König, Lje ka Sedlan
A icle
Op imising e ail en i onmen s o olde adul s: Insigh s
in o cus ome beha iou and o ganisa ional pe o mance
Adminis a i e Sciences
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Sugges ed Ci a ion: König, Lje ka Sedlan (2025) : Op imising e ail en i onmen s o olde adul s:
Insigh s in o cus ome beha iou and o ganisa ional pe o mance, Adminis a i e Sciences, ISSN
2076-3387, MDPI, Basel, Vol. 15, Iss. 4, pp. 1-16,
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Recei ed: 15 Janua y 2025
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Ci a ion: König, L. S. (2025).
Op imising Re ail En i onmen s o
Olde Adul s: Insigh s in o Cus ome
Beha iou and O ganisa ional
Pe o mance. Adminis a i e Sciences,
15(4), 120. h ps://doi.o g/10.3390/
admsci15040120
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A icle
Op imising Re ail En i onmen s o Olde Adul s: Insigh s in o
Cus ome Beha iou and O ganisa ional Pe o mance
Lje ka Sedlan König
School o Economics and Business, Josip Ju aj S ossmaye Uni e si y o Osijek, Gaje g 7, 31000 Osijek, C oa ia;
[email p o ec ed]
Abs ac : Re aile s ha e adi ionally p io i ised younge cus ome s, o en o e looking he
dis inc needs o olde consume s. As his demog aphic g ows, i is inc easingly impo an
o ca e o hei shopping p e e ences. This s udy explo es he beha iou s, needs, and
challenges o C oa ian consume s aged 60+ h ough quali a i e semi-s uc u ed in e iews.
Findings indica e ha olde u ban cus ome s in C oa ia p io i ise quali y o e p ice, a e
b and-loyal ye disce ning, and balance p ice consciousness o necessi ies wi h he willing-
ness o spend on desi ed i ems. The s udy con ibu es o consume beha iou heo y by
highligh ing olde consume s’ selec i e b and loyal y and sel -di ec ed decision making. I
expands on ageing popula ion heo ies by challenging assump ions ha olde consume s
a e passi e shoppe s, emphasising hei p e e ence o in o med, sel -di ec ed pu chasing.
F om a e ail s a egy pe spec i e, i emphasises expe ience-based e ailing, ad oca ing o
enhanced cus ome se ice, clea s o e na iga ion, and ailo ed ma ke ing. P ac ically, ou
esea ch p o ides ac ionable insigh s o e aile s o op imise se ice, enhance ope a ional
e iciency, and imp o e p o i abili y. Adap ing e ail en i onmen s o be e se e olde
cus ome s can os e a mo e engaging and ewa ding shopping expe ience, bene i ing bo h
consume s and businesses.
Keywo ds: cus ome beha iou ; needs; habi s; g oce y e aile s; olde popula ion; o gani-
sa ional pe o mance
1. In oduc ion
The wo ld’s popula ion is ageing as e han e e be o e, and Eu ope has he la ges
ageing popula ion in he wo ld. Acco ding o S a is a’s da a o 2021 (S a is a,2021), Eu ope
leads he way wi h 19% o he olde popula ion, ollowed by No h Ame ica wi h 17%. In
2020, i was p ojec ed ha he e would be mo e people aged 60 and o e han child en
unde 5, and he Wo ld Heal h O ganisa ion (WHO,2022) es ima ed ha he p opo ion
o he wo ld’s popula ion aged 60 and o e will almos double be ween 2015 and 2050.
C oa ia is no excep ion, and e e y ou h C oa ian is olde han 60 (C oa ian Bu eau o
S a is ics,2020).
The segmen o olde cus ome s is g owing in size and pu chasing powe , bu i has
no ecei ed enough a en ion, and he e is li le in o ma ion abou hei g oce y shopping
habi s. Obse ing speci ic cus ome segmen s helps e aile s unde s and wha , how, and
why hey buy (Geuens e al.,2003) and wha di e ences a e impo an . The exis ing
li e a u e on consume beha iou has p edominan ly ocused on younge demog aphics,
emphasising digi al engagemen , as -changing p e e ences, and b and swi ching endencies.
