Seeks to understand how various atmospheric stimuli such as digital signage, and ambience (temperature and lighting) might induce shoppers to stay longer or patronise Ion Orchard.

1. 1
Marketing & Negotiation
Assignment 1
March 2015
RE 2106
Real Estate
Chia Liu Ee (A0112135Y)
Hong Kay Yeong Daniel (A0110994A)
Merilyn Milyarti Wantasen (A0112993B)
Rebecca Lau Tuck Wai (A0118861B)
Tan Pang An Leonard (A0116560M)
Tan Si Ying (A0112851N)

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1
CHAPTER 2: SELECTION OF RESPONDENTS 1
2.1 Identification of Target Population 1
2.2 Selection of Sampling Procedure 1
2.2.1 Quota Sampling 1
CHAPTER 3: CONDUCT OF INTERVIEW 2
3.1 Location of Interview 2
3.1.1 Selection of Micro-Geographies 2
3.2 Date and Time of Interview 3
3.3 Method of Interview 3
3.3.1 Clarify Doubts in Questionnaire 3
3.3.2 Equipping Interviewers with Necessary Skills 3
3.3.3 Prepare Identity Verification Materials 4
3.3.4 Avoid Leading the Interviewee 4
3.3.5 Display Interest in Obtaining Responses 4
3.3.6 Controlling Duration of Each Interview 4
3.3.7 Respect Other’s Rights 4
3.3.8 Prudency in Recording Responses 4
CHAPTER 4: BRIEF SUMMARY OF FINDINGS 5
4.1 Demographics of Respondents 5
4.2 Overview of Various Atmospheric Stimuli 5
4.3 Stimuli Affecting Willingness to Stay and Patronage 6
4.4 Stimuli Affecting Shopping Experiences 7
4.5 Summary and Conclusion of Analysis 8
CHAPTER 5: LESSONS LEARNT 8
5.1 Length of Questionnaire 9
5.2 Language Barrier 9
5.3 Recruiting Respondents 9
5.4 Management of the Premise 9
5.5 Respondent Induced Bias 10
5.5.1 Courtesy Bias 10
5.5.2 Group Influence Bias 10
5.5.3 General Opinion Bias 10
5.6 Time Control 10
REFERENCES 11
APPENDIX A - QUESTIONNAIRE 13
APPENDIX B – CATEGORISATION OF QUESTIONS 16

3. 1
Chapter 1: Introduction
The purpose of this research is to analyse how atmospheric stimuli can have a positive effect
on inducing both patrons to shop longer and the volume of mall patronage. In order to conduct
the research, a structured questionnaire was distributed to a sample of 80 ION Orchard patrons.
The results of the interview will be used to guide our decisions on implementing various
atmospheric stimuli in similar high end shopping malls.
A mall atmosphere is commonly referred as the attribute that strives to intensify the mall’s built
environment through different factors such as ambience, digital signage, spatial density, scent,
navigation, music and events and promotions. The environment of a mall can stimulate patrons’
emotions that eventually affects their shopping experiences which is vital in determining their
subsequent visits.
Chapter 2: Selection of Respondents
This segment will cover the thought process and rationale behind our identification of the target
population as well as the selection of the sampling procedure.
2.1 Identification of Target Population
We identified our target population as shoppers who were in the midst or end of their shopping
experience at ION Orchard as they would be able to recollect better the various stimuli they
experienced and provide more accurate responses.
2.2 Selection of Sampling Procedure
The two types of sampling procedures considered prior to conducting this survey were
probability sampling and non-probability sampling. A low project budget and time constraints
have made it impossible to determine the sampling frame at ION Orchard. Therefore,
probability sampling is not feasible due to the absence of a sampling frame. In addition, with a
small sample size of below a hundred, certain forms of non-probability sampling may be a
better representative compared to probability sampling. This is because non-probability
sampling allows us to exercise professional judgment in selecting more reliable respondents to
ensure that the finest quality of data is collected. Taking all these into considerations, we have
decided to interview 80 respondents through Quota Sampling, a form of non-probability
sampling.
2.2.1 Quota Sampling
Quota sampling can be considered as a preferable form of non-probability sampling because it
forces the inclusion of members of different sub-populations. In addition, it is relatively
inexpensive, easy to administer and has the desirable property of satisfying population
proportions.
We have created 4 subgroups in order to capture an accurate representative of typical shoppers
in a popular mall. Firstly, we divided the target sample into male and female as preliminary
research suggests that individuals of different genders have very distinct shopping experiences.
In addition, we further subdivided the 2 gender groups into 4 subgroups that segregated
shoppers based on their nationalities. Foreigners will have different expectations on
environmental stimuli as they are most probably visiting the mall for the first time. In contrast,
locals are most probably recurring visitors of the mall. As such, the type of environmental
stimuli that attracts a first-time patron and a recurring patron will be different. Consequently,
there is a need to capture sufficient number of respondents from each subgroup. This ensures

