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EJM
43,9/10

Store atmosphere in web retailing

Emmanouela E. Manganari, George J. Siomkos and
Adam P. Vrechopoulos

1140

Athens University of Economics and Business, Athens, Greece

Abstract

Received April 2007

Revised February 2008
Accepted August 2008

Purpose The purpose of this study is to provide a conceptual framework for studying the effects of
online store atmosphere on consumer behaviour and a compilation of empirical studies from the time
when research on web atmospherics emerged in the literature in 1999 until today.
Design/methodology/approach A desk research approach is followed in order to concentrate
empirical research on the effects of online store atmosphere on consumer behaviour from top academic
journals and conference proceedings through an interdisciplinary research approach (i.e. marketing
and information systems literature).
Findings Extant research is concentrated and presented in a structured way. Online store
atmosphere influences various aspects of consumer behaviour online. However, there are many open
research issues on the effects of online store atmosphere on consumer behaviour.
Originality/value The present study develops a parsimonious conceptual framework for studying
the effects of online store atmosphere, summarises the knowledge on online store atmosphere in a
structured and systematic manner, and identifies gaps and opportunities for advancing established
knowledge. No single comprehensive collection of empirical research progress on online store
atmosphere exists. The paper constitutes a valuable reference of compact information and future
research suggestions for both academics and practitioners.
Keywords Electronic commerce, Retailing, Worldwide web, Consumer behaviour
Paper type Conceptual paper

Introduction
Atmospherics in the conventional store attracts a lot of interest from academics who
examine the impact of atmospheric cues on consumer behaviour (Gardner and
Siomkos, 1986; Turley and Milliman, 2000). The transition from brick-and-mortar
retailing to click-and-mortar environments raises considerations about the dynamics of
this new business approach. Just like retailers provide important information through
atmospherics in conventional stores, online retailers also provide an atmosphere via
their web site, which can affect shoppers image of and experience with the online store
(Eroglu et al., 2000). Web atmospherics is the conscious designing of web
environments to create positive effects in users in order to increase favourable
consumer responses (Dailey, 2004, p. 796). Although online atmospherics research has
only been in existence for nine years, there is empirical evidence of the impact of online
atmosphere on various aspects of consumer behaviour. The goal of the present study is
to propose a conceptual framework for studying online atmospheric effects on
consumer behaviour; to accumulate, compose and present in a compact, structured and
solid way the existing literature on online store atmosphere; and to identify research
gaps and future research avenues.
European Journal of Marketing
Vol. 43 No. 9/10, 2009
pp. 1140-1153
q Emerald Group Publishing Limited
0309-0566
DOI 10.1108/03090560910976401

Conceptual development
The development of an online cue typology is a first step toward understanding the
nature and implications of this new retailing format. In the conventional store

environment theory, Lewison (1994) developed a theoretical framework that supports

that the retail store environment consists of three basic components:
(1) store image;
(2) store atmospherics; and
(3) store theatrics (Figure 1).
However, the classifications of the traditional stores atmospheric qualities do not
entirely apply to the online environment (Eroglu et al., 2000).
Based on Lewisons (1994) framework, Vrechopoulos et al.s (2004) adapted the
conventional retail environment components to the corresponding determinants of the
virtual retail environment. Specifically, they introduced the Virtual Component
Presentation Framework (VCPF), which consists of three factors:
(1) virtual layout and design;
(2) virtual atmospherics; and
(3) virtual theatrics.