While some s udies ha e explo ed olde consume s, hey la gely ocus on Wes e n
ma ke s, wi h limi ed esea ch add essing hei shopping beha iou s in Cen al and Eas e n
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 120 h ps://doi.o g/10.3390/admsci15040120
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 120 2 o 16
Eu ope, including C oa ia. The g oce y e ail sec o has pa icula ly lacked egion-speci ic
insigh s in o how u ban olde consume s make pu chasing decisions, na iga e s o e en i-
onmen s, and in e ac wi h ma ke ing s a egies.
Addi ionally, p e ious esea ch has ailed o acknowledge he speci ic socio-cul u al
and economic ac o s in luencing olde u ban consume s in C oa ia, such as hei high b and
loyal y, alue o ien a ion, and p e e ence o sel -in o med shopping. As a esul , e aile s
o en misin e p e hei expec a ions and ail o p o ide ailo ed expe iences. This s udy
aims o b idge his gap by o e ing a con ex -speci ic examina ion o he shopping habi s,
p e e ences, and challenges aced by olde u ban consume s in C oa ia, and i add esses
he ollowing esea ch ques ion: How can e aile s change s o e design, hei ma ke ing
s a egies and p icing models o be e mee he shopping beha iou s, p e e ences, and
needs o olde u ban cus ome s and enhance ope a ional e iciency and p o i abili y?
The heo e ical amewo k di ec ly in o ms he esea ch objec i es by p o iding a
s uc u ed lens h ough which o examine he unique shopping beha iou s o olde con-
sume s. By linking consume beha iou models wi h eal-wo ld pu chasing pa e ns, his
s udy aims o gene a e ac ionable insigh s ha e aile s can use o op imise hei business
s a egies. Fu he mo e, his s udy es s and e ines exis ing heo ies by applying hem o
a new egional and demog aphic con ex (olde u ban consume s in C oa ia), p o iding
empi ical alida ion and con ibu ing o a mo e comp ehensi e unde s anding o ageing
consume beha iou .
The s udy collec ed da a om 89 semi-s uc u ed in e iews wi h olde cus ome s o
in es iga e hei pe cei ed g oce y shopping needs and p e e ences. Thema ic analysis
was used o in e p e he esul s. Unde s anding he di e ences be ween cus ome s o
di e en ages is c ucial o companies o adap hei ma ke ing s a egies, inc ease cus ome
sa is ac ion, and imp o e he shopping expe ience. The indings o his s udy can in o m
g oce y e aile s on wha kind o cus ome expe ience hey need o p o ide o emain
ele an o he 60+ cus ome segmen .
The pape is s uc u ed as ollows: The i s sec ion p o ides an o e iew o he
p e ious li e a u e on his opic. Then, he esul s o he quali a i e s udy on he li es yle
and shopping beha iou o olde cus ome s a e p esen ed and discussed. Conclusions and
sugges ions o u he esea ch can be ound a he end o he pape .
2. Theo e ical F amewo k
The exis ing li e a u e on consume beha iou , pa icula ly in ela ion o olde con-
sume s, con ains mixed indings abou hei shopping habi s, decision-making p ocesses,
and a i udes owa ds e ail. While some s udies po ay olde consume s as passi e,
p ice-sensi i e, and less in luenced by digi al de elopmen s, mo e ecen s udies poin o
mo e complex and sel -de e mined shopping beha iou s.
Acco ding o Solomon e al. (2019, p. 9), he s udy o cus ome beha iou in ol es “ he
p ocesses in ol ed when indi iduals o g oups selec , pu chase, use, o dispose o p oduc s,
se ices, ideas, and expe iences in o de o sa is y needs and desi es”. G oce y shopping
is a ou ine ac i i y in ol ing all cus ome s, ega dless o age, and i has been desc ibed
as one o he undamen al elemen s o cus ome beha iou . To emain p o i able, s o es
need o a ac and e ain cus ome s, and hei opinion and expe ience a e o pa amoun
impo ance. Cus ome s’ needs and wan s mus be me i hey a e o ha e a sa is ying
shopping expe ience.