4. 2
that different patrons are well represented in our market research to produce a general
population outcome.
Finally, we discretionarily prescribed a minimum of 15 respondents for each specified
subgroup in the population to be interviewed. This also ensures that we have flexibility of
choosing the respondents without compromising our goal of having a balanced representation
among all subgroups.
Figure 1: Minimum Quota for Each Subgroup
Chapter 3: Conduct of Interview
This section will highlight the various reasoning for the chosen venue, date and time of the
interview. We will also be elaborating on the different principles and practices we applied
during the preparation of questionnaire to actual personal interview.
3.1 Location of Interview
The interview was conducted in ION Orchard. It is the first shopping mall in Singapore that
introduced the trend of diffusing perfume throughout their premises as an effort of sensory
marketing. Through establishing a multi-sensory retail experience, ION Orchard aims to
generate a distinct image in the consumers’ minds by influencing their beliefs, feelings,
thoughts and opinions. The effectiveness of its strategy has contributed to ION Orchard’s
annual patronage of 56.2 million - the highest in Singapore when benchmarked against various
REITs reports. By conducting the interview in ION Orchard, we would be able to replicate its
success to other similar high-end shopping centres.
3.1.1 Selection of Micro-Geographies
Determining strategic micro-geographies of an interview site is essential as it impacts the
quality of responses obtained. The appropriate selection of micro-geographies enables
respondents to better relate to the questionnaires by directly observing the environment of the
mall. Moreover, it allows instant collections of respondents’ experiences in the mall. For this
personal interview, we identified three significant micro-geographies that helped us to conduct
the market research effectively and efficiently.
3.1.1.1 Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Exits
We stationed ourselves at the MRT exits of ION Orchard to target shoppers who were waiting
for their families or friends. This is because shoppers who were waiting tend to notice and

