Examining the effect of physical and virtual store atmosphere on customer experience: An example application

Today, correct analysis of customers' wants, needs and expectations is possible by including customers in marketing processes and offering unique experiences to customers. Physical and virtual stores that bring retailers and customers together contain atmospheric elements that accompany the customers' experience process. The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of physical and virtual store atmosphere on customer experience. For this purpose, data was obtained through an online survey from 416 participants who had both physical and virtual store experiences in the clothing industry. These data were analyzed with SPSS and STATA programs. In order to determine the validity of the scales, confirmatory factor analysis was performed, and t-test and ANOVA tests were performed to determine whether there were differences according to demographic characteristics. The effect of physical and virtual store atmosphere on customer experience was tested with path analysis. Research results show that the effect of physical and virtual store atmosphere on customer experience is significant and positive.