Let us go shopping: exploring Northwest Chinese consumers' shopping experiences

With economic development and improvement of living standards, China has become an important and competitive consumer market. It becomes critical to understand Chinese consumers' shopping behaviour, especially that of largely neglected Northwest Chinese consumers. This study explores Northwest Chinese consumers' shopping experiences. The in-depth interview revealed key retail factors that affect local consumers' shopping experiences, including atmospherics, store design, social environment, customer services and merchandise elements. The findings suggest that Northwest Chinese consumers have become more westernized, and the shopping experience has become important for local consumers. The study contributes to the literature by providing valuable insights for retailers aiming to expand to the large retail market in Northwest China.