The Impact of Awe-Inspiring and Non-Awe-Inspiring Ambient Music on Shoppers’ Purchase Intentions Toward Luxury and Non-Luxury Goods

Date
2020
Authors
Alzahrani, Huda
Supervisor
Phillips, Megan
Marshall, Roger
Item type
Thesis
Degree name
Master of Business
Journal Title
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Volume Title
Publisher
Auckland University of Technology
Abstract

Music is used by people for various reasons. For example, people use music to relax and enjoy themselves; healthcare professionals use it as a healing and therapeutic tool, while marketers use music of different types to have an effect on consumers by influencing their mood. This study focuses on the relationship between awe-inspiring music and purchase intention regarding luxury items. Awe is a factor that can alter the relationship between music and consumers’ purchasing decisions. For this study, a laboratory experiment method was used to explore this relationship. The research included two conditions (awe-inspiring and non-awe-inspiring music), and two groups within each condition, a group presented with luxury research stimuli (luxury goods) and one presented with non-luxury research stimuli (non-luxury goods) – making this a 2 x 2 experimental design. The results indicate that highly awe-inspiring music can motivate a customer to purchase high-priced luxury goods. This study’s results are significant for diverse stakeholders in retail, particularly marketers who could employ music as a strategy to inspire consumers to make luxury product purchases. This study adds to the current literature in this area, especially that on the emotional response (the PAD model), as it shows that awe-inspiring music facilitates states of arousal and pleasure in connection with the purchase of luxury products. Further research could then focus on how the tempo of awe-inspiring music may affect consumers’ emotional states in regard to making purchases.

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Keywords
Music , Awe-inspiring music , Customers , Retail , Luxury products , Purchase intention
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