Qualitative Market Research: An International JournalAn examination of consumer browsing behaviorsLan Xia

Article information:To cite this document:Lan Xia, (2010),"An examination of consumer browsing behaviors", Qualitative Market Research: AnInternational Journal, Vol. 13 Iss 2 pp. 154 - 173Permanent link to this document:http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/13522751011032593

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An examination of consumerbrowsing behaviors

Lan XiaDepartment of Marketing, Bentley University, Waltham, Massachusetts, USA

Abstract

Purpose Browsing is a common consumer behavior, but it has not been researched extensively.The aim of this paper is to fill some of the gaps in the research.

Design/methodology/approach Drawing on literature from different areas, consumersbrowsing experiences, browsing patterns, and factors influencing browsing activities areempirically examined. A combination of interviews and shopping trips with informants to examinethe issues are used.

Findings The results show that browsing serves both functional and recreational purposes.Consumers vary by the degree to which they browse functionally or recreationally. Browsingbehaviors are influenced by both consumer characteristics and the retail environment. Browsing is apowerful consumer information acquisition activity and has both desired and undesired consequencesfor consumer purchases. Consumers use various strategies to cope with the undesired consequences.

Practical implications Exploration of browsing patterns and factors influencing these patternssuggests important managerial implications for enhancing desirable browsing and reducingunnecessary browsing.

Originality/value The conceptualization and findings of this research contribute to two areas ofresearch: consumer information search and consumer shopping behaviors in retail environments. Anexamination of the role of browsing offers an empirical extension to the information acquisitionframework.

Keywords Shopping, Retailing, Consumer behaviour, Information searches

Paper type Research paper

Browsing is a common human behavior in everyday life. For example, people browsenewspapers to see what is new, go window-shopping, look for materials in the library,and scan television channels. Browsing has long been recognized as an integral part ofconsumer information acquisition (Bloch et al., 1989). Consumer browsing is also amajor activity in the retail environment, and it may have a considerable effect on storetraffic and sales (Bloch et al., 1994; Underhill, 1999). However, there has been littlesystematic study of the concept of browsing (Kwasnik, 1992). Using a combination ofqualitative interviews and shopping trips with consumers, this research examinesconsumer browsing experiences, factors influencing browsing activities, and theimpact of browsing on consumer purchases. In the following, an overview of browsingbehaviors and summarized literature on browsing, shopping, and the retailenvironment is provided.

A brief overview of browsing behaviorsBloch et al. (1989) defined browsing as ongoing information search activity that is notassociated with an immediate purchase task. Jarboe and McDaniel (1987) also pointedout that browsing basically is shopping behavior that is not directly motivated by a

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Qualitative Market Research: AnInternational JournalVol. 13 No. 2, 2010pp. 154-173q Emerald Group Publishing Limited1352-2752DOI 10.1108/13522751011032593

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purchasing intent. Browsing can be simply recreational window-shopping or a way ofgathering information to be used later.

In library science studies, browsing is described as different types of lookingactivities for which initial search criteria are only partly defined (Cove and Walsh,1987). It can simply mean glances in a casual way (Bankapur, 1988). In computerizedinformation systems, browsing tends to be defined as an activity intended tounderstand the information environment, and an alternative or the prelude to a morestructured search. Browsing is used to answer the question whats there? withoutinvolving a higher level of information processing and integration (Spence, 1999).Definitions from various fields indicate that browsing can serve both functional andrecreational purposes. This conclusion is consistent with research on consumershopping in general. Browsing is an inherent part of shopping, which can be both workand fun (e.g. Babin et al., 1994).

Few research studies have examined the factors influencing browsing. Jarboe andMcDaniel (1987) created an index of browsing to characterize browsers andnon-browsers in shopping malls. They found that browsers tend to be employedfemales, somewhat downscale compared to other mall patrons, having lower levels ofeducation and income. They tend to be younger than non-browsers and to have a largerfamily size. Browsers have high brand awareness. They exhibit a greater level ofself-confidence, social extroversion, tension and enthusiasm. However, demographicand personality factors do not reveal consumers browsing experiences and do notfactor in the influence of the shopping environment.

Browsing, shopping, and retail environmentsThere has been little literature on consumer browsing patterns per se. However, sincebrowsing is part of shopping, research on shopping patterns may shed some light onconsumer browsing experiences. Consumers shop for different purposes (Tauber,1972), and shopping is both work and fun (Babin et al., 1994). Early research hasdemonstrated the difference between economic shoppers and recreational shoppers(Bellenger and Korgaonker, 1980; Bellenger et al., 1977). Economic shoppers tend to bedriven by task shopping motives, and recreational shoppers tend to be driven bynon-task shopping motives. The two motives differentially influence the type ofconsumer interests, attention and time allocation in shopping.

Titus and Everett (1995) developed a consumer retail search process consisting of afunctional strategy and a hedonic strategy; these strategies correspond to the twoidentified shopping motives. A functional strategy is characterized by walking fast in alinear path, making few stops, spending little time looking at shelves, quickly handlingthe searched products, and leaving the store. A hedonic strategy is characterized bywalking slowly, make many long stops and examining numerous products, and takinga complex path that covers the entire store.

Drawing from research on consumer shopping, I propose that browsing can helpconsumers achieve functional needs such as locating a target product, obtaining aspecific piece of information, or getting familiar with the layout of a store. In functionalbrowsing, browsing is a means to an end. Many times it serves the function ofinformation acquisition, and browsing is dynamically intertwined with searching. Onthe other hand, browsing can be an end in itself. When consumers window-shop, areattracted to some products that they are interested in although not intending to buy, or

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flip through a catalog just to keep themselves informed of the latest fashion trends,browsing becomes a recreational activity. Whether consumers buy or not, this type ofbrowsing offers consumers a form of entertainment.

Further, it is proposed that browsing motives and patterns depend on bothconsumer characteristics (e.g. internal motivations) and the external shoppingenvironment. The browsing index of Jarboe and McDaniel (1987) suggested someinternal influences including consumers personality traits. They compared browsersand non-browsers with Bellenger and Korgaonkers (1980) topology of economicversus recreational shoppers and concluded that browsers can fit into both categories.Hence, instead of being purely functional or purely recreational browsers, I expect thatconsumers browse for multiple purposes; the difference will be the degree to whichthey browse functionally or recreationally and their experiences with browsing.

