Effects of Religiousness on Sunday Shopping and Outshopping Behaviors: A Study of Shopper Attitudes and Behaviors in the American South
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1997
Abstract
Examined the effects of multiple dimensions of religiousness (affiliation, commitment) on 2 shopping characteristics: Sunday shopping and outshopping (i.e., shopping outside one's local area). A random telephone survey of 338 participating residents (aged 17–88 yrs) of 5 small towns centering around Ruston, Louisiana, was used to collect data. Results indicated that each dimension of religiousness had a significant affect on one or more Sunday shopping and outshopping variables included in this study. Moreover, all shopping variables included in the study were significantly affected by some dimensions of religiousness. Specifically, individuals scoring high on the spiritualism and devotion aspects of religious commitment were found to spend less on Sundays and were less likely to outshop or shop at all on Sundays. These findings indicate that religiousness is an important correlate to shopper behavior that retailers should take into account when making decisions about Sunday store hours.