The effect of weather on consumer spending

Kyle B. Murray, Fabrizio Di Muro, Adam Finn and Peter Popkowski Leszczyc

Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 2010, vol. 17, issue 6, 512-520

Abstract: There has been a great deal of anecdotal evidence to suggest that weather affects consumer decision making. In this paper, we provide empirical evidence to explain how the weather affects consumer spending and we detail the psychological mechanism that underlies this phenomenon. Specifically, we propose that the effect of weather – and, in particular, sunlight – on consumer spending is mediated by negative affect. That is, as exposure to sunlight increases, negative affect decreases and consumer spending tends to increase. We find strong support for this prediction across a series of three mixed methods studies in both the lab and the field.

Keywords: Weather; Consumer choice; Retailing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (61)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:joreco:v:17:y:2010:i:6:p:512-520

DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2010.08.006

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