Prof Sandra Perks, Ms Tariro Shumba

Abstract

The growth in retail malls in South Africa is prompting mall retailers to look for unique strategies to stand prominently conspicuous against competitors. In that quest, multi-sensory marketing becomes instrumental in differentiating malls in a way that augments customer experience. Thus, this paper aims to develop a multi-sensory marketing conceptual model for superior customer experience at South African retail shopping malls. The study employed a systematic literature review on multi-sensory marketing cues and superior customer experience using scholarly textbooks, journal papers, and online resources. As many research variables as possible were sourced to develop the hypothesised model, data from developed and developing nations were sourced. The five multi-sensory marketing cues identified were auditory, scent, taste, atmospheric, and visual. The dependent variable is customer experience. The model’s capacity to evaluate the interaction among the five sensory cues adds to its uniqueness. The comprehensive proposed hypothesised model could be tested in any developing country, while the variables within each factor can be used as a checklist to meet multi-sensory marketing requirements. The research could be repeated to establish which and how senses changed over time and how malls can adapt to remain competitive.