Using point of sale marketing as a marketing communication tool: A research in the retail industry

It is observed that consumer demands and needs are constantly changing. As a result of fundamental changes in consumer purchasing behavior, the importance of store layout and store atmosphere is increasing. In addition to the needs of consumers; they shop in order to feel the happiness of buying a new product, to spend time and to relax. The role of the store atmosphere here aims to direct the customer's pleasure and purchasing behavior by making the customer the center. For this reason, it is very important to evaluate instant relationships correctly in sales. Immediate selling is seen as emotional rather than rational shopping. While retail stores affect our five senses, the virtual store atmosphere is different from the physical store atmosphere. The aim of the research is to reveal the effects of physical store elements, advertisements and point of sale marketing elements on the impulse buying decision. In this study, the effect of marketing at the point of purchase on the consumer was applied to customers who shop in the retail sector via Google Forms with the structured interview method. In the study, the reliability of the scales was tested with reliability analysis, and Chi-square analysis was applied between the demographic characteristics of the participants and dependent and independent variables as a preliminary analysis. In order to reach the results of our hypotheses, purchasing factors were compared with their instantaneous effects by applying the correlation and multiple correlation test. According to the results of the research, it has been determined that the hypotheses established between the point of purchase communication and customer purchasing decisions have significant relationships. It is thought that this study will be beneficial for retailers and consumers. While the focus of retailers in the past was utility, experiential sales seem to be at the forefront today. The fact that customers see, touch and even taste products at the sales point marketing communication stands, which entered our lives with experiential sales, directly affects customer purchasing decisions. In this direction, they can limit their surplus purchases by evaluating the factors that affect them positively or negatively in their instant purchases. Retail stores, on the other hand, should keep themselves updated in the changing and developing process. They should consider store atmospheres and point-of-purchase advertising as a whole.