5. 3
observe the signage, music and ambience of the location they are in. Thus, this ensures that the
interviewees are adequately competent when answering the questions posed to them.
Moreover, since MRT Stations are very crowded, there is a higher potential of discovering the
appropriate target respondents.
3.1.1.2 Taxi Stand
We chose to interview shoppers at the taxi stand outside ION Orchard as they have just
completed their shopping activities. Therefore, they would have experienced the full spectrum
of stimuli and would be able provide comprehensive responses during the interview.
Furthermore, the taxi stand was perpetually crowded with long queues and waiting time. Thus,
our interviewees could have the luxury of time to respond to each question with much thought
and consideration.
3.1.1.3 Rest Area
We selected a few rest areas in the mall to conduct our personal interviews. Rest areas were
one of the most efficient sites for data collection as there is minimal noise that might hinder
and interrupt our process of interview. Additionally, rest areas provide a relaxed atmosphere
towards the target respondents. This was favourable as respondents tend to show very positive
attitudes and had more patience in assisting us on the market research. Furthermore, as
respondents are not distracted with any shopping activities at the moment of interview, we
would be able to gather a more accurate data.
3.2 Date and Time of Interview
We conducted the interview on 14 February 2015, from 2pm to 5pm. With Valentine’s Day
coinciding with the weekend, we saw it as an opportunity for capitalizing on the massive crowd
to aid us in our selections of suitable respondents. Weekdays were not preferable as the target
populations would be skewed to mostly reflect the opinions of office workers, tourists and
housewives. Aside from the day chosen, the timing is equivalently important. Approaching
target respondents late at night would not be desirable. Individuals would be exhausted from
the activities throughout the day, resulting in greater reluctance to participate in the interview.
Therefore, we decided to commence with the interview in the afternoon. Most target
respondents would have already finished their lunch and some might even have the intention
to shop in the mall while waiting for dinner time. As a result, the likelihood of capturing target
respondents without compromising their conveniences would be maximized.
3.3 Method of Interview
This section will focus on the various practices that we applied during the interview in order to
obtain valuable information from the respondents that could affect the outcome of the market
research.
3.3.1 Clarify Doubts in Questionnaire
Before commencing with the interview, we familiarized ourselves with the questionnaire by
understanding the questions thoroughly. In doing so, we were able to anticipate and eliminate
any ambiguity in the questions beforehand, hence making it clearer for the respondents to
interpret them. Moreover, we made sure that all the inquiries required to analyse the data are
included in the questionnaire. This is essential in order to produce a comprehensive analysis.
3.3.2 Equipping Interviewers with Necessary Skills
The interviewers are responsible over multiple tasks such as selecting respondents, explaining
the purpose of the study, motivating the respondents to participate and putting the respondents

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at ease. This requires us to be equipped with the relevant skills prior to the day of interview.
We practiced on synchronizing our method of interviews for a more consistent data collection.
In addition, we rehearsed conducting a personal interview with one another to attune to a proper
tone and pace. We also ensure that we had similar judgements in choosing the suitable
respondents by thoroughly understanding the criteria for selection.
3.3.3 Prepare Identity Verification Materials
Verifying our identities at the beginning of our interviews emanates a credible and professional
impression. This help mitigates the insecurity issues commonly faced by respondents in
completing a personal interview. In view of this, we imprinted the university’s insignia on all
the survey forms in addition to displaying our academic matriculation cards.
3.3.4 Avoid Leading the Interviewee
To mitigate interviewer-induced bias, we showed neutral expressions and reactions towards
responses given by respondents. We clarified unclear questions by repeating the questions
exactly as written in the questionnaire, giving minimal explanation to avoid influencing the
respondents. We also refrained ourselves from giving any personal opinions to ensure that we
did not contribute to the data. This is important to ensure that the data collected was solely
based on respondents’ opinions. It is important not to influence the respondent by showing
expressions of agreements or disagreements to their responses.
3.3.5 Display Interests in Obtaining Responses
Throughout the interview process, we demonstrated interests and attentiveness in our conduct
so as to evoke quality responses from respondents. This is because respondents would be more
willing to respond constructively throughout the interviews knowing that their opinions are
taken seriously.
3.3.6 Controlling Duration of Each Interview
Adherence to the time schedule for each interview is crucial as it provides sufficient time for
the respondents to complete the survey at a comfortable pace and prevent respondents from
blathering on. This will allow the entire survey interview to be done in an efficient manner for
both interviewer and respondents. Therefore, we tried to allocate approximately 10 minutes for
each interview and subtly timed each session.
3.3.7 Respect Other’s Rights
A respondent’s decision to accept or decline the request to be interviewed depends solely on
his or her prerogative. Thus, there is a need for us to seek co-operation from the respondent.
Also, we did not impose further on respondents who declined to be interviewed. We remained
unperturbed even if the responses offered by the respondents were unpalatably critical because
it would be disrespectful to judge the respondents for stating their honest opinions.
Furthermore, we were respectful towards the respondents during the interview by showing our
appreciations and keeping their responses confidential. At the end of the interview, we
acknowledged their efforts for participating and contributing to an integral part of our study.
3.3.8 Prudency in Recording Responses
When recording the responses in the questionnaire, we gave particular attentions on ticking the
boxes accordingly to reduce error that deteriorates the quality of data collected. In addition, we
verified that all questions have been filled in upon completion of the interview to ensure
comprehensiveness of data.

