Formulating post-pandemic health safety and design factors in creating shopping experience within retail fashion stores in Malaysia

Abstract

The physical fashion retail is one of the hardest-hit industries by the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020. As to recovery, retailer need to seek alternative way to add shopping value to increase sales while following the government issued standard operating procedure (SOP). Available past international and Malaysia retail studies had identified several customers- oriented on store environment attributes effect consumers behavior. However, until today there are no specific guidelines and only limited information regarding creating a good health safety and store design mainly after the post-pandemic on the fashion retail stores environment context in Malaysia available. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to examine and established the influences of various store environment physical design factors in fashion retail stores and study their impact on customers behavior. Also provide a safe place for customer to shop. The study used a case study as part of its qualitative research methodology which employed observation and interviews, on a selected fashion retail store. The results revealed that these three groups of store environment physical design factors; exterior, interior, and ambient were important for retailers in creating unique shopping experiences that induced the behavior intentions among customers included store choice and purchasing. However certain elements need to adjust to accommodate SOP health safety as stated by the government. These design elements were all connected to one another and supportive in creating a pleasant and safety environment shopping experience. Therefore, it was vital for retailers to give attention to the store environment physical design elements without set aside the safety SOP to stay advantages in today's competitive market.