When nature calls: The role of customer toilets in retail stores |
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| Institution: | 1. Monash Business School, Monash University, Level 11, Building 20 (Menzies Building), Clayton Campus, Wellington Rd, Clayton, Melbourne, VIC 3168, Australia;2. Griffith Business School, University of Griffith, Business School (G.42), Room 7.07, Gold Coast Campus, Brisbane, QLD 4222, Australia;1. Auburn University at Montgomery, College of Business, P.O. Box 244023, Montgomery, AL 36124-4023, United States;2. Auburn University Montgomery, College of Public Policy and Justice, Department of Sociology, P.O. Box 244023, Montgomery, AL 36124-4023, United States;1. SKEMA Business School, Université de Lille, MERCUR Research Center, Avenue Will Brandt, 59 777 Euralille, France;2. Department of Marketing, Lancaster University Management School, Charles Carter Building, D42, Lancaster LA1 4YX, UK;3. Graduate School of Business Administration, Keio University, 4-1?1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku, Yokohama 2238526 Japan;1. Aston Business School, Marketing Group, Aston Triangle, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK;2. Professor of Technology Marketing, ETH Zürich, Weinbergstr. 56/58, 8092 Zuerich, Switzerland;3. Accenture Professor and Professor of Marketing, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 USA;1. International Business School Suzhou, Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University, 111 Ren’ai Road, Suzhou Industrial Park, Jiangsu Province 215123, China;2. Lancaster University Management School, Lancaster LA14YX, UK;3. International Business School, Beijing Foreign Studies University, 19 North Xisanhuan Avenue, China;4. Department of Marketing, Lancaster University Management School, Lancaster University LA1 4YX UK;1. Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115, USA;2. Externado University of Colombia, Bogota, Colombia;3. Department of Psychology, The University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, TX 76019, USA;4. Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, AU, Australia |
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| Abstract: | The scarce previous literature indicates that the customer toilet facilities influence shopping value and should be a concern for retailers. However, customer toilets are often inadequately capitalised in retail stores. This study aims to provide a scientifically robust argument about the critical role of customer toilets in retail stores. The explanatory survey data (n=655) from a Finnish out-of-town department store is examined to explore (1) the importance that consumers place on the customer toilets and (2) the effect of toilet usage on actual shopping behaviour. The results support the assumptions of previous literature by suggesting that customer toilets are considered as an important store attribute and, more importantly, the use of toilets is associated with prolonged in-store time which, in turn, increases spending. The findings offer both academic and managerial contribution and encourage academics and practitioners to regard customer toilets as more than mere an unwanted property expense and discover their full marketing potential. |
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| Keywords: | Toilets Shopping behaviour In-store time Spending Store attributes Basic needs |
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