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Chapter 4: Brief Summary of Findings
The basic assumption of this research is that atmospheric stimuli such as ambience, digital
signage, spatial density, scent, navigation, music and events and promotions will influence
shoppers to stay longer or patronise the mall.
4.1 Demographics of Respondents
Table 1 shows a fair distribution between male and female respondents. Further survey analysis
will be based on the contributions from this sample.
Table 1: Percentage of Respondents based on Gender and Age
4.2 Overview of Various Atmospheric Stimuli
The structured questionnaire consists of questions that cover the different categories of
atmospheric stimuli found in ION Orchard. The multivariate technique was used to measure
the effectiveness of each environmental stimuli in inducing the shoppers to stay longer and
attract higher patronage. Multiple questions were aggregated to gauge different atmospheric
stimuli (Appendix B). The stimuli that scores an average of 5 and above represents satisfactory
and those below 5 represents not satisfactory.
*Satisfactory Criterion: 5 ≥ means Satisfactory; <5 means not Satisfactory
**Green: Above Satisfactory
***Red: Below Satisfactory
****Based on the average of 80 consolidated views for each factor
Figure 2: Results of Various Atmospheric Stimuli
Figure 2 shows the satisfactory levels of different atmospheric factors found in ION Orchard.
Based on the average responses collected from 80 respondents, stimuli such as “Digital
Signage”, “Ambience”, “Spatial Density” and “Navigation” implemented in ION Orchard is
above satisfactory level. In contrast, stimuli such as “Scent”, “Music” and “Events &
Promotions” were deemed below satisfactory level. However, this outcome is insufficient in
providing a conclusive result of how these stimuli enhance the behaviour of shoppers to
<20 20-29 30-39 40-49 >50
Male Count 8 18 8 7 6 47
% Within Age 53.3% 48.6% 80.0% 70.0% 75.0% 58.8%
Female Count 7 19 2 3 2 33
% Within Age 46.7% 51.4% 20.0% 30.0% 25.0% 41.2%
Total Count 15 37 10 10 8 80
% Within Age 100% 100% 100.0% 100% 100% 100.0%
TotalWhat is your Age?
Age
1 2 3 4 5 6
Events & Promotions
Music
Scent
Navigation
Spatial Density
Ambience
Digital Signage
Average Score
Stimulus

8. 6
patronise longer in the mall. The following section will include an analysis that categorize
respondents into those who are willing to stay longer and those who are not in order to achieve
a more conclusive result.
4.3 Stimuli Affecting Willingness to Stay and Patronage
*Willing to Stay Criterion: 5 ≥ means Willing to Stay; <5 means Not Willing to Stay
**Based on the average of 80 consolidated views for Question 22 to 29.
***44 Respondents are willing to stay in the mall.
****36 Respondents are not willing to stay in the mall.
*****The Green Line gives the ratio between scores given by respondents who are Willing to Stay and Not Willing to Stay.
Figure 3: Effects of Stimuli on Respondents’ Willingness to Stay and Patronage
In order to determine the effects of the various atmospheric stimuli on shoppers’ willingness
to stay or patronage, further classification has to be made. By organizing the 80 responses into
2 categories of respondents - those who are willing to stay longer and not, we can better
establish the impact of these stimuli on both types of patrons. The degree of difference in rating
of stimuli given by the 2 different categories of respondents indicates the effectiveness of a
particular stimulus in enticing shoppers to stay longer and increase patronage. The degree of
difference is represented in terms of a ratio.
The higher the ratio, the more effective the stimuli, vice versa. Therefore, if both categories of
respondents rated the stimulus highly, it means that the stimulus is satisfactory. However, this
also suggests that respondents do not recognise the stimulus rated as a substantial factor that
induce them to stay longer in the mall, hence the low ratio.
With reference to figure 3, “Ambience” has the largest ratio of 1.25 while “Events and
Promotions” has the lowest ratio of 1.03. This suggest that “Ambience” is the most effective
stimuli in attracting patronage and longer stay while “Events & Promotions” is the least
effective. High-income shoppers at ION Orchard appreciate a well-lit and air-conditioned
environment. Hence, the “Ambience” of the mall will greatly increase shoppers’ willingness
to stay. In addition, ION Orchard’s tenants are mostly branded labels which target the higher-
income group due to its positioning as a luxury shopping mall. As such, shoppers who patronise
ION Orchard would not have expected frequent discounts, hence less significance placed on
“Events & Promotions”. Based on this analysis, since we are assisting a developer of a similar
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1
1.1
1.2
1.3
3
4
5
6
7
Ambience Navigation Spatial
Density
Scent Digital
Signages
Music Events &
Promotions
RATIO
AVERAGESCORE
STIMULUS
Willing to Stay Not Willing to Stay Ratio

