Merchandising/Marketing/Retailing: Branding

Shoppable vs. Non-Shoppable Stores: An Analysis of Consumer Behavioral Intentions

---

Abstract

As brands increasingly reinvent physical retail to emphasize experience over transaction, two immersive formats have emerged: shoppable interactive stores and non-shoppable faux retail installations. Grounded in Push–Pull Theory and Black Box Theory, this experimental study compares how these formats shape brand experience, pleasure, arousal, visit intention, and purchase intention. Using a randomized online experiment (N = 674 U.S. adults), participants were exposed to visual and descriptive stimuli representing either shoppable interactive stores or inventory-free faux stores. Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling and multigroup analysis. Results reveal that shoppable stores generate stronger sensory and behavioral experiences, leading to higher immediate pleasure and purchase intention. In contrast, non-shoppable stores elicit stronger intellectual and emotional experiences, driving arousal and enhancing the role of visit intention in shaping eventual purchase intention. These findings demonstrate that both formats offer distinct strategic advantages.

Keywords: Push and Pull, Black Box, experience, visit intention, purchase intention

How to Cite:

Slaton, K. & Testa, D. S., (2025) “Shoppable vs. Non-Shoppable Stores: An Analysis of Consumer Behavioral Intentions”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 82(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.21597