Field Experiment Design: Investigating Preferred Ambient Odor in a Clothing Shop

This essay outlines a field experiment designed to investigate customer preference for ambient odors in a clothing shop. The experiment aims to answer the research question: Which ambient odor do customers prefer in a shop selling clothes?

Experimental Design

Type of Experiment: Field Experiment

Independent Variable (IV): Ambient Odor Type (e.g., Lavender, Citrus, Cedarwood)

Dependent Variable (DV): Customer Preference (Likert scale rating)

Controls:

• Location of the shop: The experiment will be conducted in the same shop throughout.
• Time of day for the experiment: Data will be collected at similar times each day to control for fluctuations in customer traffic.
• Similar clothing display and layout: The shop layout and clothing displays will remain consistent to avoid influencing customer behavior.
• Similar shop ambiance (lighting, temperature): Lighting and temperature will be kept consistent to ensure they don't impact customer perception.

Randomization: The order in which different odors are presented within the shop will be randomized each day. This helps avoid order effects, where customers might be biased by the order they experience the scents.

Counterbalancing: To further mitigate sequence effects, each odor will be presented an equal number of times in different positions within the randomization schedule.

Research Methodology Features

Sampling Technique and Sample:

• Random Sampling: Customers entering the shop will be randomly selected to participate, ensuring a representative sample.
• Adequate sample size: A power analysis will be conducted to determine the minimum sample size required to achieve statistically significant results and ensure the reliability of the findings.

Type of Data:

• Quantitative: Customer preference will be measured using a Likert scale, providing numerical data for statistical analysis.

Ethics:

• Informed Consent: Participants will be informed about the nature of the study and their right to withdraw at any time.
• Anonymity and confidentiality: Participant responses will be anonymous and kept confidential to protect their privacy.

Reliability:

• Consistency in data collection: A standardized protocol will be used for approaching customers, presenting the scents, and collecting data. This ensures consistency and minimizes researcher bias.
• Replication: The study can be replicated in different shop locations or with different customer demographics to confirm the findings and enhance reliability. Consider Baron, R. A., & Thomley, J. (1994). A whiff of reality: Positive affect as a potential mediator of the effects of pleasant fragrances on task performance and helping. *Environment and Behavior, 26*(6), 766–784. for replicating similar experiments on environmental influences.

Validity:

• Internal validity: By controlling extraneous variables and employing randomization, the experiment aims to ensure that any observed differences in customer preference are due to the manipulation of the independent variable (ambient odor) and not other factors.
• External validity: Conducting the experiment in a real shop setting with actual customers enhances the generalizability of the findings to other similar retail environments.

Data Analysis:

• Descriptive statistics: Measures like mean, median, and mode will be used to describe the central tendency of customer preferences for each odor.
• Inferential statistics: Statistical tests like ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) will be used to compare the mean preference scores between the different odor groups and determine if there are statistically significant differences in preferences.

Conclusion

By employing a field experiment design with rigorous controls, random sampling, and appropriate data analysis techniques, this study aims to provide valuable insights into customer preferences for ambient odors in a clothing shop. The findings will have practical implications for retailers looking to enhance customer experience and potentially influence purchasing behavior.