Sensory stimuli and e‐tailers

This paper examines the use of sensory stimuli in the creation of store atmosphere in the online context. Parsons (2002) shows that online shoppers are motivated by many of the same non‐functional aspects of shopping as physical store shoppers (eg Tauber, 1972; Sheth, 1983), including sensory stimulation from aural and visual stimuli. This study investigates what customers desire from a virtual store atmosphere, and conducts an audit of the 15 top e‐tailers as ranked by Nielsen/NetRatings (2001) using the extant set of stimuli/responses established from the physical store literature. Findings suggest a strong desire from customers for sensory stimuli, with only partial matching by e‐tailers, and a surprising lack of differentiation among competitors. Examination of purchase responses to actual stimuli suggests a need for e‐tailers to match consumers' desires. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.