STORE LAYOUT AND CUSTOMERS’ PERCEPTION OF HYPERMARKETS IN THE SOUTH-SOUTH, NIGERIA

Abstract

The study aimed at ascertaining the relationship between Store layout and Customers’ Perception. The geographical scope of the study is South-South Nigeria, with customers as unit of analysis. The population of this study comprised of all customers from four (4) hypermarkets in South-South states of Nigeria, which are: SPAR (Port Harcourt), SPAR (Calabar), Shoprite (Asaba) and Next Cash and Carry (Port Harcourt). Purposive sampling technique was used to select three hundred fifty two (352) respondents from the population of the study. This was achieved using Krejcie and Morgan’s sample size determination table (1970). Pearson product moment correlation coefficient (PPMCC) was used to analyze the multivariate statistics. Analysis of the results revealed that retail ambience innovation correlate customer perception. The concluded that there is significant relationship between store layout and customers’ perception measures. Based on the findings of the study the following recommendations were made: Hypermarket operators in south-south Nigeria should improve their business environment with innovative facilities. So as to influence customers’ perception. Operators of hypermarkets should ensure proper store layout such as landscaping, window displays, store entrance and aesthetic design of the environment such that it will be appealing to the customers that will enhance patronage by ways of positive perception.