Store atmosphere
in web retailing

1141

In the current study, the Online Store Environment Framework (OSEF) is introduced,
aiming at providing a comprehensive typology of the online store interface (Figure 2).
It is proposed that the online store environment consists of four components:
(1) virtual layout and design;
(2) virtual atmospherics;

Figure 1.
The conventional retail
store environment

Figure 2.
The Online Store
Environment Framework
(OSEF)

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(3) virtual theatrics; and

(4) virtual social presence.
That is, Vrechopoulos et al.s (2004) framework is extended by adding the virtual social
presence component, since although the physical presence of and interaction with other
shoppers is not directly applicable online, it is indirectly indicated through the web
counter and visitors comments (Eroglu et al., 2001). Thus, the social presence
component consists of the web counter, the comments from visitors and crowding.
Based on the principles of environmental psychology, the S-O-R paradigm
(Mehrabian and Russell, 1974) suggests that consumers internal states mediate the
relationship between the environmental stimulus and individuals responses. To that
end, Mummalaneni (2005) proposes the S-O-R framework as a viable model for the
investigation of online consumer behaviour. Specifically, the stimulus in the online
context refers to the qualities of the online store environment. The organism part of the
S-O-R model embodies consumers affective and cognitive intermediary states. The
behavioural outcomes can be classified as either approach or avoidance behaviours.
Approach refers to those positive actions that bring the consumer closer to the online
store, as opposed to avoidance. On the other hand, an online store that results in negative
internal states will create a distance between the online consumer and the online
interface, which will be reflected by a negative shopping outcome. Thus, we propose:
P1.

The online store environment influences shoppers internal states of affect

and cognition, which then affect their shopping behaviour (approach or
avoidance).

P2.

Consumers internal states (affect and cognition) mediate the relationship

between the perceived online store environment and their shopping outcomes.

In the proposed model (Figure 3) we posit that two individual characteristics moderate
the relationship between the stimulus and the organism. The impact of the online store
atmosphere on consumers internal states is moderated by the degree of consumers
responsiveness to the online environment (i.e. consumers tendency to behave based on
the stores environment qualities) (Eroglu et al., 2003) and by their navigation strategy
(i.e. goal attainment orientation, search or experiential orientation). Thus, we propose:

Figure 3.
Conceptual model of
consumers responses to
the online store
environment

P3.

Consumer navigation strategy and atmospheric responsiveness, moderate the

relationship between the perceived online store environment and online
consumers internal states.

Empirical research findings on online store atmosphere

Applying the conceptual framework, a desk research approach was followed towards
recording the available empirical research findings on online store atmosphere.
Specifically, a summary of 43 published empirical studies measuring the influence of
online atmosphere and design factors on various aspects of consumer online behaviour
is presented in this section. Table I refers to research published between 1999 and 2008.
Discussion is structured based on the four components of the online store environment
(Figure 2). In spite of the diversity in methodologies, the majority of these studies found
some type of statistically significant relationship between the online atmosphere and
consumer behaviour.
Virtual layout and design
The layout of the online store defines, to a large extent, consumers navigation within
the store. Vrechopoulos et al. (2004) found that consumers perceive the freeform layout
as significantly more useful in finding their shopping list products within the online
store. The grid layout is significantly easier to use than the freeform and the racetrack
layout, while the freeform layout is, by a small margin, more entertaining
(Vrechopoulos et al., 2004). Finally, they report that the racetrack and the freeform
layouts engage subjects for longer. Similarly, a tree structure online store layout,
compared to a tunnel structured layout, is perceived to be easier to use and stimulates
more positive consumer responses (Griffith, 2005).
Virtual atmospherics
Colour is an atmospheric element that is ubiquitous on web sites. Colour research
attracts a lot of attention, as it has many alternative applications online. The influence
of the web sites colour on shoppers responses is quite steady (Wu and Yuan, 2003).
Along these lines Gorn et al. (2004) found that for each dimension (i.e. hue, value, and
chroma), colours that induce more relaxed feeling states (i.e. cool colours) lead to
greater perceived quickness of the download. Colour also affects users evaluations of
the web site, their likelihood of recommending the web site to others (Gorn et al., 2004)
and consumers evaluation of the store personality (Clark et al., 2004). Similarly, when
an expensive item is featured on a cool background colour, respondents indicate a
higher likelihood of purchase (Biers and Richards, 2005). Additionally, highlighting
and text display colour combinations affect visual preference and reading performance
(Wu and Yuan, 2003). Despite the numerous studies conducted on the effects of music
and scent in the conventional store, there are no published empirical studies that
investigate their impact on consumers responses online.
Virtual theatrics
E-tailers are enabled to make their store look like a theatre through the use of images,
graphics, animation and icons. Complexity refers to the richness of elements in a
setting (Rosen and Purinton, 2004) and is often operationalised with the use of images,
graphics and animation. Simpler webpage backgrounds are in general more effective