While internal motivations drive browsing goals, consumers browsing activitiesand browsing experiences can be greatly influenced by the retail shoppingenvironment. Although little empirical research has addressed consumer browsingbehaviors and the influence of retail environments, there has been plenty of research onthe influence of the retail environment on general shopping behaviors. For example,research has shown that good retail displays encourage consumers to browse and leadto increased sales (Underhill, 1999). On the other hand, ill-designed floor layouts orproduct displays may force consumers to browse in order to find a desired product(dAstous, 2000). In addition, research has also suggested that a store layout influencesconsumer information processing, development of a cognitive map, and finding targetsin the store (Hackett et al., 1993). Natural stimuli such as color (e.g. Bellizzi et al., 1983),background music (e.g. Yalch and Spangenberg, 1993), and odor (e.g. Spangenberget al., 1996) have also been studied. Results have indicated that these factors generallyinfluence consumer behaviors subliminally through consumers mood states. Donovanet al. (1994) found that shoppers who experienced pleasure in the shoppingenvironment spent more time in the store, spent more money on total purchases, andshowed a greater desire to communicate with the store staff.

Some social factors such as retail crowding (e.g. Hui and Bateson, 1991) have alsobeen studied. Results showed that store density led to perceived crowdedness, whichhad a negative effect on consumer affect and shopping experiences. Finally, shoppingin a traditional retail store involves a navigation strategy physically moving aroundand searching for or looking at products. Titus and Everett (1995) suggested thatconsumers perceptions of environmental legibility and stimulation influence theirselection of navigation strategies in the store. Environmental legibility is defined as theextent to which the environmental design allows people to extract and comprehendrelevant information about the environment. Stimulation refers to the level of sensorystimulation provided by the environment. Since retail environments differ in terms ofthese configurations, navigation strategies may differ.

In summary, research has long demonstrated that the retail environment influencesconsumer behaviors (Markin et al., 1976). A shopping environment provides acombination of various external stimuli that influence consumers behaviors. Althoughthese studies did not address the issue of browsing per se, browsing is part of shoppingactivities. Consumers search for information and/or just browse while they movearound in the store. How consumers browse in a store and what information isacquired may depend on how consumers interact with the specific retail environment.

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Finally, although browsing is conceptualized as information acquisition withoutpurchase intent, browsing may nevertheless lead to purchases, directly or indirectly.

Overall, browsing may mean different things to different consumers. It can beentertaining for some consumers but could become work for others. It can be driven byconsumers inherent motivation to browse and/or induced by the shoppingenvironment. The review of literature shows that no previous research hasspecifically examined the consumer browsing process and experiences acrossdifferent retail outlets (Bloch and Richins, 1983; Jarboe and McDaniel, 1987). In thisresearch, the focus is on consumer browsing experiences and examine factorsinfluencing browsing patterns and activities across different retail outlets.

MethodologyIn-depth interviews together with accompanied shopping trips with informants wereused. Twelve informants were recruited in a mid-sized city in Midwest USA throughe-mail newsgroups and store postings. Informants were balanced by gender, with agesranging from 20s to 50s. Each informant went through a 30-40 minute interviewsession. Interviews were constructed following McCracken (1988). During theinterview, informants were asked to explain what browsing means to them and theirbrowsing habits. Then, they were asked to recall one of their recent shopping trips andto describe all aspects of the shopping trip including browsing activities. They wereasked when, where, and how they browse, and the influences of browsing on theirshopping activities. Eight of the 12 informants agreed to be accompanied on theirshopping trips after the first interview. The researcher accompanied each of the eightinformants on one or two shopping trips. The researcher observed informantsshopping behaviors unobtrusively while taking field notes. A 30-40 minute follow-upinterview was conducted after each shopping trip. The follow-up interview focused onthat specific trip. After asking informants to recall the particular shopping trip, theinterviewer questioned how and why they browsed in a certain way based on the fieldnotes. The author conducted all the interviews and shopping trip observations. Themethod of combining interview and shopping trip has been used in previous research(Otnes et al., 1995). This method is particularly beneficial to this research sincecombining interviews and shopping trips can provide information not only on howinformants browse, but also why they browse in a specific way. The profiles of theparticipants are presented in Table I.

Analysis and findingsAll interviews were recorded and then transcribed. After each shopping trip, I exploredbrowsing strategies and patterns used in the shopping trips. Questions that emergedfrom the shopping trips were further pursued in the follow-up interviews. Coding of thetranscripts was guided by the research questions pursued and the data itself. Forshopping trips, informants activities, including both physical movements in the storeand major eye/head movements were coded. Informants browsing strategies/patternswere coded. In addition, special store settings and situations during shopping tripswere coded. During interviews, informants accounts of their motivations, familiarityand attitude toward the store, feelings, and thoughts associated with browsing werealso coded.

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Name Gender Age Contact Summary description

Eileen Female 20s Three interviews and twoshopping trips

Eileen is a student and lives in the schooldormitory. She loves shopping and searchesfor bargains all the time. She has a goodmarket and product knowledge

Amy Female 20s One interview Amy is a college senior. She loves shoppingand indicates that browsing around givesher lots of gift ideas. She is very close to herparents and brothers so constantly lookingfor gift ideas as well as trying to findbargains

Gina Female 30s Two interviews and oneshopping trip

Gina is single and loves shopping. She is anexperience seeker and she browses anytimein any store. She occasionally makesimpulsive purchases and regrets for itafterwards

Diane Female 30s Two interviews and oneshopping trip

Diane is in early 30s and is pregnant whileparticipating in the project. She used toenjoy recreational browsing but is more of abalanced browser at the time. She needs todo a lot of shopping for the baby so most ofthe browsing is functional

Maggie Female 40s Two interviews and oneshopping trip

Maggie is a staff employee at the university.She loves shopping and collects Coca-Colarelated products. She has a young granddaughter and buys a lot of stuff for her

Victoria Female 50s One interview Victoria is a very reluctant browser. Shedoesnt like most of the store environmentand shops as little as possible

