Do Shoppers Avoid Service Delay?

Abstract

Times of shopping are habitual for many people; 61 % of principal shoppers claim to shop on the same day each week and 67 % on the same hour. Most shoppers state that they can shop at different times but give reasons for their chosen times that reflect external constraints such as nearness to the weekend and the pattern of work. Supermarket users who dislike waiting at the checkout use busy shopping times as much as those who are tolerant of checkout delay. Shoppers who state that they often avoid busy shopping times only do so to a limited degree. This evidence is consistent with the confirmation model of consumer satisfaction. Checkout delay and congestion are expected and shoppers learn to tolerate these conditions with little arousal and therefore little behavioral outcome. These results help us to understand the nature of habitual consumption.