The Effect of Neuromarketing Stimuli on Consumer Behaviour in Nigerian Retail Environments: A Study in Lagos

This study investigates the effect of neuromarketing stimuli on consumer behaviour in retail environments in Lagos State, South West Nigeria. Neuromarketing applies insights from neuroscience and psychology to understand how unconscious sensory stimuli including music tempo, colour schemes, scent, and lighting influence purchase behaviour. While neuromarketing practices are widely documented in developed market retail research, their application and effectiveness in Nigerian retail settings have received negligible academic attention. The study adopts a quasi-experimental design, with 180 shoppers in two contrasting retail environments (a standard layout versus an atmospherically enhanced layout) in Lagos. Post-shopping questionnaires and observational data on dwell time and impulse purchases are collected. Descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, and regression analysis are employed. The study also assesses whether shopper mood states at entry mediate the relationship between atmospheric stimuli and in-store behaviour. Preliminary findings suggest that the atmospherically enhanced retail environment generates significantly higher dwell times and impulse purchase rates, particularly for shoppers in positive mood states at entry. The research provides a preliminary empirical foundation for neuromarketing practice in Nigerian retail and suggests high potential for sensory marketing investments. Findings assist retail managers and store designers in making evidence-based decisions on atmospheric enhancements. This study contributes to the nascent Nigerian retail neuroscience literature. Keywords: neuromarketing, retail environment, consumer behaviour, Lagos, sensory marketing