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and appealing than more complex ones (Stevenson et al., 2000). To that end, Martin
et al. (2005) find that web sites of medium complexity are evaluated more favourably
than those of low or high complexity. Bruner and Kumar (2000) do not support though
the direct effect of webpage complexity on consumers responses, while Lee and
Benbasat (2003) claim that motion on a dynamic web interface demands greater user
attention than a static web interface.
New media can incorporate levels of vividness and interactivity which traditional
media cannot. Interactivity is the extent to which users can participate in modifying
the form and content of a mediated environment in real time (Steuer, 1992, p. 84) and
vividness is the representational richness of a mediated environment (Steuer, 1992,
p. 81). More vivid web sites provide consumers with more of the information available
through direct contact with the product (Fiore et al., 2005) and result in more positive
attitudes toward the web site than less vivid ones (Coyle and Thorson, 2001). Mazursky
and Vinitzky (2005) report that the duration of total search and brand examination is
longer in a 3D interface than in the 2D interface. The 3D represents a highly vivid
interface, while a 2D is a highly interactive interface. Along these lines, Fortin and
Dholakia (2005) state that enhanced vividness of the message by means of colours,
graphics, and animation is more likely to generate a favourable impact than
comparable levels of interactivity.
Virtual social presence
The effects of virtual social presence on consumer responses online are not well
documented in the literature until today. E-tailers use the web counter in order to
communicate consumers preference to their store, but no specific findings support its
effect on online consumer behaviour. Clark et al. (2004) found no effect of the presence
of a persona online on the perceived store personality.
Research implications and future research issues
Nowadays, retailers spend a lot of money in order to create a pleasant store atmosphere
that will contribute to positive shopping outcomes. Shopping nowadays is no more the
synonym of the mere purchasing of products. Consumers are oriented toward the total
product (Kotler, 1973-1974) and that includes, among other things, the place where the
product is purchased or consumed. The shopping experience has to be transferred
online too. Online shoppers are also seeking for the total product. Within the restricted
computer interface the e-tailer should convey the feeling of being in a real store. In sum,
one could infer from the accumulated evidence presented that the effective
manipulation of the layout, atmospherics and theatrics is a strategic marketing tool
that can contribute to the effectiveness and differentiation by determining consumers
internal states and their overall responses. The use of colour, layout, vividness,
interactivity, animation, graphics and other atmospheric stimuli should not be
coincidental, but the result of systematic and conscious design of online stores.
E-tailers can entice consumers to visit their store, shape their attitudes towards the
store (Childers et al., 2001; Coyle and Thorson, 2001; Fiore et al., 2005), enhance their
satisfaction (Eroglu et al., 2003; McKinney, 2004; De Wulf et al., 2006; Zviran et al.,
2006), strengthen their purchase intention (Liang and Lai, 2002; Van der Heijden and
Verhagen, 2004; Richard, 2005) or urge them to recommend the store to others (Gorn
et al., 2004). Table I may serve as a reference guide for researchers and practitioners

Laboratory experiment
Laboratory experiment

Online survey

Stevenson et al. (2000)

Bruner and Kumar (2000)

Liu and Arnett (2000)

119 webmasters-respondents

95 respondents

90 students

60 students

Hopkins and Alford (2001) Field survey

Online field survey

Coyle and Thorson (2001)

Laboratory experiment
Online Survey
Laboratory experiment

568 students
786 online shoppers

274 students
266 shoppers
68 respondents

Laboratory experiment

Fink and Laupase (2000)

