Entertain me, I’ll stay longer! the influence of types of entertainment on mall shoppers' emotions and behavior

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide a broader typology and inventory of recreational facilities and activities in shopping malls. The paper then investigates the relation between the proposed entertainment types and shopper behavior both directly and indirectly by considering the mediation of shopper emotional states. Design/methodology/approach: A survey-based study with a sample size of 484 mall shoppers is used to test the proposed model. Findings: The results indicate that permanent entertainment predicts shopper satisfaction directly and indirectly when considering the emotional state of pleasure as a mediator. Moreover, findings indicate that permanent entertainment indirectly influences the desire to stay at the mall through pleasure and arousal. In addition, pleasure mediates the relation of temporary and special event entertainment with satisfaction and the desire to stay at the mall. Practical implications: This study adds to a better understanding of the role of entertainment types in shopping malls. The study also reveals how each type of entertainment can enhance different emotions and behaviors. Practical suggestions to this end are offered. Originality/value: There is a lack of studies taking into consideration the different types of entertainment in shopping malls. This study is among the first to examine the effects of each entertainment type on specific behavioral responses. Moreover, the study addresses the mediating role played by shoppers’ emotional states on the impact of entertainment types in satisfaction and desire to stay at the mall.