Stefanie Female 50s Two interviews and oneshopping trip

Stefanie lives with her husband and does nothave any children. She has a decent income.She is a reluctant browser and browse onlyfor functional purposes. She tries to beefficient by shopping in small, familiarstores and stays brand loyal

Jeremiah Male 20s One interview Jeremiah is a college student. He shops withfriends. Browsing is perceived as arecreational, social activity for him with hisfriends. However, browsing is limited tocertain shopping environments such asMalls and certain products such asclothes

Jason Male 20s Two interviews and oneshopping trip

Jason is in late 20s and is single. He got anew job and moved to the town for a coupleof years. He likes shopping and cooking andbrowses a lot. However, he indicates that hedoes not have a lot of time to browse anddoes not have a lot of money to spend. Herestricts his browsing activities to a smallset of stores on products he likes includingcooking pots and clothes

(continued )

Table I.Summary of informantsinformation

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To identify patterns and themes in the data, the guidelines (McCracken, 1988) werefollowed, sensitive to both potential patterns revealed by the literature review andpotential unexpected patterns revealed by the data. The findings were organized inthree parts. First, to illustrate what browsing means to consumers. Next, to exploredifferent browsing experiences and factors influencing these experiences. Finally, todiscuss the consequences of browsing for ultimate purchases and consumers copingstrategies with these consequences.

Consumer interpretation of browsingFirst, although browsing has been defined as information search without a purchaseintention (Bloch et al., 1989), consumers do not clearly separate browsing frompurchase intentions. Second, browsing does not merely serve as an informalinformation search activity. Browsing helps to accumulate market as well asproduct knowledge and prepare consumers for potential purchases, yet at the sametime, it is casual, fun, exciting, relaxing, and it helps to kill time. Hence, browsing isboth recreational and functional. Most participants recognize the two differentpurposes of browsing although they do not necessarily do both in their ownbrowsing activities:

If I am looking for a shirt, I dont know what kind exactly so I browse the color and style. Buttheres also browsing where I am just looking for fun, I dont have intention to buy anything.So it goes either way. But you know, my husband and I dont browse very often withoutintent to buy. This is not pleasurable time (Stefanie).

Similar to Stefanie, most participants pointed out the multifaceted nature of browsingbut indicated that some aspects of browsing are more important to them than others.For example, Diane emphasized the recreational aspect of browsing; Amy sawbrowsing primarily as a prelude to targeted searching, while Eileen emphasized therole of browsing as keeping up with the trends.

Name Gender Age Contact Summary description

Denis Male 30s Three interviews and twoshopping trips

Denis is married, with no children. He is areluctant browser and does not enjoybrowsing. However, browsing is an efficientway of information acquisition. Hisbrowsing activities guide future purchases

Eric Male 40s One interview Eric is self-employed and runs his ownelectronics and computer repair service. Heis single. He does not shop much and tries tobe efficient, but he loves browsingelectronics products

Joe Male 50s Three interviews and twoshopping trips

Joe is balanced browser. He likes books andCDs and some starter computer books.Borders is his favorite store for browsing. Healso likes Target and Sears. He also looks forbargains and has a fairly good knowledge ofproduct prices Table I.

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[Browsing is] Just looking around, not necessarily with the goal of purchasing something,getting something, ending up somewhere, but just wandering around, to see if anythingcatches your eyes or to see if anything is interesting (Diane).

Browsing is, basically, I dont know what I want and have to look around, see different things,and think. For example, if I want to buy a shirt but dont know what kind of shirt I want, Iprobably will go to one store, to another, then another, look around, and think about it (Amy).

To me, [browsing is] just looking, window shopping, not really tapping anything, justwandering, or just to see whats going on (Eileen).

Data showed that participants exhibited different degrees of browsing for differentpurposes. I observed both functional and hedonic browsing. As expected, thefunctional hedonic dichotomy is overly simplistic because many consumers shopwith both motivations at the same time. Different shopping motivations could result inthe same shopping patterns, and the same shopping behaviors could be driven byeither motive. Hence, I categorize consumers into three different groups based on theirbrowsing experiences. Next, I will describe these three categories and the browsingexperiences and forces that shape these browsing behaviors in each category.

Consumer browsing experiencesThe addicted browser. The addicted browsers browse as long as they have time in avariety of retail settings. They are internally motivated although also influenced by theshopping environment. At a closer examination, two types of addicted browsers wereidentified: one is driven by the browsing experiences, and one is driven by the goal offinding bargains.

First, the experience seekers are inherent and intrinsic browsers. They browsewhenever they can, and they even try to find time to browse. Browsing makes themhappy. For experience seekers, browsing means merely looking around and is notnecessarily associated with purchase. They intrinsically enjoy browsing and immersethemselves in the browsing experience. Among the informants, Gina is a typicalexperience seeker:

I guess [browsing means] just looking at things and I dont have the intention to buy. Just tolook at them, experience them, but not necessarily purchase them (Gina).

Shopping and browsing make experience seekers excited. They are internallymotivated to browse and excited whenever there is a chance to browse and shop. Forexample, when describing a trip to a mall, Gina expressed how excited she was evenbefore getting to the mall:

We really pushed ourselves because they are going to close at 5. So, it was a big rush to seeeverything by 5 oclock. We feel really pressured and we knew that by 5 oclock we reallyneed to go, sit somewhere and relax. We really didnt buy that much . . . but were just excitedto see those things, things we cant afford, things we would like to afford. I think we just wantto be there and look (Gina).

For experience seekers, the most important goal is not to buy, but to experience theexcitement of looking at the appealing merchandise. For example, Gina went to a LauraAshley store. She bought a bottle of room spray but spent a long time in the store.

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I probably spent, yeah, almost one hour in that store, and I bought one Ashley spray. Youknow I didnt buy one item for that long time. But I looked at everything. Even pieces ofclothing that wouldnt look good on me, I still wanted to look at them, I still wanted to feelthem . . . I went to the back, and at the back, they have baby clothes. I dont even havechildren, but I probably spent at least 20 minutes because the clothes are so beautiful. It is justso sweet and beautiful (Gina).

