Upscale image transfer from malls to stores: A self-image congruence explanation

The social class image of a mall influences the quality perception of stores housed within the mall; this effect is explainable using self-congruity theory. A 3 × 2 × 2 factorial design experiment tests this explanation. The independent variables are store type (department store versus chain store versus secondary store), mall image (upscale mall versus downscale mall), and shoppers' socio-economic status (high SES shoppers versus low SES shoppers). The dependent measures include store image (two dimensions: look and “services”) and self-image congruence. Some 200 shoppers were exposed to their randomly assigned experimental treatment conditions that involve a video presentation of mall image and a store type. The study includes measuring informants socio-economic status. The findings confirm the mediating effect of self-congruity. The article discusses managerial implications of the self-congruity effect.