166 students

Childers et al. (2001)

Survey and laboratory

experiment

Eroglu et al. (2000)

28 online retail stores

1,007 shoppers

Survey

Lohse and Spiller (1999)

Sample

Szymanski and Hise (2000) Online survey

Design

Citation
They find no effect of store presentation variables, such as
image size, background patterns or the number of buttons
on the storefront
A cue typology is empirically validated. High task-relevant
cues are rated equally helpful by respondents high and low
in atmospheric responsiveness (AR). Low task-relevant
cues are rated as being more helpful for respondents in
high AR
Differences between Australians and Malaysians
perceptions about the design characteristics are related to
certain web sites
Simpler webpage backgrounds are more effective than
more complex ones
Increased webpage complexity leads to the pages being
perceived as more interesting. Interestingness has a
positive effect on consumers attitudes toward the
webpage.
They identify four predicting factors of web site success
(i.e. information and service quality, system use,
playfulness and system design quality)
Convenience, site design and financial security are the
dominant factors that influence e-satisfaction
The greater the enjoyment of the interactive media, the
more positive the attitude toward the media
Increase in interactivity and vividness is associated with
increased feelings of telepresence. Increase in vividness is
associated with more positive and more enduring attitudes
toward the web site
The e-tailer image construct is a six-dimensional construct
represented by three affective dimensions (i.e. atmosphere,
convenience, and self/site image congruence) and three
functional dimensions (i.e., price, merchandise, and service)
(continued)

Findings

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1145

Table I.
Key studies on online
store atmosphere

2 2 2 lab experiment 160 subjects

Experiment
Laboratory experiment
Laboratory experiment

Survey
Laboratory experiment

Experiment

Dailey (2002)

Liang and Lai (2002)

Menon and Kahn (2002)

Ranganathan and
Ganapathy (2002)

Eroglu et al. (2003)

Huang (2003)

115 web users; 218 observations

328 respondents

214 online shoppers

64 students
147 students

30 students

New technologies can enhance the shopping experience,

but applications must be tailored to the unique
requirements of consumer segments and product
categories
Web sites with more restrictive navigational cues result in
increased attractiveness for navigational control, lower
web site attitudes, more negative emotions and increased
intentions for avoidance when compared with less
restrictive web sites
Consumers are more likely to shop and return to welldesigned web sites. Media richness factors are the least
important
Subjects in the high pleasantness conditions are
significantly more likely to visit more product categories,
stores and web sites than were subjects in the neutral
pleasantness conditions. Subjects in the high pleasantness
conditions visit significantly more stimulating categories
and promotional sites than do subjects in the neutral
pleasantness conditions. Subjects in the low stimulation
conditions search more product categories, stores and web
sites than subjects in the high stimulation conditions
Information content, design, security and privacy are the
four key dimensions that have an impact on online
purchase intention
The perceived online atmospheric cues influence shoppers
pleasure, which, in turn, influences attitude, which then
affects shoppers level of satisfaction and approach/
avoidance behaviour
Consistent negative impact of information load on pleasure
and dominance is found
(continued)

Findings

1146

2,120 online consumers

Online national survey

Burke (2002)

Sample

Design

Table I.

Citation

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Laboratory experiment
Laboratory experiments 136 students

Laboratory experiment
Four laboratory
experiments
Laboratory experiment

Online survey

Lee and Benbasat (2003)

Wu and Yuan (2003)

Clark et al. (2004)

Gorn et al. (2004)

Hu et al. (2004)

McKinney (2004)

312 students

Van der Heijden and

Verhagen (2004)

Laboratory experiment

211 students

Rosen and Purinton (2004) Laboratory experiment

370 consumers

49 students
64 students
120 students
73 students
226 students

237 students

96 students

418 students, 36 designers, 515

students

Experiments

Kim et al. (2003)

