Interlinear or inscription? A comparative study of Chinese and American mall shoppers’ behavior

Abstract

This study compares the mall shopping behavior of Chinese and US consumers. Marked differences wee found between the two populations in their shopping motives, criteria for selecting the mall, and shopping behaviors. Unlike US shoppers, who visited the mall with diverse reasons, Chinese mall visits were driven, first and foremost, by purchase. However, Chinese shoppers were cautious about spending and less likely to make purchases during their shopping trip. More importantly, they were more immune to situational factors in their purchase decisions than their US counterparts. The paper also discusses marketing implications of these findings and future research directions.