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high-end mall to implement various effective atmospheric stimuli, we would recommend to
prioritise “Ambience” as the main stimuli to increase patronage and encourage the patrons to
stay longer.
4.4 Stimuli Affecting Shopping Experiences
*The shopping experience above are based on the weighted average of 80 respondents.
Figure 4: Shopping Experiences of Respondents
Figure 4 shows the various shopping experiences by the 80 respondents found in ION Orchard.
According to Mehrabian and Russell’s (1974), shopping experience can be measured in two
dimensions, pleasure and arousal. Pleased, contented and happy exemplify pleasure; while
aroused, stimulated and excited are represented by arousal.
With reference to figure 4, level of pleasantness of ION Orchard is above satisfactory. The
level of pleasantness is often affected by tenant mix, spatial density and ambience of the mall
(Rajagopal, 2009). Larger tenant mix will satisfy shopper’s needs and desire, while spatial
density and ambience of the mall will affect their comforts. ION Orchard is able to attain a
higher level of pleasantness because it has an extensive range of retail labels as well as F&B
stores. With a large gross floor area of 941,700 square feet, it is able to provide substantial
space along its walkway and a sizeable area for each shop.
In contrast, based on figure 4, the level of arousal in ION Orchard is below satisfactory. The
level of arousal is often affected by the degree of shoppers’ satisfactions on stimuli such as
music, scent, digital signage as well as events & promotions in the mall. The difference in
tempo of music will influence the level of arousal (Mattila & Wirtz, 2001). Fast-tempo music
is commonly referred to high arousal music while slow-tempo music is referred to low arousal.
In ION Orchard, the music that was being played in common spaces such as the lift lobbies,
toilets and resting areas were generally slow-tempo. Furthermore, the scent in ION Orchard is
uniquely customised so that patrons would only be able to associate it with ION Orchard. Thus,
this will trigger a sense of familiarity and calmness among recurring patrons (Zaccheus &
Yong, 2013). Even though digital signage are installed throughout the mall, patrons may
merely perceive them as background fillers and thus fail to be visually stimulated. Finally,
events & promotions held in a shopping mall arouse the shopper and affect their subsequent
re-patronage to the mall (Shu & Chiu, 2014). Nevertheless, due to the positioning of ION
Orchard, events & promotions are not organised frequently.
4 4.5 5 5.5
Aroused
Excited
Stimulated
Pleased
Contented
Happy
Average Score
ShoppingExperience

