A Test to Assess the Significance of Differing Space Preferences in Consumer Spatial Choice Behavior

Abstract

<p>The study seeks to explain a dispersed population's spatial choices of urban places for retail expenditure. Specifically, it tests the previously untested hypothesis that consumers evaluate the same spatial opportunities being defined as differing space preferences, its predictive power is increased significantly when that constraint is relaxed. On this basis, the hypothesis that there are differing space preferences is accepted. In addition, the hypothesis is tested that differences in space preferences are related to differences in the socioeconomic characteristics of consumers. No relationship is found, and an alternative analysis is suggested. in the light of weakness in the existing test. Finally, the hypothesis is accepted that the predictive power of the model is least where a household has to choose between towns ranked closely by the model.</p>