ABSTRACT
This study explores consumer perceptions of inter-cultural retail and service encounters. Previous research has shown that culture influences perceptions of service received. This research builds on what is known with the use of a consumer ritual research framework that involves the use of a semi-structured, thick-description method to examine similarities to and differences from what is considered a typical tourist encounter. The themes identified provide evidence of a “culture cushion” that serves an insulating role in reducing the potential negativity relative to overall perceptions and evaluations of the experience.
