Factors Affecting the Memorable Experiences of Chinese Customers in Duty-Free Shopping

Abstract

The current research explored the antecedents and consequences of the memorable experiences of Chinese tourists in duty-free shopping. Utilitarian (i.e., savings, quality, and convenience) and hedonic (i.e., value expression, exploration, and entertainment) benefits were proposed to enhance the memorable experiences of these tourists. Unlike previous studies, this study examined the antecedents and consequences of memorable experiences in the field of duty-free shopping for the first time. Based on these theoretical relationships, a research model with 11 hypotheses was developed and the hypotheses tested with data collected from 523 Chinese tourists with shopping experiences at duty-free shops in Korea. The results of structural equation modeling analysis indicated that savings, quality, exploration, and entertainment benefits play important roles in the formation of memorable experiences. Additionally, memorable experiences were found to be an important predictor of brand attitude and brand preference. Moreover, brand preference had a positive influence on WOM.