Because what matters to experience seekers is experience, they are sensitive to variousstimulations in the shopping environment. A store environment that offers a higherlevel of stimulation is attractive to them, hence inducing browsing behaviors:

When I was standing outside [the Laura Ashley store] and looking at the window, it was kindof relaxing. You are like yeah, this feels really familiar and you want to get in . . . We walkedin, and you know the store catches you and the music catches you. The people attract youbecause they wear those [brand of] clothes . . . Everything is so great in that particular store(Gina).

Different stores serve different functions and offer different levels of simulation.Typically, consumers are more likely to browse in one type of store than another. Forexample, gift stores, crafts stores, and specialty stores serve primarily hedonicpurposes, while grocery stores serve primarily functional needs. Consumers may findbrowsing more interesting in the former rather than the latter. However, the experienceseekers, due to their strong internal motivation to browse, tend to browse in any type ofstore:

If I know that I have time, even if I dont have time, even from my lunch hour, even for ahardware store that I have never had interest in, I would somehow find a reason to look atthings. Once Im there, because I entered [the store] by chance or something like that, once Imthere, Im like oh, stuffs are cool. Look at those hammers that I dont have in my house. Youknow these are the things I wouldnt intentionally buy myself, but I am at the hardware storeand there are these big aisles with little things and I really like to look at them. Ill almost belate [for work], because Im looking at things, things that I dont even need or want (Gina).

However, certain store elements can also turn the experience seekers off. Theseelements may include lack of stimulation, poor store layout, noise level, crowding, andthe presence of other shoppers, which make it difficult for browsers to enjoythemselves. For example, Gina talked about her grocery shopping experience in Aldiand Wal-Mart. Although both are grocery stores, she had different browsingexperiences due to differences in the store environments:

Theres not anything really interesting to look at [in Aldi]. The food never changes. For everyonce a while, they add something, but not very often. So its always the same thing. Whereasat Walmart, they put the Harry Potter books at the front the other day. So I think oh, look atHarry Potter there, look at that, they brought different things. At the July 4th, they have theFourth of July bakery. Though I dont even eat sugar, but I looked at those and those wereinteresting. [In Aldi] Their aisles are not small, but they feel small. Theres always a largefamily of people trying to look at everything. I dont like it, it just feels small there. Its alwaysso busy and crowded, so loud. Its just very uncomfortable going around people. And peopleare rude there . . . Then I am like oh, I just want to get my stuff and leave. So, I always havea list [when shopping in Aldi]. I know exactly what Im buying in that store . . . even if itsbusy, I can usually get through in 10 minutes. Once I get to Wal-Mart, I really have to forcemyself to be as structured as I was. But I will still almost always go that way, and just kind of

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look, just see, even if I cant afford anything. It takes at least half an hour to get throughWal-Mart (Gina).

Second, the bargain hunters/information seekers also intrinsically enjoy browsing andbrowse whenever they can. However, they also browse with a mission. They gatherinformation, monitor prices, and try to develop a thorough understanding of themarket, stores, and brands. Their enjoyment of browsing is primarily derived from theability to get purchase ideas, to find good deals, and to know they get their moneysworth when it comes to purchasing:

I go to the music section in the bookstore. Not that I want to buy them, but I can check outwhat are the new songs out there, just in case when people ask me. Like when my momchecks with me for Christmas gift ideas, I can give her some hints on what I like (Amy).

Usually when I buy things, I am pretty good about things like how much money Ill spend. Idont have that much or at least Im a person whos thrifty, I like to keep what I earned. So Itry to find the best deals, Ill look around, and then I just go and compare prices, even if thattakes time (Eileen).

Eileen is a typical bargain hunter and information seeker. Talking about a recentpurchase of a pair of shoes, she said that she had been looking for over a year and halfuntil she finally bought the shoes. During the trip to buy the shoes, she browsed othermerchandise, which potentially will prepare her for the next purchase:

I went to the mall to buy the shoes. I also went looking around because Mothers Day iscoming so I was looking around and then just try to see if theres any clothes that my momwould love. I am also looking at summer shoes and actually I have been looking online too. Ilook around to see if there is something that I would like Oh, I want it (Eileen).

Similar to experience seekers, bargain hunters/information seekers browse in varioustypes of retail settings. Eileen showed similar browsing motivations and patterns whenshopping in a grocery store and shopping in the mall. During the grocery shoppingtrip, she walked through most of the aisles in the store although she did not buyanything from many aisles. She later explained why she went through the detergentaisle although she had no intention to buy anything from that aisle:

Ill try to see whats going on and whats new on the market. I wanted to check it out. I aminterested in the dry cleaning kit. Of course I also wanted to get to the other side (of the aisle).It is convenient. So I just want to see whats new, so that next time if I want a certain thing Ican get it. That is basically why I went through the detergent aisle (Eileen).

Browsing is a habit for bargain hunters/information seekers as well as for experienceseekers. However, the excitement and joy comes more from knowing what to buy andgetting a good deal instead of the browsing experience itself. Hence, bargainhunters/information seekers are less sensitive to external stimuli such as variousshopping environment. They lack the excitement that experience seekers have when itcomes to shopping and browsing. During the interviews, they rarely mentioned theinfluence of any particular elements of the retail environment.

The balanced browser. The second major category identified is the balancedbrowser. To the balanced browser, browsing is functional as well as hedonic. Browsingis necessary for becoming familiar with a new store or for looking for a bargain.Browsing can also be fun when it concerns their favorite stores or type of products.

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However, these consumers also realize that browsing takes effort and time, so theywant to achieve a balance. They try to minimize functional browsing and make surethat they do not browse excessively for fun either. The majority of participants in thestudy belong to this group. For example, Jason likes cooking so he browses in grocerystores. However, he also makes sure that his time and energy spent on browsing arenot excessive, so he goes only to one grocery store where he is familiar with the layoutinstead of visiting multiple stores:

I like it [browsing] because I like cooking, so I am sort of thinking about what I will makewhen I am walking around. I go at odd times when no one is busy there. I used to shop just atone store, usually at Schnuks (Jason).

