A research on the relationship of sensory marketing with consumer preferences and demographic variables

Today, in order to survive in a competitive environment, businesses need to understand the needs and wants of consumers and develop marketing strategies for them. The shaping of consumption decisions by the effect of sensory inputs that consumers are exposed in their environment emphasizes the importance of five senses on consumer purchasing decision. Therefore, business started to use five senses in order to influence consumer purchasing decisions and developed their marketing strategies concerning these issues. Sensory marketing provides a competitive advantage to the businesses. The aim of this study is to investigate the relation of sensory marketing with the consumer purchasing decision and its relationships with demographic variables. Within this scope, the relationships between the five senses' purchasing decision and demographic variables was examined. The research was conducted in Samsun. Data were gathered from 384 participant through face-to-face surveys by using convenrence sampling in the first class restaurants in Samsun. Data analyzed with SPSS 23 package program and the confidence level was 95%. As a result of the analyzes it was found that the level of being affected by sensory marketing activities differed according to gender, age, income and education level. Key Words: Sensory marketing, consumer, consumer purchasing decision, demographic variables.