The mediation of consumer emotions between visual merchandising and impulsive buying during the Covid-19 pandemic in an emerging market

This study investigates how consumer emotions mediate the relationship between visual merchandising and impulse buying and was underpinned by the Stimulus Organism Response Theory. Data was collected from 1000 consumers through an online survey was analyzed through SPSS-AMOS and tested the hypotheses through structural equation modeling. Selected visual merchandising cues reflected a shift in what appeals to retail consumers during the pandemic. Lighting, shelf-health, and fixtures & fittings had a significant negative effect on impulse buying while displays and information availability had no significant effect in promoting impulse buying. However, store colors, product presentation and signage achieved positive significant effects on impulse buying. The mediation effect of positive emotions on the relationship between visual merchandising and impulse buying is positive while that of negative emotions is negative on the relationship. This study contributes to the body of knowledge through using emotions as a mediator of the relationship between visual merchandising and impulse buying thus extending the Stimulus- Organism-Response theory in an emerging market during COVID-19.