IMPACT OF MULTI-SENSORY MARKETING ON CUSTOMERS’ PLEASURE: REFERENCE TO SUPERMARKET INDUSTRY IN WESTERN PROVINCE, SRI LANKA

Abstract

1. Introduction The supermarket industry in Sri Lanka, particularly in the Western Province, has experienced notable growth due to urbanisation, rising disposable incomes, and evolving consumer lifestyles. Despite this expansion, supermarket penetration remains uneven, with only 15% of Sri Lankans regularly shopping at supermarkets. Thus, this study addresses this gap by examining the impact of multi-sensory marketing on customer pleasure within the supermarket sector in the Western Province. Multi- sensory marketing leverages sensory stimuli such as sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste to enhance the pleasurable shopping experience. 2. Research Methodology Drawing on the deductive research approach, this study employed a quantitative survey methodology, 369 usable responses were collected through a self-administered questionnaire from individuals over 18 years old who shopped at supermarkets in the Western Province, following purposive sampling technique. Regression analysis was used to analyse data. 3. Findings and Discussion The analysis revealed that sight, smell, touch, and taste have significant positive impacts on customer pleasure in the supermarket industry, whereas sight reported the most substantial impact. In contrast, the effect of sound was found to be statistically insignificant. 4. Conclusion and Implications This study concludes that multi-sensory marketing plays a significant role in enhancing customer pleasure within the supermarket industry, particularly through visual, olfactory, tactile, and gustatory aspects. These findings provide valuable insights for supermarket managers seeking to implement effective sensory marketing strategies. Additionally, this contributes to the existing literature on consumer behavior by empirically validating the influence of multi-sensory marketing on customer pleasure in the Sri Lankan supermarket context.