This s udy con ibu es o consume beha iou heo y (Solomon e al.,2019) by high-
ligh ing how olde consume s p io i ise p oduc quali y and b and loyal y while emaining
p ice-sensi i e o necessi ies. Unlike younge demog aphics, olde consume s ely less
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 120 3 o 16
on pee in luence and digi al ma ke ing, ins ead a ou ing adi ional ma ke ing channels
such as p in ed b ochu es and in-s o e expe iences.
Rega ding ageing popula ion heo ies (Bal es & Smi h,2003), his esea ch unde sco es
he e ol ing au onomy o olde consume s, challenging assump ions ha hey a e passi e
shoppe s. The indings align wi h Moschis’ amewo k o consume decision making
in an ageing popula ion, emphasising he cogni i e e o in pu chasing decisions and
p e e ence o amilia b ands (Moschis,2003). Addi ionally, he esul s add nuance o
he socioemo ional selec i i y heo y (Ca s ensen e al.,2003), which sugges s ha olde
consume s p io i ise emo ionally ul illing expe iences, is e lec ed in hei p e e ence o
engaging in social shopping and in-s o e in e ac ions.
F om a e ail s a egy pe spec i e, his esea ch expands on Backs om and Johansson’s
(2006) indings by demons a ing ha e aile s o en misin e p e olde consume s’ expec-
a ions. While e aile s may assume ha con enience and senio - ocused zones appeal o
olde shoppe s, his s udy e eals ha hey esis being ca ego ised by age and ins ead seek
inclusi e, mains eam e ail expe iences. Re aile s mus he e o e shi owa d expe ience-
based e ailing, ocusing on enhanced cus ome se ice, clea in-s o e na iga ion, and
us -building s a egies o ca e o his g owing demog aphic.
E iksson and S enius (2024) poin ed ou ha o be success ul, e aile s mus ecognise
and espond o he needs o a ge age g oups. As compe i ion be ween g oce y e aile s has
in ensi ied, in-s o e oo all has become inc easingly impo an . All cus ome g oups a e
aluable o e aile s, and he olde cus ome segmen should be no excep ion. Ne e heless,
e aile s a e ocusing on he needs o younge , a luen , and mobile cus ome s, while o he s,
such as olde cus ome s, a e being disad an aged (Chu e al.,2010). The economic g ow h
ha he olde cus ome segmen can s imula e does no necessa ily esul om he a luence
o his segmen , bu om i s shee size. Indeed, in de eloped coun ies, he olde u ban
popula ion is he only age g oup ha is g owing (Van Hoo e al.,2018).
As digi al echnologies con inue o ede ine he e ail shopping expe ience, olde con-
sume s a e inc easingly adap ing o new shopping me hods, albei slowly and a di e en
paces (Zheng e al.,2024). Unde s anding hese ends is c i ical o companies looking o
e ec i ely a ge his demog aphic. Olde consume s ha e his o ically elied on cash and
adi ional banking me hods, bu digi al paymen sys ems such as con ac less ca ds and
online banking a e gaining ac ion (Chen e al.,2024). Ne e heless, challenges emain.
Pan ano e al. (2022) highligh ha olde consume s ace ba ie s such as conce ns abou
aud, di icul y emembe ing passwo ds, di icul y wi h websi e na iga ion, and a lack
o us in digi al in e aces. The e o e, companies ha o e in ui i e digi al paymen sys-
ems, op imise e-comme ce expe iences, and in eg a e AI ools while add essing usabili y
conce ns a e mo e likely o a ac and e ain olde cus ome s.
I is widely ecognised ha he beha iou o olde cus ome s di e s om ha o o he
gene a ions, as cus ome s’ needs, desi es, and abili ies change as hey g ow olde , a ec ing
hei li es yle, pe cep ions, and he e o e, hei (g oce y) pu chasing beha iou . P e ious
s udies ha e iden i ied he ollowing di e ences: shopping as a social e en and as a o m
o exe cise, shopping a less busy imes (in he mo ning o on quie e days o he week),
p e e ence o one-s op shopping, seeking pe sonal a en ion and special se ices, g ea e
s o e loyal y, p e e ence o quali y, inc eased demand o ac s, lowe p ice sensi i i y,
mo e join pu chasing decisions, eliance on local s o es, g ea e emphasis on he senso y
aspec o shopping, as e esponse o emo ional s imuli, lowe expec a ions and a oidance
o complain s (Pe ig ew e al.,2005;Co e e al.,2006;Pa e son,2007;Cox e al.,2005;
Meneely e al.,2009b;Meine s & Seebe ge ,2010;Lambe -Pand aud & Lau en ,2010;
He ich e al.,2018). The e o e, he olde cus ome segmen dese es se ious a en ion and
di e en ia ed se ice. Olde cus ome s a e gi en limi ed conside a ion by e aile s who
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 120 4 o 16
consequen ly ail o mee he needs o olde cus ome s, e en hough i is in hei bes in e es
o change his and imp o e he cus ome s’ shopping expe ience (Meneely e al.,2008).
