Understanding perceived retail crowding: A critical review and research agenda

•Integrates the findings and methodologies in the area of retail crowding.•Delineates the possible sources of discrepancy in the findings.•Provides a conceptual clarification of the construct of perceived retail crowding.•Identifies possible avenues for future research in retail crowding.

Perceived retail crowding is an important, but under-researched construct in marketing research. It has been found to influence a number of retail outcomes. However, the limited empirical studies in this area have not just produced seemingly contradictory results, but have also used different conceptualizations of the construct. This paper provides an explanation of the construct of perceived retail crowding and reviews the empirical studies in the area so as to integrate the knowledge that may help in understanding of consumer behavior in crowded retail settings. The paper also presents directions for future research and managerial implications.