Consumer decision-making styles and mall shopping behavior: Building theory using exploratory data analysis and the comparative method

This article assesses how consumers' decision-making styles relate to their shopping mall behavior and their global evaluations of shopping malls. Based on exploratory data analysis including the use of the comparative method, the article provides a theoretical model of antecedents and consequences of consumer-decision making styles. Data for this report come from personal face-to-face mall intercepts of shoppers (n=527) in two super-regional (West Edmonton Mall and Mall of America in Bloomington) and two regional (Pier 39 in San Francisco and Forum Shops in Las Vegas) malls. The EDA results support a complex view of the antecedents and consequences of consumer decision-making styles. The article concludes with specific suggestions for extending psychological theory of shopping behavior and advancing strategic mall-retailing strategies.