Re aile s should be mo e esponsi e o he needs o olde cus ome s and ake ad an age o
he new oppo uni ies hey o e (Shiu e al.,2004). Fu he mo e, Backs om and Johansson
(2006) ound a signi ican di e ence be ween e aile s’ and cus ome s’ opinions on wha
cons i u es a pleasan in-s o e shopping expe ience, sugges ing ha e aile s do no know
exac ly wha hei cus ome s wan o how o mee hei needs. The e o e, esea ch is
needed in o he needs and p e e ences o olde cus ome s in pa icula . In C oa ia, he
g oce y shopping beha iou o olde cus ome s has no ecei ed much a en ion and has
ye o be ully documen ed.
Re aile s can enhance hei o ganisa ional pe o mance by becoming mo e e icien ,
cus ome - ocused, and p o i able, he eby s eng hening hei compe i i e posi ion in
he ma ke (Shakoo e al.,2017). By adop ing a cus ome -cen ic s a egy—including
ailo ed ma ke ing, pe sonalised se ice, op imised s o e layou s, imp o ed accessibili y,
and app op ia e echnology in eg a ion— e aile s can build long- e m cus ome loyal y
and di e en ia e hemsel es om he compe i ion. This di e en ia ion can be a key ac o
o gaining a compe i i e edge in a c owded ma ke . Re aile s ha inno a e in hese
a eas no only se indus y ends bu also solidi y hei compe i i e posi ion. As he
global popula ion ages, hose who p oac i ely add ess he needs o olde cus ome s a e
be e posi ioned o long- e m success, ensu ing sus ained g ow h and esilience in an
e ol ing ma ke .
3. Me hodology
As he ocus o his explo a o y and desc ip i e esea ch was on he subjec i e human
expe ience and he esea che was looking o de ailed in o ma ion, in e es ed in hea ing
a a ie y o s o ies, he semi-s uc u ed indi idual ace- o- ace in e iew me hod was
used o da a collec ion. The in e iew me hod was also chosen because i allowed a
appo o be buil wi h he pa icipan s, and a en ion could also be paid o he non- e bal
beha iou o he pa icipan s du ing he in e iew. This was conside ed impo an o he
olde pa icipan s.
The in e iews we e conduc ed be ween 4 Ma ch 2024 and 15 June 2024 in Osijek,
C oa ia. Fo he lis o in e iew ques ions, please e e o Appendix A. The majo i y o pa -
icipan s we e in e iewed a he Facul y o Economics and Business, while app oxima ely
one- hi d o he sample was in e iewed a he p emises o an associa ion o olde adul s.
A small numbe o in e iews we e conduc ed in pa icipan s’ homes. Each in e iew
las ed be ween 20 and 30 min. Da a collec ion was ca ied ou by a eam o i e adul s.
Each o he 89 pa icipan s was asked he same ques ions in he same way. The opics
selec ed we e based on he li e a u e e iew and p e ious esea ch. Bo h p e-coded and
open-ended esponses we e used. The p e-coded esponses ensu ed he compa ibili y o
he en i e sample and we e subjec ed o s a is ical analysis. In o de o ga he as much
de ailed in o ma ion as possible, p obing ques ions we e equen ly asked, i.e., ollow-up
ques ions a e he in e iewee had gi en hei i s answe . A he end o he in e iew,
he e was s ill ime o spon aneous discussions.
