Author: Fu Chenhao
Journal: Scientia Geographica Sinica, Vol.38 No.1, Jan.,2018.
Abstract: Paying more attention to the space dimension, the studies on retailing center hierarchy seldom consider the temporal characteristics and patterns of consuming activities in retailing centers, and fail to reveal the influencing mechanism of temporal diversities of consuming activity and its impact on retailing centers deeply. Based on a survey data collected in 39 large retailing centers in Guangzhou and a multiple logistic regression model, this article attempts to explore the temporal patterns of consuming activity in different retail centers and their influencing factors. The results are shown as follows: 1) The time-varying characteristics of consuming activities in different large retail centers are different obviously, and the retailing centers can be divided into four patterns, such as ‘stable’‘, peak in the afternoon’, ‘peak in the evening’ and ‘irregular fluctuation’. 2) Both of the consumers ‘social and economic attribute and the characteristics of consuming activities are limited and different effects on different patterns of retailing centers. In the one hand, living time, housing location, family monthly income, consuming structure, trip chain, mode of transportation and travel distance can distinguish the ‘stable’ retail center and the ‘peak in the afternoon ‘retailing center. In the other hand, there are only three variables, such as living time, travel distance and mode of transportation, which can significantly explain differences between the ‘stable’ and the ‘peak in the evening ‘retailing centers. Built environment is the primary factor forming the patterns of retailing centers. Density of commercial centers, mixed of land use, density of bus stations and subway stations, location and distance to downtown have significant effects on the formation of various patterns of retailing centers. This study provides a new way to classify and evaluate urban retailing centers, and the conclusions can be regarded as the theoretical basis to predict the potential consuming activities time- varying model, consumer attributes and activity characteristics. Last but not least, the conclusions of this article give advice to urban commercial planning and development of commercial center.