Sample

Design

Citation
Several design factors are closely related to the evocation of
specific aesthetic responses during interaction with
homepages
Fidelity and motion of images in a web interface are
instrumental in keeping customers for longer and may lead
to an eventual purchase
The type of tabular format, the information display
position, highlighting conditions, the luminance, the
chroma and the hue combination of the text foreground and
background all affect the reading performance
A web site with cool colours will be perceived as more
pleasant, more enthusiastic, more solid and more
sophisticated compared with a web site using warm colours
For each dimension of colour (i.e. hue, value and chroma)
colours that induce more relaxed feeling states lead to
greater perceived quickness. Feelings of relaxation have
direct effects on site attitudes
Marketers can trade off different design options to create
an optimal visual design. Most design factors elicited the
same impressions in Japanese, Chinese and UK
respondents
Some atmospheric variables (e.g. graphics and photos,
special offers and product description) contribute to
satisfaction for all consumer segments, while other
atmospheric variables influence satisfaction for specific
shopping segments
Web sites scoring highly on coherence, complexity and
legibility result in greater overall impression and
probability of revisit
The stores enjoyment, trustworthiness, settlement
performance and usefulness all have an effect on
consumers attitude toward online purchases
(continued)

Findings

Store atmosphere
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1147

Table I.

117 students

Laboratory experiment

103 students

Martin et al. (2005)

Laboratory experiment

Fiore et al. (2005)

459 students

228 students

Online survey

Chen and Dibb (2005)

213 students

Laboratory experiment

Laboratory experiment

Biers and Richards (2005)

360 web users

Griffith (2005)

Online experiment

Ballantine (2005)

120 real customers

360 respondents

Laboratory experiment

Vrechopoulos et al. (2004)

Sample

The grid layout is perceived as being more effective for

navigating a virtual store, compared with the freeform and
the racetrack layout
Results suggest that two web-specific attributes (i.e. the
level of interactivity and the amount of information) can
predict consumers e-satisfaction
Gender influences the way participants perceive the
products attributes when exposed to different background
colours
Consumers flow, trust and attitude towards the site were
not affected by the web sites look and feel
Image interactivity predicts emotional arousal and
pleasure, attitude toward the online store and willingness
to purchase from the online store
Results indicate that interactivity and vividness directly
affect social presence and, indirectly, involvement
Participants in the tree structured online store layout have
a greater proportion of positive inferential thoughts,
accurately recall a greater number of products and brand
names, have greater purchase intentions, a more positive
attitude toward the retailer and perceive the site to be
easier to use than participants in the tunnel structured
online store layout
More favourable brand attitudes, web site attitudes and
purchase intentions emerge under medium web site
complexity, compared with high or low complexity. High
(low) sensation seekers prefer a web site with high (low)
visual complexity and low (high) verbal complexity. High
(low) need-for-cognition subjects exhibit more favourable
attitudes toward a web site that combined low (high) visual
complexity with high (low) verbal complexity
(continued)

Findings

1148

Fortin and Dholakia (2005) Experiment

Design

Table I.

Citation

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Design
Laboratory experiment
Experiment
Online survey
Experiment
Online survey
Field survey
Two experiments

Laboratory experiment
Laboratory experiment

Citation

Mazursky and Vinitzky

(2005)

Mummalaneni (2005)

Richard (2005)

Yoo and Kim (2005)

De Wulf et al. (2006)

Ethier et al. (2006)

Tractinsky et al. (2006)

Zviran et al. (2006)

Davis et al. (2008)