Gi en he ex ensi e sample size (89 in e iews), his s udy p io i ised he syn hesis o
ecu ing hemes o e indi idual quo es o main ain conciseness and eadabili y. The anal-
ysis emphasises pa e ns obse ed ac oss mul iple esponses, ensu ing he indings e lec
b oad ends a he han isola ed opinions. While di ec quo a ions can p o ide illus a i e
examples, he decision o ocus on hema ic p e alence ensu es a mo e comp ehensi e
ep esen a ion o he da a.
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 120 5 o 16
Al hough he decision ega ding who should pa icipa e in he s udy (ci izens o e
60, men and women) was made be o e he s udy began, he decision on who should
be in e iewed and how pa icipan s should be ound was made du ing he s udy. To
ec ui pa icipan s, he esea che used in o mal ne wo ks known o he , and he snowball
echnique (being awa e o he po en ial bias), i.e., in e iewees we e asked o p o ide
names o o he po en ial in e iewees. The esea che applied heo e ical sampling and
s opped looking o new pa icipan s when he subsequen da a did no add any hing
new o he esea che ’s unde s anding o he p oblem, which is e e ed o as heo e ical
sa u a ion (Fox,2009). This was assessed h ough con inuous compa a i e analysis du ing
he coding p ocess. To ensu e he eliabili y o he hema ic analysis, in e -code eliabili y
was es ablished by ha ing an assis an esea che independen ly code a subse o he da a,
ollowed by discussions o esol e disc epancies and each consensus on eme gen hemes.
A he same ime, he esea che ensu ed ha pa icipan s ep esen ed di e en ca ego ies
and he e o e he wides possible ange o pe spec i es, e en i hey ep esen ed ex eme
iews and did no ep esen he a e age. All pa icipan s we e assu ed o anonymi y and
con iden iali y. Thema ic analysis was used o he quali a i e da a analysis. Fi s , key
concep s we e iden i ied, and hen, he esea che a emp ed o ca ego ise and de elop
hese in o common hemes.
4. Resul s and Discussion
4.1. Li es yle o Olde U ban Cus ome s
A o al o 65 women and 24 men ook pa in his s udy. Thei a e age age was 62, bu ,
on a e age, hey eel 18 yea s younge . Mos o hem a e e i ed and 15% wo k pa - ime.
Al hough hey ocus on hei own consump ion, hey see hei ole as suppo ing younge
amily membe s and 33% help hei child en inancially. Only 20% sa e money. This is in
con as o a p e ious s udy (Gilma in,2023) s a ing ha olde people a e less sel -o ien ed
and mo e al uis ic han younge gene a ions.
Bo h men and women in his sample enjoy shopping. This suppo s he indings
o Meneely e al. (2009a) and Dennis e al. (2010) ha shopping p o ides pleasu e and
en e ainmen o olde cus ome s, in addi ion o i s unc ional ole. Mos o hem es ima e
ha hey a e ac i e o 7 h o mo e a day. The majo i y own a sma phone and mo e han
hal o hem d i e a ca (91% o men in he sample). This gi es hem mobili y and a sense
o independence, helps hem o e come physical access di icul ies, and makes i easie o
olde cus ome s o decide eely whe e o shop. I is he e o e no su p ising ha p oximi y
o he s o e is no a p io i y o hem.
They usually li e wi h a pa ne o alone. The opinion o o he people is usually less
impo an and has li le in luence on hei decisions. The ac ha olde u ban cus ome s a e
less exposed o pee in luence han o he gene a ions could be impo an in o ma ion o
e aile s, as hey should no assume ha olde cus ome s a e helpless, and ha o he people
make he pu chasing decisions o olde cus ome s. Ins ead, e aile s should be awa e ha
olde cus ome s a e happy o make hei own decisions, and hey should he e o e c ea e
in o ma i e con en o hem, such as blogs, ideos, and b ochu es ha empowe olde
u ban cus ome s wi h knowledge and con idence o make pu chasing decisions.
By ecognising and espec ing he independence o olde cus ome s, e aile s can
de elop s a egies ha emphasise indi idual choice, p o ide comp ehensi e in o ma ion,
and o e pe sonalised se ice. These app oaches no only add ess he decision-making
p e e ences o olde cus ome s, bu hey also build us and loyal y, ul ima ely leading o
long- e m cus ome sa is ac ion and business success.