Balanced browsers enjoy browsing but are more selective than experience seekers andbargain hunters. Such selectivity is based on both their personal interest and the typeof stores. They browse mostly their favorite products in their favorite stores. First,whether they browse for functional or recreational purposes depends somewhat on thetype of store. Many participants noted the differences in browsing activities betweengrocery store or discount store shopping and other department or specialty storeshopping:

I dont go to Wal-Mart and browse in Wal-Mart, or go to Target and browse in Target.Usually when I go to Target or Wal-Mart I do have certain things that I want to buy. Butwhen I go to a store in the Market Place Mall, I do [browse]. These are the stores I like tobrowse in, to see what the trend is there. I think when we go to Wal-Mart or Target, we havedefined things to buy. I dont think we are necessarily browsing. When we go to Wal-Mart, Iknow I need to buy a light bulb, to buy whatever, so there is no real need for browsing. I knowI want to buy this. But when we go to the mall, I know I have to buy clothes, but there are somany different types of clothes, you really dont know what type, what kind you need. I thinkthats why elements of browsing are really necessary to pick out things you really want. It isnot just like a light bulb. Its something different than that. We just dont go to Wal-Mart orTarget just for the heck of it. There is a reason why we go there. But when I go with my friendto the mall, when we browse, there might be no purpose to it. We might not need clothes.Thats what I am trying to get at. When I go there, I might not need any clothes at all, but Istill buy one or two, a pair of pants, a shirt, and things like that ( Jeremiah).

When it comes to hedonic browsing, customers tend to have their favorite stores andthey try to limit their browsing to those stores so it is more manageable. For example,Jason indicated that he goes to Banana Republic about twice a year and T.J. Maxxabout once or twice a month. These stores satisfied his desire for recreationalbrowsing:

I probably would go there [T.J. Maxx] maybe once or twice a month. So I have pretty goodideas of stuff there, like suitcases. If I want to get a new suitcase, I would go there, becausethey have pretty nice suitcases. I go to Banana Republic maybe twice a year. And so, youknow when you are going everything is different, because the store is in different season. Andso when I go in, I just look at the new selection, look at all the clothes and look at the styles.Its also because I try to be stylish. Sometimes I am concerned to buy, sometimes I am not. Sobrowsing to me is sort of like exploring what is the offer, taking a range of options open toyou (Jason).

Balanced browsers occasionally show the same excitement as experience seekers, butonly for certain types of products. Hobbies are a major trigger that gets balanced

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browsers to browse passionately. For example, Maggie loves Coca-Cola paraphernalia,and Eric browses electronic products whenever he gets a chance:

Everything related to Coca-Cola will catch my attention. I collect those. I go to the Coca-Colastore on the web and I even bought some items through auctions. I can look at that stuff forhours (Maggie).

[I browse] electronic products. Ive been doing this since I was a kid as a hobby. And then Iwent to school, and worked on it almost through my life. Im all the time looking for electronicproducts and various parts because thats the thing Im interested in (Eric).

Balanced browsers try to achieve a balance between seeking stimulation and seekingefficiency. For them, each shopping trip usually means a mixture of functional andrecreational browsing. They rarely go shopping only for recreational purposes, butonce they have achieved their purchase goals, they turn to some unstructuredbrowsing:

I have a basic idea of what I wanted. I knew I have to get my Tylenol, I knew I have to get myglasses, but I also want to see a little bit of clothes, and a little bit of the linens and so on . . .when I do that I get an idea of how can I decorate my own house. And I see new color patterns,and I like things with color in it. So I like looking at them (Maggie).

Balanced browsers are attracted by at least a moderate level of store stimuli such asunique decorations or displays in conjunction with special occasions:

In the mall, I usually like to walk around, especially in this Christmas season, and see the littlethings. They set up in the middle, you know, crafts or T-shirts, things like that (Maggie).

Balanced browsers are also sensitive to factors that inhibit efficient functionalbrowsing. They dislike retail crowding. To be efficient, they shop at stores that theyare familiar with, and they choose stores that have a layout that they can effectivelymanage. They develop shopping routines for functional shopping and use the help ofstore staff to minimize functional browsing:

If there is something specific that Im looking for, and I dont know where it is, I ask rightaway, because I dont want to wander around the whole store looking for it. And there are alot of stores where they have the greeters or whatever they are called, then you considerwhether to ask. But this time, we knew what we wanted, and I just wanted to get there, get itover, and not being distracted. Because Wal-Mart is really big, its a huge store and I couldntwander (Diane).

If I have been there, I am more familiar with the arrangements of the shelves. I can just godirectly to the shelves I need. If I go to a new store, I probably have to get familiar with thearrangements of the store by looking around and wandering around. And, that takes time. SoI usually go to a place I am familiar with, unless that bookstore does not carry the book I aminterested in ( Jeremiah).

The reluctant browser. Reluctant browsers browse the least. For reluctant browsers,shopping and browsing only serve functional purposes. These shoppers only browsewhen it is necessary, and browsing primarily serves the purpose of purchasing whatthey need. They do not enjoy browsing, and they want to be as efficient as possible.Among the informants, Victoria, Denis, and Stefanie are typical reluctant browsers.

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Browsing is just going in and looking. I do that as little as possible. I usually have the purposeand intention when I go to the store, unless I go with a friend. I dont just go window shoppinganymore (Victoria).

If I can just sit at home, and have everything brought to me, sure I would do that. I try tomaximize my efficiency in each store (Stefanie).

I dont enjoy shopping for no reason. Its not necessarily a leisure activity for me. If I want toescape or do something fun, [I will] read a book or go to a movie or take a walk or somethinglike that. I see browsing as a utilitarian activity. So, if theres something Im in the market for,Ill go to the retailer, and Ill ask questions. Its not like if Im bored or its Saturday afternoonand Ill go to a store, and look around and see what they have (Denis).

For reluctant browsers, browsing is a task and is a means to achieve an end (i.e.purchases). While experience seekers tend to browse in all kinds of stores, reluctantbrowsers typically do not find any type of stores attractive. To them, shopping is work,and there is not much fun in browsing. It is a good experience only when browsinghelps to achieve their purchase goals.

Hence, they do not enjoy a store environment that offers a high level of stimulationsuch as fancy displays, noise or crowds:

I dont really like the mall very much, to be honest. I dont know what it is, its seems veryloud inside, it seems a little bit chaotic (Denis).