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Based on the result of our analysis, ION Orchard has incorporated a higher level of pleasantness
and a moderate level of arousal. The success of ION Orchard in implementing the right
combination of atmospheric stimuli is reflected in its high patronage. Therefore, stimuli
affecting level of pleasantness need to be prioritised ahead of stimuli affecting level of arousal
to induce shoppers to stay longer and increase patronage of high-end shopping centres. This
outcome is further supported by Mehrabian & Russell (1974) who stated that a moderate level
of arousal in a pleasant environment usually generates positive shopping behaviour, while a
low or high level of arousal in a pleasant environment will result in negative shopping
behaviour. Generally, it is critical for developers to establish the right combination of
pleasantness and arousal in the mall regardless of their types.
4.5 Summary and Conclusion of Analysis
According to the analysis done in Section 4.3 and Section 4.4, we can identify the relationship
between atmospheric stimuli and shopping experience (level of pleasantness and arousal). With
reference to Table 2, it can be seen that the ratio of the stimuli affecting the level of pleasantness
(Dimension 1) is relatively higher than the ratio of stimuli affecting level of arousal (Dimension
2). We observed that the stimuli influencing emotions in Dimension 1 are the most effective
stimuli as it affects patrons’ willingness to stay by increasing the level of pleasantness in the
shopping mall. On the other hand, the stimuli influencing emotions in Dimension 2 are
relatively less effective in affecting shoppers’ willingness to stay due to the positioning of ION
Orchard as a luxury mall which deemed level of arousal less significant. Therefore, from the
analysis conducted, we can conclude that the most effective way to increase patronage and
duration of stay in a similar high-end mall would be to prioritise ambience, navigation and
spatial density as these stimuli will be able to offer a more pleasurable shopping experience.
Stimuli Ratio Type of Shopping Experience Dimension
Ambience 1.2464
Level of Pleasantness
(Happy, Contented, Pleased) 1Navigation 1.2121
Spatial Density 1.1895
Scent 1.1709
Level of Arousal
(Stimulated, Excited, Aroused) 2
Digital Signage 1.1301
Music 1.0734
Events & Promotions 1.0342
*Ratio = Score given by individuals who are Willing to Stay : Score given by individuals who are Not Willing to Stay
Table 2: Type of Shopping Experience
Chapter 5: Lessons Learnt
This section will highlight the various difficulties that we have encountered during the personal
interview and the valuable lessons that should be taken into considerations for our future
market research. The challenges listed below have made us realized the complexity in carrying
out a proper and effective interview.

11. 9
5.1 Length of Questionnaire
Length of questionnaire corresponds to the amount of information we can achieve through the
interview. Thus, in order for us to achieve a comprehensive market research, we cannot
compromise on the length of the questionnaire. This has caused many respondents to turn down
our requests for interview. Moreover, many of the respondents felt deceived and regretful upon
their realisations that the questionnaire has been customized to fit a double-sided paper. As a
result, towards the end of the survey, respondents seem to give less considerations on the
questions asked and were more reluctant to provide constructive responses. From this
observation, we have learnt that it is imperative for interviewers to have high levels of
enthusiasm, sustaining the interests of our interviewees and eliciting optimum responses.
5.2 Language Barrier
The target respondents consists of diverse age groups and backgrounds. Language barrier
became one of the few problems we faced, especially when conversing with older generation
respondents who are Chinese-educated. Since personal interview is a two-way interaction
between the interviewer and interviewee, it is important to master the languages commonly
used by target respondents to be able to deliver the questions and interpret the responses given
accurately. This posed an immense challenge for many of us as we are not well articulated in
Chinese. Additionally, this obstacle was worsened due to our different locational positions in
the mall when the interview was conducted. As a result, we have to be independent by
struggling through with our limited Chinese conversational skills. The inadequacy in our
language skills has displayed an unprofessional image and slowed down the process of the
interview. After we realized this obstacle, we decided to delegate the task of interviewing
Chinese-speaking respondents to our members who are fluent in Chinese.
Additionally, since the market research involves assessing atmospheric stimuli in the mall, it
is inevitable to use some technical terms. However, this imposed issues regarding their
interpretations by respondents. Despite our efforts in trying to explain technical terms used in
the questions, some respondents were still unable to relate to them. Furthermore, some
respondents were unable to comprehend and distinguish sentimental terms listed in the
questionnaire.
5.3 Recruiting Respondents
Many of the target respondents were uninterested in doing the personal interview as they
perceived us as interrupting their shopping experiences. Target respondents generally came
with families and friends as the survey was conducted during the weekend. Consequently,
many hesitated to participate in the survey as they are unwilling to hold back their families and
friends from resuming their activities. Moreover, in contrast with corporate surveys, there was
lack of incentives given to our respondents in exchange for their time and efforts. The interview
also involves meeting respondents face-to-face, hence their identities are more susceptible to
exposure. These factors have contributed to the numerous rejections we encountered during the
recruitment process. We recognized that rejections will continue to be a challenge in
conducting surveys. Therefore, this experience has helped us to nurture our tolerance in coping
with rejections.
5.4 Management of the Premise
Ion Orchard is an upscale shopping mall targeting on high-end shoppers. Its management
strives to give the ultimate shopping experience to its patrons. This has resulted in stringent
and tight control regarding unauthorised activities within its premise. However, we did not seek
for proper approval from the management beforehand as the market research was small-scale