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 120 6 o 16
4.2. Shopping Beha iou o Olde U ban Cus ome s in G oce y S o es
The ollowing h ee main hemes eme ged om he in e iews: shopping habi s,
in-s o e di icul ies, and ecommenda ions o imp o ing he shopping expe ience o olde
cus ome s. In e ms o shopping habi s, olde cus ome s a e mos likely o go g oce y
shopping once o wice a week, wi h men epo ing shopping mo e equen ly han women.
They seem o p e e smalle pu chases, which hey do mo e o en (“I like i be e when I
only buy 2 o 3 hings. I is easie o ca y. This means I ha e o go shopping e e y o he day”; “I
go shopping o mee neighbou s and s e ch my legs”). Bezi gani and Lachapelle (2021) ha e
p e iously documen ed he in luence o age on g oce y shopping equency, wi h olde
cus ome s shopping mo e equen ly.
Al hough mos esponden s in his s udy a e e i ed and li e on a ixed income, which
makes hem mo e cau ious abou spending and mo e sensi i e o p ice changes, wo- hi ds
said ha quali y is mo e impo an o hem han p ice (“I alue b ands and he e aile ’s
epu a ion is e y impo an ”), and no di e ence was ound be ween men and women in his
ega d. Mo e conse a i e spending habi s we e ound in his sample. Olde consume s in
his sample p e e physical pu chases o e online pu chases (“I ha e online shopping. As long
as I can mo e, I will go o he shop”; “In e ne shopping is no o me!”; I is oo complica ed! My
child en like i ”), and e aile s should he e o e make a special e o o enhance hei in-s o e
shopping expe ience by o e ing ee i ems, special ewa ds, exclusi e e en s, and special
p omo ions ailo ed o olde cus ome s. Fu he sugges ions can be ound in Table 1.
Table 1. Summa y o commen s and ecommenda ions o e aile s (based on he in e iews).
Wha Olde Cus ome s Sha ed
in In e iews Dos and Don’ s o Re aile s
Focus on pe sonal consump ion
Emphasise p oduc s and se ices o pe sonal consump ion
in ma ke ing communica ion.
Enjoy shopping, conside i a
leisu e and social ac i i y Enhance shopping expe ience
Go g oce y shopping 1–2 imes a
week, p e e smalle packaging,
end o spend mo e ime shopping
( ake ime o make decisions,
compa e p ices, and see shopping
as a social ac i i y)
A oid bundles and mul i-buy o e s o his demog aphic.
P o ide com o able sea ing a ea o es ,
do no ush hem.
A oid ime-u gency ma ke ing s a egies,
in oduce special loyal y p og ammes.
Use sma phones, bu p e e
o line ma ke ing
Use adi ional media—p in , TV, and mul i-channel
ma ke ing—in o de o encou age online shopping wi h
olde cus ome s. Make online shopping pla o ms
use - iendly wi h la ge on s, simple na iga ion, and an
easy checkou p ocesses.
D i e ca s
Ensu e he e is ample, con enien pa king wi h wide
spaces close o he en ance o olde cus ome s (simila o
pa king o he disabled).
A e less in luence by pee s/ amily,
p e e o make hei own decisions
C a ma ke ing messages ha speak di ec ly o he
indi idual, emphasising pe sonal choice and au onomy.
Be anspa en abou p icing, ing edien s, sou cing, and
manu ac u ing p ocesses o build us and acili a e
in o med decision making.
P e e o make in o med decisions
Tend o spend ime
looking a ound
P o ide de ailed p oduc desc ip ions and educa ional
con en (in-s o e p esen a ions, how- o ideos, b ochu es,
guides, o sho wo kshops). C ea e in e ac i e p oduc
displays and demo s a ions ha help olde cus ome s
unde s and and use p oduc s e ec i ely, helping hem make
independen decisions.
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 120 7 o 16
Table 1. Con .
Wha Olde Cus ome s Sha ed
in In e iews Dos and Don’ s o Re aile s
Value quali y o e p ice,
app ecia e p ac icali y o p oduc s,
p io i ise long- e m alue o e
ini ial cos
Highligh alue and bene i s o p oduc s when
communica ing wi h olde cus ome s.