They put more in the same space. And you feel like if you turn around, you will knock intosomething. They are just too crowded. I just dont go because I feel too crammed in the store.Ill leave the store if there were too many people. I just leave my cart and come back later. Iprefer to shop when its not really crowded (Victoria).

Shopping or browsing routines are very important to reluctant browsers becauseroutines enhance efficiency. Therefore, they want to stick to their routines and do notlike stores that frequently change layout or shelf displays:

I dont like stores changing layout because it takes more time for me. I know where to go to getan item. If they are at the same place, I can just walk to that place. When you constantly changeit around, then it takes me more time. Its frustrating to find things that way (Victoria).

The changing faces of browsersIn this research, I found that browsing patterns and behaviors of the three categories ofbrowsers outlined above are relatively stable. However, I also found situationalvariations due to external factors or some permanent changes that take place duringthe life cycles of consumers. One factor that causes temporary changes in browsingbehavior is shopping companions, especially for balanced browsers. Shoppingcompanions can either promote or constrain the individuals regular browsing pattern.On one hand, shopping companions make browsing and shopping a social event, hencemore recreational:

[Browsing] is fun. It is something I usually will not do on my own. I usually go with mybuddies, or my mom. We look at things, try things on and give opinions to each other andlaugh at it. Sometimes I go shopping with my buddies. We look at clothes and find out whatsnew out there. A lot of times we end up not buying anything. Just get to know the new thingsthat come out, you know, window shopping (Amy).

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On the other hand, when shopping with a reluctant browser, balanced browsers willcurb their browsing activities:

I dont browse when I shop with my husband. He doesnt really tolerate it because he doesnthave the patience. He is like hey, why dont you buy the stuff and lets get out of here(Diane).

For experience seekers and reluctant browsers, the influence of shopping companionsis less prominent because addicted browsers can always find something interesting tobrowse, while reluctant browsers do not tolerate too much browsing. For example,Gina went into a Ralph Lauren store because her friend wanted to. Although she knewshe would not buy anything there, she still spent time browsing and had a good time:

The size at Ralph Lauren is little bigger than the normal size. I wear about 18 so most of theclothes I really cant fit into. So I didnt really focus on the clothes. But again when I walked in,just being in the store was exciting. Just seeing these clothes, just watching the people andwhat they were buying (Gina).

Browsing behaviors also change over consumers life cycles. It is observed that theaddicted browsers tend to be younger, while reluctant browsers tend to be older.However, most of the reluctant browsers commented that they used to browse moreand explained how their previous behavior had changed. Consumer demographics,such as age, income, and marital status, as well as personalities change over the lifespan. These changes exert influence on consumers browsing patterns and experiences:

When I was younger, I browsed and I was looking. Like going to the mall and lookingthrough the clothes, through all the records, just looking at everything there. But now, I prettymuch have certain purpose when I go some place. I could put on my blinder and bypasseverything else (Victoria).

When I was in college, I used to shop for clothes, stuff like that. I didnt mind doing it. I dontfind those things pleasing any more. My character changed a lot (Stefanie).

Similarly, some experience seekers become more balanced browsers over time, such asMaggie:

I used to shop a lot more. I used to make a lot more money than I do now. I would do a lotmore shopping and end up buying a lot more stuff that was kind of useless. You know, withmy tight budget now, I have to be careful of what I do now (Maggie).

Browsing and purchasesAlthough browsing is conceptually defined as activity without purchase intents, thisresearch showed various linkages between browsing and purchase. Browsing leads todirect and indirect, planned and unplanned, as well as impulsive purchases. Datashowed that different browsing patterns are associated with different purchasingconsequences. Consumers experience different emotions with these browsingconsequences and develop various coping strategies.

First, while browsing for experience seekers is hedonic in nature and purchasing isnot the major incentive for browsing, they do often end up with purchases. Suchpurchases are typically impulsive purchases. An impulsive purchase is defined as anunplanned purchase that is subjectively biased toward immediate possession, which isaccompanied by relatively rapid decision making (Rook and Gardner, 1993). It is

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usually characterized by higher emotional involvement and the urge to buy whenconsumers see a product. For example, Gina enjoyed browsing in the Laura Ashleystore and developed the urge to buy something although she did not plan to buy. Thestore environment and the excitement experienced at the time drove her to make thepurchase:

When I was in the Ashley store, I thought if I didnt buy something, didnt leave withsomething, I just wasted the trip. I feel like I had to buy something and take home . . . I boughtactually room spray for $11. You know, I can buy room spray at Target for $3. But its reallyimportant to me that I bought this $11 room spray. The price in that store is really high, andwithin that environment $11 is really cheap. When everything in the store is $100 and $50, ifyou see $11, you would think oh, this is a bargain and then when Im in the car back home, Icant believe I just bought an $11 room spray (Gina).

Impulsive purchase is usually not based on rational and careful thinking, and littlethought is given to the potential negative consequences of the purchase (Hoch andLoewenstein, 1991). Therefore, impulsive purchases tend to be associated with regretor other negative feelings afterwards, as shown with Ginas purchase. To cope withimpulsive purchases, experience seekers tried to limit browsing and the effect ofbrowsing on purchases. Gina tried to control herself and developed several copingstrategies such as shopping with a list or buying frozen food first to make herself hurryup. However, the desire to browse versus the need for self-control is a constant strugglefor her:

Last week, I shouldnt have bought things that are not on my list, like the muffins, those fatfree chocolate muffins. I end up oh, because they are fat free and they are my diet, so I couldbuy. This is not something that is on my list, but you know, they were $2.50. They were at adifferent place where you would not normally find muffins. They were back by the milk. I hadto buy milk, but I just saw there was muffin there. See, I was really good that I wouldnt go tothe bakery section, but then I still saw these muffins, so I ended up buying them (Gina).

Second, browsing activities for bargain hunters/information seekers like Eileen arealso closely related to purchases. However, compared to experience seekers, bargainhunters/information seekers are more rational in their purchases. Even when theyseemingly make unplanned purchases, these purchases were usually not impulsiveand are not associated with negative emotions. For example, on a grocery shoppingtrip with Eileen, I observed her picking up some White Castle hamburgers which werenot on her list. During the interview she revealed the rationale for the purchase:

[The White Castle is] something that happened by accident. When I was looking at the HotPockets, I saw White Castle, I know White Castle has frozen burgers, which is as good asthose in actual restaurants, but sometimes in grocery stores, theres no White Castle brand, soI decided to pick up a box since it was $3. Thats how I go for it. Its just by accident, but itsalso something that I was kind of looking for too (Eileen).