12. 10
and intended only for academic purposes. In consequence, during the day of the interview, we
were often confronted by the mall concierges. We were then obliged to provide explanations
and assured them of our intentions repeatedly. Moreover, it was crucial for us to be cautious of
our behaviours and surroundings to avoid unnecessary attention.
5.5 Respondent Induced Bias
Respondent induced bias will hinder the potential of obtaining useful and reliable data to make
an accurate analysis for the market research. However, a personal interview is susceptible to
bias as perceptions and opinions can be easily influenced by a myriad of external and internal
factors. Some forms of respondent induced bias that were observed during our interview are
stated below.
5.5.1 Courtesy Bias
Some respondents appeared to filter their opinions regarding Ion Orchard in view of being
courteous towards the interviewer. They did not want to come across as impolite or offensive,
hence giving diplomatic responses. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that as the interviewer,
we should remind and encourage the respondents to be forthright in providing their opinions
to minimize the courtesy biases.
5.5.2 Group Influence Bias
The personal interviews were mostly done in the presence of other individuals who were
accompanying the respondent. This could affect the data that was collected as their families or
friends might influence their opinions. In some cases, instead of giving truthful responses,
respondents may also be pressurized to select options that reflects a reputable outlook in the
eyes of the other observers. We had to observe the behaviour of the respondents towards those
around them and ensure that there were no inconsistencies in the responses given. It was
therefore necessary to emphasize on giving their true opinions when interventions from others
arose by cultivating a relational interview.
5.5.3 General Opinion Bias
During our interview, we discovered that some respondents were responding in place of the
general population. This may not be representative of their own opinions. For instance, we
encountered respondents that compared their own opinions based on their own age group with
other age groups and made adjustments in their chosen responses. In the case when the
respondents did so explicitly, we were able to record the original response instead of the general
response, avoiding the bias. However, the chances of respondents exposing their thoughts
process were slim, making bias inevitable.
5.6 Time Control
Time management is vital to ensure efficient use of time to capture subsequent target
respondents. Vocal respondents who were eager to give their opinions tend to immerse
themselves into the questions and provide more information than required. This has
prolonged the whole process of personal interviews despite the closed questions applied to
shorten the time consumed. On the other hand, interrupting their responses would seem to
have disregarded their genuine opinions. Therefore, the difficulty in abiding to our pre-
arranged limit of approximately 10 minutes per interview was escalated.