Findings

Participants exposed to a 3D interface spent more time

searching the web site. Participants exposed to a 2D
interface examined more brands
130 students
The online store ambience has a positive effect on
consumers pleasure, arousal, satisfaction, expressed
intention of loyalty and number of items purchased
Web surfers
Entertainment is positively related to site attitudes, site
involvement, exploratory behaviour and purchase
intentions
195 students
Subjects report negatively valenced thoughts and
unpleasant feelings when exposed to high-animation
conditions
209 subjects
Web site organisation, content and technology are all
positively related to pleasure and satisfaction
215 students
The more positive the evaluation of the online shopping
experience, the higher the intensity of the emotions of
liking, joy and pride
40 (first experiment) and 53 (second Positive immediate impressions were associated with high
experiment) students
levels of aesthetic dimensions (classical and expressive).
Low attractiveness is mainly correlated with very low
evaluations of the expressive aesthetics dimension
359 students
Web sites adhering to user-based design principles lead to
greater satisfaction
359 students
Chinese consumers find online cues more helpful in
completing a shopping task and experience lower levels of
pleasure and arousal, compared with US consumers

114 students

Sample

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Table I.

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who need a comprehensive reflection of the conceptual but mainly the empirical
insights on online store atmospherics.
This paper is not oriented toward presenting the online store atmosphere as a
panacea of e-tailing. Overusing or misusing online store atmosphere may and can
result in negative and totally undesirable effects. At the same time there are open
research issues that will strengthen the contention that online store atmosphere does
indeed make a difference (Eroglu et al., 2003, p. 148). In the case of click-and-mortar
retailers, an interesting research path would be to examine how the atmosphere of the
conventional store can influence consumers perception of the atmosphere of the online
store. Congruency of the brand and the online atmosphere and its effect should also be
examined. Another future research issue concerns the effects of congruency between
the four components of the online store environments as described in Figure 2. Two
variables music and crowding that have attracted a lot of research interest in the
traditional store are overlooked in studies of online atmospherics. Future studies may
examine the effects of online crowding or the presence of other customers (that can be
indicated through a web counter) on consumer satisfaction with the e-tailer. According
to Eroglu et al. (2003), confidence in the retailer could also be a relevant outcome of
effective manipulation of the online store atmosphere. The link between approach
behaviour toward the online store and store loyalty should also be investigated.
Technological capabilities offer to marketers the option of web site customization.
This option applies for offering to each consumer a customized online atmosphere that
fulfils his or her needs. The research question concerns the extent to which the consumer
should have control over the customization options and to which extent the marketer
should allow this customisation. The customisation and the manipulation of online store
atmosphere is an easy task for e-marketers. The criteria and the guidelines (e.g.
consumers navigation strategy, consumers atmospheric responsiveness, demographics,
product category, etc.) that e-marketers will use in order to manipulate the online store
atmosphere constitutes a constant challenge and existing knowledge as well as future
research constitute fundamental contributors toward this direction.
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About the authors
Emmanouela E. Manganari obtained her PhD from Athens University of Economics and
Business, and holds a MSc in Marketing Management from Aston Business School (UK). Her
current research interests are in the areas atmospherics in e-tailing and retailing, consumer
behaviour and strategic marketing planning. Emmanouela Manganari is the corresponding
author and can be contacted at: eem@aueb.gr
George J. Siomkos, PhD, is Professor of Marketing and ex-Chairman of the Department of
Business Administration at the Athens University of Economics and Business (AUEB). He is also
the Director of the MSc Graduate Programme in Services Management and the Director of the
Market and Consumer Behaviour Analysis Laboratory at AUEB. His research and publishing
interests include: consumer behaviour, strategic marketing and planning, product-harm crisis
management and electronic marketing. He has published over 80 articles in academic journals. His
research work has been presented at many international conferences around the world. Professor
Siomkos has been a consultant to several Greek and multinational companies, and has served as an
administrator and instructor of executive education seminars. He is the author of eight university
textbooks on consumer behaviour, marketing strategy and research.
Adam P. Vrechopoulos, PhD, is a Lecturer at the Athens University of Economics and
Business (AUEB), Department of Management Science and Technology (DMST), and Scientific
Coordinator of the ELTRUN-IMES research group operated at the ELTRUN Research Centre at
AUEB. His research and teaching areas are electronic commerce and digital marketing.
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