Although bargain hunters/information seekers are also concerned about browsing toomuch, they do not have strong negative emotions associated with their browsing andpurchases. In addition, it seems easier for them to control their browsing activities thanit is for experience seekers:

I will go aisle by aisle. If Im in something like the candy aisle, Ill skip over it. Because I lovecandy, so I try to skip over the candy (Eileen).

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Third, balanced browsers do not browse extensively, and their browsing serves bothfunctional and recreational purposes. Most of them go shopping with a purchaseintention. Functional browsing helps them to locate the product or help to determine aformal information search strategy, hence directly or indirectly leading to purchases:

When I know Im looking for something, its pretty much the only time I go to a store. When Igo shopping, I expect to spend money. In general, when I go to a store, I just walk in, lookaround, and if something doesnt catch my eye immediately, Ill just leave. If its not animmediate attraction, Ill just forget about it. So Ill just go somewhere else (Eric).

In addition, balanced browsers also browse for fun, especially after they fulfill theirgoal-directed purchase tasks. While they browse, they may find bargains or catchsomething that they think they may need, hence directly leading to purchases:

I go in and get whatever, basically, milk, eggs, bread. And Ill go and look at the special aisleto see whats on sale. Thats just interesting. I really enjoy getting out of the store andknowing that it saved me a buck. I feel really good (Eric).

I figured that I would find something to buy. They had a lot of stuff, especially like frames. Itried to find cheap but nice things. So I figured out if I look around, I would probably buysomething. Thats why I went [with my neighbor to T.J. Maxx], because I know they havenice and cheap house stuff ( Jason).

For balanced browsers, the most important criterion is to achieve a balance betweenbeing able to enjoy themselves and finding bargains through browsing, and notspending too much time and energy on it. They sometimes feel they browse too muchwhen they end up with many unplanned purchases. For example, Eric complainedabout his grocery shopping:

I find that I spend more money there than I want to because I always see something that Ithink I need. So it never ends up being a simple shopping trip when I put three or four thingson the list. I put three or four things on the list, and end up with 12. Thats not a problem withMeijer (a grocery store), thats a problem with me (Eric).

But balanced browsers usually are able to control themselves. To achieve the balance,they apply strategies such as limiting the stores they shop at, sticking to theirshopping routines to be more efficient, or staying brand-loyal:

If I see something good I usually cant get myself to forget it. So I try not to spend too much time.Like I dont go down the snacks aisle every time, I dont go down the cereal aisle. Usually I juststick to what I want. The one aisle I will browse is the wine aisle, Ill see if they have any wine onsale. Maybe Ill browse the seafood to see if they have anything really cheap (Jason).

Finally, reluctant browsers do not enjoy browsing. They typically will not browseexcept when they have to. Hence, browsing is purely for functional purposes, and it isalways associated with purchases. Browsing is only a means to an end. Therefore, forreluctant browsers, the most important objective is to maximize efficiency and reduceunnecessary browsing. To cope with this issue, they devised many strategies. Forexample, Jeremiah only visited familiar stores:

If I have been there, I am more familiar with the arrangements of the shelves; I can just godirectly to the shelves. If I go to a new store, I probably have to get familiar with thearrangement of the store by looking around and wandering around. And, that takes time. So Iusually go to a place I am familiar with, unless that bookstore does not carry the book I aminterested in ( Jeremiah).

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Stefanie stays brand-loyal:

My tennis shoes for example, theres a certain kind of shoe I want. You know, they feel goodon my foot, and so I go buy that one. Because I havent had in love with any other brand(Stefanie).

Victoria used a list when shopping, intentionally chose stores that have fewer productchoices, and shopped by phone when possible instead of going to the stores:

First Ill make a general list. I always take a list, unless theres just one thing I need. If thereare two things, Ill take a list. I shop at small local stores because they dont have so manybrands as the supermarket. Its quicker. I can go in and pick up what I want because its not asmany choices (Victoria).

However, even reluctant browsers do a substantial amount of browsing, but in anefficient way. For example, Denis described himself as a grab-and-go type of shopperand tried to minimize his time in the store. I observed him grab a pair of shorts whileshopping at Sams Club. However, while talking about buying the shorts during theinterview, he revealed that it is not as simple as grab-and-go:

They had them [the shorts] there for a while. I noticed them. Its like maybe a month or so.And I think I fairly noticed that they were on sale. I also noticed at home that couple of shortsthat I had developed some holes. I had them for several years, [they were] probably ready togo. So that was kind of what was really driving that purchase. I think I probably saw [them]on sale first, and then I notice at home that I can actually use a pair of shorts (Denis).

He further explained how he browsed efficiently, trying to minimize the time and effortspent while acquiring sufficient purchase information:

While during each trip, I probably dont spend very much time browsing, but if you add up,like all the browsing I did during shopping trips, it ends up to a lot of time. Rather thanspending a block of time just going and looking, Ill try to look while Im doing somethingelse. Try to be as efficient as possible, maximize what I get during the time I spend onshopping for other things. Like the shorts, for example. Therere a lot of other items in Sams,too. From time to time, they had like a set of lights and the laundry hamper. We neededsomething like that. We looked around, and after we saw them there in a month or so, webought them. I dont spend a lot of time browsing. You know I remember what Im seeingfrom my previous trip, so I would count that as sort of browsing (Denis).

Overall, although browsing is information acquisition without purchase intent, thisresearch showed that browsing has both direct and indirect influences on purchases.Browsing leads to impulse purchases driven by consumers motivation to browse andthe stimulation of the retail environment. Impulse purchases are typically associatedwith negative emotions after purchase. Not all unplanned purchases are impulsive.Browsing may stimulate recognition of needs and help consumers develop a desire fora certain product. Seeing a product on display may make consumers realize that it issomething that they want. Recognition of the need frequently leads to immediatepurchase or purchase in the near future although the purchase may not be planned.

