Eighteen percent of shoppers would never again set foot in a particular store if they believe it's unclean, according to a study conducted by M/A/R/C Research. Indeed, while cleanliness has long been associated with a high opinion of a particular store, the study found 46 percent of consumers deeming a clean shopping environment as extremely important.

While food stores' run the greatest risk of losing customers due to dirty store conditions, drug and department stores could also see a negative impact.
 
"A positive shopping experience is what consumers want and is what keeps them coming back to particular retailers," said M/A/R/C Research's Nicole Kusha. "A store's cleanliness plays a major role in their overall experience and should not be taken lightly, as it essentially influences the bottom line." 
 
For the study, the Dallas-based M/A/R/C market research and brand consultancy firm surveyed over 30,000 shoppers online nationwide to gauge the importance a store's appearance on their most recent shopping outings. The study included shoppers at stores in eight categories: grocery, club, consumer electronics, department, drug, home improvement, mass merchandisers, and office supply stores. 
 
The study further provides a detailed look at shopper conversion rates (those who make purchases) and lists the leaders in each category. For more information, visit www.MARCresearch.com/measure.