Neuromarketing and Its Application to Retail Consumer Behaviour in South East Nigeria: An Empirical Study

This study empirically examines the application of neuromarketing principles to retail consumer behaviour in South East Nigeria, focusing on supermarket shoppers in Onitsha, Anambra State, and Owerri, Imo State. Neuromarketing, the application of neuroscience methods and insights to understand consumer decision-making, has produced substantial evidence in Western retail contexts, yet its empirical investigation in Nigerian settings is almost entirely absent. This study addresses this gap by testing propositions derived from dual-process theory and the somatic marker hypothesis in Nigerian retail environments. The research employs a quasi-experimental design, supplementing questionnaire-based self-report measures with biometric proxies including galvanic skin response (GSR) monitoring and eye-tracking data collected from 120 shoppers. Control and experimental retail environment conditions are created through systematic atmospheric manipulation. Data are analysed using ANOVA, regression, and mixed-methods triangulation. Preliminary findings indicate that atmospheric stimuli including scent and ambient music tempo produce measurable physiological arousal responses correlated with elevated impulse purchase rates, even controlling for self-reported preference. Visual attention data reveal significant deviations between stated brand preferences and actual gaze behaviour at the point of purchase. The study represents a pioneering empirical contribution to neuromarketing research in West African retail contexts and provides retail managers and sensory marketing specialists with actionable evidence for store environment design. Keywords: neuromarketing, retail behaviour, sensory marketing, South East Nigeria, biometrics