Browsing also leads to indirect purchase. Obtaining information for a futurepurchase reference is the most common (indirect) influence browsing has on purchases.While shopping for products that they intend to look for and buy, consumers are alsovisually attracted to other products. Such browsing may provide ideas and informationfor future purchases. Browsing may also be used as a precursor of searching. In these

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situations, browsing serves the function of refining consumers needs and helping themto decide on what product they would like to purchase. As I illustrated above, theinfluence of browsing on purchases varies in consumers browsing experiencesdepending on their browsing patterns.

Conclusion and implicationsWhile browsing is common, it has not been studied systematically in marketing. Thisresearch contributes to our understanding of browsers and their experiences as well asthe impact of browsing on information acquisition and purchases. First, little researchhas examined consumers experiences in browsing. The browsing index of Jarboe andMcDaniel (1987) pointed out the influence of psychographic, demographic, andpersonality influences. In this research, I offer a richer description of browsers based onthe examination of their experiences. Corresponding to research in consumer shoppingexperiences, I identified both functional and recreational browsing. The two browsingmotivations co-exist for most consumers. However, consumers vary in their preferredlevel of browsing for recreational or functional purposes; hence, their browsingexperiences differ. Browsing behavior is a function of both consumer internal forces(i.e. motivations) and external forces (i.e. the retail environment).

In addition, the research shows that browsing patterns change over time. Changesin consumer age, marital status, as well as income prompt changes in consumermotivations to browse, therefore altering browsing patterns and experiences. While theretail environment has long been demonstrated to influence consumers shoppingbehaviors, it also influences browsing experiences. However, since many environmentstimuli such as color, olfactory sensations, and background music have less cognitivelydominant influence on behaviors, these factors were not mentioned as influences bystudy participants. These elements combined offer a certain level of store stimulation.As the results show, addicted browsers and balanced browsers are more attracted by ahigher level of store stimulation than reluctant browsers. Two retail elements that werementioned by most participants are store layout and crowding. Changes in store layoutcould be used to offer a higher level of stimulation in order to enhance recreationalbrowsing, but at the same time a stable store layout can minimize functional browsingand enhance efficiency. Retail stores may analyze their consumer base to gaugeconsumer needs. For stores with most repeat and loyal visitors such as grocery storesand drug stores, a stable layout could be preferred. For stores with primarily new orinfrequent visitors, changes in store layout together with the products may offer ahigher level of stimulation and encourage browsing.

Retail crowding was mentioned by most participants; it consistently has a negativeimpact on browsing, both functional and recreational. Retail stores may alleviate thenegative impact of crowding by carefully monitoring store traffic. For example, duringbusy hours, stores can ensure that additional employees are on the floor to helpcustomers with specific needs and reduce unnecessary functional browsing. That willleave more space for recreational browsers.

Most of the limited browsers indicated that browsing has a different role in differentstores. Hence, management of store design and store atmosphere should be based onthe positioning of the store (i.e. consumers perception of the function of the store) andthe understanding of consumers needs. For example, grocery and discount storesusually serve consumers functional needs. Factors that facilitate functional browsing

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such as a stable environment and a clear layout may be essential. On the other hand, arecreationally oriented store may encourage consumers to explore by creating newdisplays periodically. Research has shown that browsing may ultimately lead toincreased sales, although it may not be associated with an immediate purchase(Underhill, 1999). Strategies that encourage browsing may benefit both retailers andconsumers in the long run.

Second, this research contributes to the understanding of browsing as an integralpart of consumer information acquisition. Existing research on consumer informationsearch usually assumes that consumers know what they want to buy, thereby focusingon information search in the context of brand-level choices. Researchers have beenpuzzled that consumers do not seem to search for much information although they domake reasonably good decisions (e.g. Kiel and Layton, 1981). The research on browsingsuggests that existing research may have only tapped part of consumers informationacquisition activities. For example, Eileen took over a year paying attention to shoesevery time she went shopping before she finally purchased one pair. By integratingbrowsing with direct information search, the theoretical framework of consumerinformation acquisition has been extended. The results show that browsing representsthe more casual and less structured way of acquiring information and has importanteffects on purchases.

The third contribution is linking browsing with consumer purchases. Althoughbrowsing is defined as information acquisition without purchase intent, this researchdemonstrates that browsing has an important impact on purchases, both direct andindirect. Browsing can lead to direct purchases, either impulsive or merely unplanned.Browsing can lead to a more structured information search or just knowledgeaccumulation, hence indirectly influencing purchases. Therefore, strategies thatencourage browsing may benefit both retailers and consumers in the long run.

Finally, this research is limited to browsing for products in retail settings. Futureresearch may expand to include browsing of services. Due to the unique intangiblecharacteristics of services, study of service browsing will be more challenging.Research in servicescape may offer ideas for extending browsing research to services.In addition, since browsing is closely related to searching and purchasing and is anintegral part of consumer purchase and consumption, future research may examine therole of browsing in different consumer consumption phases. Finally, this researchexamines browsing behaviors in brick-and-mortar retail contexts, which involves bothphysical and eye movement. Such browsing may differ from the kind of browsing thatoccurs in online shopping. Future research should explore the similarities anddifferences in online and offline browsing.

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Further reading

Abdul-Muhmin, A.G. (1999), Contingent decision behavior: effect of number of alternatives to beselected on consumers decision processes, Journal of Consumer Psychology, Vol. 8 No. 1,pp. 91-111.

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Herner, S. (1970), Browsing, in Kent, A. and Lancour, H. (Eds), Encyclopedia of Library andInformation Science, Vol. 3, Marcel Dekker, New York, NY, pp. 408-15.

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Yalch, R.F. and Spangenberg, E. (1990), Effects of store music on shopping behavior, Journal ofConsumer Marketing, Vol. 7, Spring, pp. 55-63.

About the authorLan Xia holds a PhD from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and is an AssistantProfessor in the Marketing Department at Bentley University. She is a member of AMA, ACR,and SCP. Her major areas of research include consumer information processing, behavioralpricing, and online consumer behaviors. Her work has appeared in Journal of Marketing, Journalof Retailing, Journal of Consumer Psychology, Journal of Interactive Marketing, and Journal ofProduct & Brand Management. Lan Xia can be contacted at: lxia@bentley.edu

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