Communica e how p oduc s imp o e quali y o hei li e,
well-being, and independence.
Emphasise du abili y o p oduc s.
O e in o ma ion on heal h- ela ed p oduc s and how hey
can bene i olde cus ome s.
A e ba gain-o ien ed o needed
i ems bu eady o splu ge on
desi ed p oduc s
O e compe i i e p icing, discoun s, and p omo ions on
essen ial i ems, and posi ion high-quali y, p emium
p oduc s as desi able splu ges.
Design a ge ed ma ke ing campaigns ha highligh
discoun s and alue deals on necessi ies. Use s o y elling
and aspi a ional ma ke ing o p omo e splu ge-wo hy
i ems. Emphasise how hese p oduc s enhance li es yle,
well-being, o b ing joy.
Sugges desi able, highe -ma gin i ems ha complemen
essen ials pu chase (e.g., o e a p emium skin ca e p oduc
alongside basic oile ies).
Clea ly designa e sec ions o he s o e o ba gains and
essen ial i ems (easily accessible and well-s ocked), and
c ea e isually appealing displays o high-end,
desi able p oduc s.
Solici eedback om olde cus ome s abou hei needs and
p e e ences o essen ial i ems, using su eys, ocus g oups,
and in-s o e con e sa ions.
Gain insigh s in o wha ypes o p oduc s olde cus ome s
conside splu ge-wo hy and adjus in en o y and
ma ke ing s a egies acco dingly.
Chose p i a e labels when no ice
li le di e ences be ween b anded
and p i a e label p oduc s
When nudging o buy mo e expensi e p oduc s, clea ly
communica e he di e ences.
Conside e aile ’s epu a ion
impo an ,
a e pe cep i e o socially
esponsible e aile s
P o ide clea and hones in o ma ion abou p oduc s,
including ma e ials, o igins, and usage ins uc ions.
Be anspa en abou p icing, discoun s and p oduc
in o ma ion. A oid hidden ees and ine p in ha can cause
dis us
Be consis en in b and messaging and cus ome expe ience
ac oss all channels.
Secu e posi i e wo d-o -mou h.
Value idiness
Main ain high s anda ds o cleanliness in s o es.
Ensu e hey a e well li and well main ained.
Implemen and communica e s ong heal h and sa e y
measu es, especially impo an o olde cus ome s who
may be mo e heal h conscious.
A e loyal o p oduc s, se ices,
and e aile s
and esis an o change
De elop loyal y p og ammes wi h special discoun s,
o e ing ewa ds and bene i s o olde cus ome s.
Main ain consis en quali y and eliabili y in p oduc s
and se ices.
Do no ead p oduc labels
egula ly
Ensu e la ge, clea on s.
P o ide magni ying glasses on ca s.
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 120 8 o 16
Table 1. Con .
Wha Olde Cus ome s Sha ed
in In e iews Dos and Don’ s o Re aile s
App ecia e iendly assis an s
T ain s a o be pa ien , iendly, and a en i e o olde
cus ome s, and o ac as ad iso s a he han pushy
salespeople, o e ing in o ma ion and guidance wi hou
p essu e.
Encou age s a o lis en ca e ully o he needs and
p e e ences o olde cus ome s, p o iding pe sonalised
ecommenda ions based on hei inpu .
Ha e lines and ush a checkou s,
ind p oduc eloca ion con using
P o ide pe sonal shopping assis an s o help olde
cus ome s ind wha hey need.
Ensu e he physical s o e layou is easy o na iga e
independen ly wi h wide aisles, clea signage (la ge on s on
signs), and accessible acili ies.
P e e physical shops o online
shopping
Focus on enhancing in-s o e shopping expe ience.
Ensu e you websi e is use - iendly wi h la ge on s and
simple na iga ion.
P o ide online cus ome suppo o assis wi h any
ques ions o issues.
Expec pe sonalised shopping
expe ience
Insis on pe sonalised and espec ul in e ac ions.
S a should be ained o unde s and and add ess he
speci ic needs o olde cus ome s, o be pa ien , espec ul,
and help ul, p o iding a com o able shopping expe ience
ailo ed o olde cus ome s.