13. 11
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APPENDIX A: QUESTIONNAIRE
Dear Sir/Mdm,
We are students from National University of Singapore (NUS) conducting a survey for our
project, which seeks to understand how various atmospheric stimuli such as digital signages,
and ambience (temperature and lighting) might induce shoppers to stay longer or patronise Ion
Orchard. Kindly give your views by ticking the boxes to complete this questionnaire. The
survey will take only a few minutes to complete. All information will be kept confidential.
Thank you for taking time to participate in this survey.
_____________________________________________________________________
Strongly Strongly
Part I Centre Characteristics Disagree Neutral Agree
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
1. Directions within the mall are adequate □ □ □ □ □ □ □
2. Easy to find one’s way in the mall □ □ □ □ □ □ □
3. Mall directory is good □ □ □ □ □ □ □
4. Easy to find the toilets □ □ □ □ □ □ □
5. Easy to find the escalators and lifts □ □ □ □ □ □ □
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6. The interior design of the mall is good □ □ □ □ □ □ □
7. Lighting in the mall is adequate □ □ □ □ □ □ □
8. The mall is clean and tidy □ □ □ □ □ □ □
9. The mall temperature is comfortable □ □ □ □ □ □ □
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10. The mall has digital signages □ □ □ □ □ □ □
11. The mall has bright signs and displays □ □ □ □ □ □ □
12. Mall has installed technological devices □ □ □ □ □ □ □
13. There are electronic signs/mall directory □ □ □ □ □ □ □
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14. The mall is crowded □ □ □ □ □ □ □
15. The mall is spacious □ □ □ □ □ □ □
16. The internal layout of mall is adequate □ □ □ □ □ □ □
17. Easy to navigate or move around mall □ □ □ □ □ □ □
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18. The mall has frequent sales promotions □ □ □ □ □ □ □
19. This mall has promotional displays □ □ □ □ □ □ □
20. This mall has frequent activities □ □ □ □ □ □ □
21. Mall holds many entertainment events □ □ □ □ □ □ □
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
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16. 14
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Strongly Strongly
Disagree Neutral Agree
22. I like to stay at mall as long as possible □ □ □ □ □ □ □
23. I enjoy spending time at the mall □ □ □ □ □ □ □
24. I enjoyed shopping at the mall □ □ □ □ □ □ □
25. I would stay at the mall after purchase □ □ □ □ □ □ □
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26. Given a choice, I would probably go aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa,aaaal
back to the mall □ □ □ □ □ □ □
27. I would recommend mall to other people □ □ □ □ □ □ □
28. Likelihood I would shop here is high □ □ □ □ □ □ □
29. I would be willing to buy things here □ □ □ □ □ □ □
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30. The volume of the music is adequate □ □ □ □ □ □ □
31. The genre of the music is suitable □ □ □ □ □ □ □
32. The music is compatible to the AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAiiiiiAAA
wwshopping experience □ □ □ □ □ □ □
33. The choice of song is favorable □ □ □ □ □ □ □
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34. The ambient scent in the mall is aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
adequate □ □ □ □ □ □ □
35. I am comfortable with the ambient
scent of the mall □ □ □ □ □ □ □
36. The ambient scent improves my aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
shopping experience □ □ □ □ □ □ □
37. The ambient scent in the mall is
necessary □ □ □ □ □ □ □
Part II Describe your shopping experience on a scale of seven
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
38. □ □ □ □ □ □ □
happy______________________________________ unhappy
39. □ □ □ □ □ □ □
pleased______________________________________annoyed
40. □ □ □ □ □ □ □
contented____________________________________sad
41. □ □ □ □ □ □ □
stimulated___________________________________relaxed
42. □ □ □ □ □ □ □
excited______________________________________calm
43. □ □ □ □ □ □ □
aroused______________________________________unaroused

17. 15
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Part III Personal Characteristics
44. Sex Male □ Female □ 46. Occupation
45. Your age Below 20 □ Professional/Managerial □
20 to 29 □ Technical/Manufacture □
30 to 39 □ Sales & Service □
40 to 49 □ Office Personnel/Admin □
50 & above □ Housewife □
Student □
Other (specify___________________)
----End of Survey----

18. 16
APPENDIX B: CATEGORISATION OF QUESTIONS
Format of Questionnaire Question Number
1. Navigation 1 - 5
2. Ambience 6 - 9
3. Digital Signage 10 - 13
4. Spatial Density 14 - 17
5. Events & Promotions 18 - 21
6. Willingness to stay 22 - 29
7. Music 30 - 33
8. Scent 34 - 37