importance of store design and visual merchandising on consumer behavior. Their focus was on
how creating stores space encourages consumers buying behaviors. The authors view visual
merchandising as the language of a business store or what a specific store communicates to the
prospective customers. The store's design and presentation are critical in influencing customers
purchasing behavior. The presentation of the stores plays an essential role in capturing
customer’s attention and changing their purchase behavior. Creating enough space is critical to
enhancing product display through visual merchandising and influencing consumer behavior. To
create this space, the authors have necessary steps that should be taken into consideration such as
reducing the number of items in the store.
Many retailers think that having many things on the store provides the consumers with a
variety to make a selection. However, in most cases, it does not enhance visual merchandising
and in some instances contribute to the increased task of rearranging the stores at any given
moment. However having the right amount of items helps in that, every item sells itself, and the
only requirement for the retailers is to ensure that the items are carefully selected to provide that
they are of the highest quality. Such a strategy helps in the visual display of products by the

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY ON VISUAL MERCHANDISING 8.
customers and improving their shopping experience and hence contributes to their impulse
buying.
The authors have also provided that developing an appropriate store design will require
the retailers to structure the assortment of the products by offering the consumers with a limited
selection of merchandise which is helpful in easing the burden of shoppers in deciding what
products they choose.
In my opinion, the ease of shopping is critical to influencing consumer behavior and
developing customer loyalty. Most of the customers have no time to search and select products
from a variety and therefore providing a limited selection helps them in making the appropriate
choices. Therefore, the authors should understand that retailers should present merchandise
easily and understandably, locating the product at a proper height and avoid gaps in the
arrangement of the products. These factors will, therefore, be critical in helping the organization
create more space that will encourage their customer buying behavior. From the article, I have
learned that visual merchandising is a standard marketing tool like any other marketing strategies
and helps in building a strong emotional connection of consumer tastes and preferences to the
business brands and stores. This, in turn, contributes to increased consumer satisfaction, loyalty
and increased ability to influence their unplanned shopping experiences through impulse buying.

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY ON VISUAL MERCHANDISING 9.

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY ON VISUAL MERCHANDISING 10.
References
Claus, E., & Garaus, M. (2015). Store Design and Visual Merchandising: Store Design and
Visual Merchandising. Business Expert Press.
Hefer, Y., & Cant, M. C. (2013). Visual Merchandising Displays' Effect On Consumers: A
Valuable Asset Or An Unnecessary Burden For Apparel Retailers. The International
Business & Economics Research Journal (Online), 12(10), 1217.
Makhal, A. B. (2015). The Importance of Visual Merchandising on Customer Loyalty, a Study
Conducted in Kolkata. The International Journal of Business & Management, 3(5), 195.
Thomas, A. K., Louise, R., & Vipinkumar, V. P. (2018). Impact of Visual Merchandising, on
Impulse Buying Behavior of Retail Customers. International Journal for Research in
Applied Science and Engineering Technology, 6(2), 474-491.

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY ON VISUAL MERCHANDISING 11.