Use clea , s aigh o wa d messaging.
Regula ly seek eedback om olde cus ome s abou hei
shopping expe ience and a eas o imp o emen .
Show app ecia ion by making isible imp o emen s based
on hei sugges ions.
Responden s indica e ha hey ha e a li e ime o expe ience in managing budge s and
he e o e alue ugali y. They o en look o alue o money, look o quali y p oduc s a
easonable p ices (“I you ask me, he bes is when I ind a good p oduc a a good p ice”), and a e
mo e likely o compa e p ices and look o discoun s (“I am happy o ake ad an age o special
p omo ions o discoun s”; “I am so happy when I ind some hing on educed p ice. I buy such
p oduc s o my child en, oo. When hey ge o he s o e a e wo k, e e y hing is gone”; “I plan my
big shopping on days wi h senio discoun s (once a mon h)”). They a e also mo e hough ul
when i comes o hei pu chasing decisions. They expec e aile s o ell hem why p ices
a e highe and wha cus ome s a e ecei ing o ha p ice. This is p obably why hey do
no espond well o ime-limi ed ma ke ing s a egies. The e o e, egula discoun s, loyal y
p og ammes, and senio discoun s may a ac mo e olde cus ome s o g oce y s o es. “I
am no in e es ed in bulk o e s because I li e alone and ea ha I will no be able o use up he
p oduc s be o e he expi a ion da e”. Ins ead o hese ma ke ing campaigns, e aile s should
emphasise he quali y and du abili y o he p oduc s, as i was also ound ha olde u ban
cus ome s p e e long- e m alue o e ini ial cos .
The p ac ical bene i s o he p oduc s we e o en emphasised in he in e iews (“When
I buy, I wan o know how his will help me li e be e o easie . And I wan a p oo ”;
“I do no mind paying (mo e) i I know wha I ge o my money”). Fo his eason,
e aile s ying o sell o his cus ome g oup should no ocus on he p oduc s bu a he
con ey he message o wha his p oduc will do o hem by using a clea , s aigh o wa d
message ha emphasises he alue and bene i s o he p oduc s. This shows ha olde
u ban cus ome s wan simila p oduc s o younge gene a ions, bu hey wan hem o
di e en easons.
Adm. Sci. 2025,15, 120 15 o 16
Why do you like shopping malls (Po ano a, A enue Mall, S op & Shop, e c.)?
(e.g., ca és, cinema, play a ea)
Why do you go o shopping malls?
How would you desc ibe an ideal g oce y shopping expe ience?
A e shopping, do you like o si in a nea by ca é?
CHALLENGES/PROBLEMS IN STORES
Wha is he bigges issue o you in s o es?
Is i impo an o you ha s o es a e nea you home o public anspo ?
Is i impo an ha he pa king lo is spacious, always has spo s, and has wide pa k-
ing spaces?
Do you buy p oduc s on sale?
Do you shop online?
Do you buy discoun ed p oduc s close o expi a ion?
Do you buy bulk/XXL packaging because i ’s cheape ?
A e you sa is ied wi h s o e se ice ( iendliness, packing bags, p oduc in o ma ion,
help inding p oduc s)?
How impo an is se ice quali y when choosing a s o e?
Wha is you a ou i e g oce y s o e?
Wha a e some impo an ac o s when choosing a s o e?
RECOMMENDATIONS
Wha is missing in s o es?
Would you shop mo e o en i he e we e mo e sea ing in/nea s o es?
Do we need senio - iendly zones? (G ouped senio - iendly s o es, ca és o e i ees,
easy-access es ooms)
A e you sa is ied wi h he selec ion o p oduc s o senio s? Wha is missing?
Is he shopping expe ience senio - iendly?
Do you eel like no one pays a en ion o senio s?
Wha could be imp o ed?
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Disclaime /Publishe ’s No e: The s a emen s, opinions and da a con ained in all publica ions a e solely hose o he indi idual
au ho (s) and con ibu o (s) and no o MDPI and/o he edi o (s). MDPI and/o he edi o (s) disclaim esponsibili y o any inju y o
people o p ope y esul ing om any ideas, me hods, ins uc ions o p oduc s e e ed o in he con en .
