Symposia & Conferences

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Sensory Marketing on Customers Revisit Intention: Special Reference to Hospitals in Sri Lanka
(Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Mihirani, B. K.; Patabendige, S. S. J.; Madushika, R. A. L.
This research investigates the impact of sensory marketing on customer revisit intentions in hospitals in Sri Lanka. Sensory marketing, which engages consumers’ five senses, Visual, Auditory, Olfactory, Tactile, and Gustative has been widely explored in the retail and hospitality sectors but has yet to be researched in hospitals, particularly in Sri Lanka. The study addresses this gap by examining how sensory stimuli influence patient behavior. As service providers, hospitals should adopt patient-centred approaches to improve satisfaction and encourage revisit intentions. By focusing on sensory marketing dimensions (Visual, Auditory, Olfactory, Tactile, and Gustative) and their impact on revisit intentions, this research contributes to the broader literature on sensory marketing and consumer behavior in healthcare. A quantitative research methodology was used in a structured questionnaire distributed to 386 hospital users across Sri Lanka. Sampling ensured a diversity of responses, and validated scales were used to measure sensory marketing elements and their effects on revisit intentions. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, correlation, and regression techniques through IBM SPSS 30 statistical software to assess the relationships between sensory marketing dimensions and revisit intentions. The findings indicate that sensory marketing significantly influences revisit intentions in hospitals, with tactile and gustatory marketing emerging as the strongest predictors. Visual marketing factors such as interior design, lighting, and signage also positively influenced patient satisfaction and revisit intentions. Auditory marketing, including relaxing background music and ambient sound, improved the overall patient experience, revealing that stress is less pleasant. Olfactory marketing, through pleasant aromas in hospital environments, contributed to comfort and satisfaction and indirectly encouraged repeat visits. Tactile marketing elements, such as comfortable seating, soft textures, and interactive displays, directly influenced repeat visit intentions by enhancing patient engagement. These results are consistent with the existing literature on sensory marketing, highlighting its specific implications in healthcare. The study also faced several limitations. It focused only on hospital users, limiting the generalizability of the findings to public healthcare settings. The use of convenience sampling may have introduced bias, as the sample may not be fully representative of the diverse population of individuals in Sri Lanka. In addition, the cross-sectional design limits our understanding of the long-term effects of sensory marketing on individual loyalty. Furthermore, key variables such as price, affordability, and accessibility, which also influence revisit intentions, were not included. Future research could address these gaps by incorporating longitudinal designs and examining additional variables. Theoretically, this study extends the application of sensory marketing theories to hospitals. It demonstrates that sensory stimuli can improve patient experience and drive return visits. In practice, the findings suggest that hospitals can improve patient experience and revisit intentions by investing in sensory elements. Strategies include using aesthetically pleasing environments, using relaxing sounds and scents, ensuring comfortable tactile interactions, and specially offering quality food service. These measures can create distinctive characteristics that differentiate hospitals in a competitive hospital marketplace and provide hospital marketers and administrators with actionable insights to create patient-centric environments that foster loyalty to return.
The Impact of Auditory Environment on Customer Revisit Intention in Wellness Hotels in Sri Lanka. with The Mediating Role of Customer Emotional Experiences.
(Department of Marketing Management, Faculty of Commerce and Management Studies, University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka., 2025) Wijenayake, S. T.; Karunanayake, R. K. T. D.
This study examines the role of social media influencers in mitigating post-purchase dissonance in Sri Lanka’s brand-new mobile phone market, with a focus on the moderating effect of consumer income levels. Addressing a critical gap in existing literature, the research evaluates how key influencer attributes—attractiveness, trustworthiness, and expertise shape consumers' post-purchase perceptions. By integrating Source Credibility Theory and Social Exchange Theory, the study provides new insights into influencer marketing in emerging markets and offers strategic implications for targeting income-diverse consumer segments. A quantitative research design was employed, utilizing structured surveys distributed to 390 respondents from urban, suburban, and rural areas across Sri Lanka. Regression analysis was conducted to assess the relationships between influencer characteristics, income levels, and post-purchase dissonance. The results provide strong empirical support for the study’s hypotheses. Key findings reveal that expertise and attractiveness significantly reduce post-purchase dissonance, reinforcing prior research on Source Credibility Theory. However, trustworthiness did not exhibit a significant impact, as consumers remained skeptical of influencers frequently promoting brand-sponsored content. Moreover, consumer income level moderated these effects, with lower-income consumers experiencing greater post-purchase dissonance due to their heightened sensitivity to financial risks. These insights highlight the need for tailored influencer marketing strategies that consider income-based segmentation. Despite its contributions, the study is limited in scope to Sri Lanka’s mobile phone industry, raising concerns about its generalizability to other sectors. Additionally, reliance on self-reported data may introduce social desirability bias, and the absence of qualitative insights from influencers and brands restricts a deeper understanding of influencer marketing strategies. From a theoretical perspective, this study expands social media influencer marketing literature by contextualizing its impact in an emerging economy, particularly within the interaction of influencer attributes and consumer income levels. Practically, the findings offer valuable insights for marketers and policymakers, emphasizing the importance of authentic, engaging, and informative influencer content to reduce post-purchase dissonance. The research also provides a conceptual framework for future studies in developing markets, encouraging further exploration of income-based segmentation strategies influencing marketing.

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