Price promotion landscape in the US and UK: Depicting retail practice to inform future research agenda

Price promotions dominate the modern grocery retail environment. This paper documents the prevalence and nature of these price promotions (i.e., deal types and discount depths) in the United States and United Kingdom. The analysis comprises of 23 categories across five retail chains. One of the key findings is that multiple-unit promotions – deal types that have been under-researched – account for approximately half of all price promotion activity. The analysis also identifies an increase in price promotion prevalence since the Global Financial Crisis, predominantly driven by national brand promotions. This research carries important implications for the alignment of academic research with common industry practices.     

Understanding perceived retail crowding: A critical review and research agenda

Perceived retail crowding is an important, but under-researched construct in marketing research. It has been found to influence a number of retail outcomes. However, the limited empirical studies in this area have not just produced seemingly contradictory results, but have also used different conceptualizations of the construct. This paper provides an explanation of the construct of perceived retail crowding and reviews the empirical studies in the area so as to integrate the knowledge that may help in understanding of consumer behavior in crowded retail settings. The paper also presents directions for future research and managerial implications.     

流通业对农村居民消费影响的实证研究

随着扩大内需政策的深入,如何进一步拉动农村消费成为中国经济增长的新热点。本文从流通角度研究对农村消费的影响,引入偏最小二乘法,通过运用乡镇企业批发和零售业就业人员数、乡镇企业批发和零售业单位数、农村批发和零售业固定资产投资完成额等指标来建立多元线性回归模型进行实证分析,量化研究农村消费品流通发展与农村居民人均消费之间的关系。模型结果表明,发展流通业能有效拉动农村消费市场,各项指标均对消费支出有着积极有效的促进作用。文章在此基础上提出了对策和建议。     

商业企业集聚体的发展态势、内涵及研究展望

许多商业企业集聚在同一区域内共同经营而共同发展的现象,是当前商品流通领域中的重要趋向,值得深入探讨。目前,国内学者对商业企业集聚体的研究正处于初始阶段,明确其概念和内涵,有利于研究的深入展开。同时,商业企业集聚具有合作网络特征,因而探寻合作网络中各节点的合作动机等问题也有待于进一步研究。     

Organisation and Control in Retail Buying Groups

Retail alliances are a mechanism which enables small and medium retail businesses to compete with corporate retail chains. Alliances face different organisational problems from those of corporate chains because of the need to ensure convergence of interests between the individual member and the organisation as a whole. This paper examines how retail buying groups organise in terms of membership structures, control mechanisms, incentive structures and management systems to meet these needs. A study of retail buying groups in the United Kingdom is reported. Results show that these groups are not mirror images of corporate retail chains but vehicles to preserve the independence of their members through voluntary participation and democratic control structures.     

Independent Retail and Grocery Shops in Zimbabwe: Survival and Demise in a Crisis and Post-Crisis Era

Research on independent retail and grocery shops has largely been confined to more advanced markets such as those of the United States and the United Kingdom, ignoring trends in this sector in other markets such as Africa. Findings from these previous studies have established increasing pressure for survival faced by these independent retailers due to the dominance of big local supermarket chains and increased foreign competition. This research investigates the impact of increased local and foreign supermarket retail competition on independent retailers in Zimbabwe during the turbulent hyperinflation crisis era and the post-crisis recovery dollarization era. Key findings from the study focus on the impact of the changing retail landscape on growth and demise of these retailers. The study outlines constraints faced by the retailers and coping strategies that are being used to address the changing landscape and constraints. Implications for marketing practice and policy are then outlined.     

Female consumers: Decision-making in brand-driven retail

This article is a theory-building exploratory study conducted to investigate how female shoppers make meaning in a branded-retail store shopping experience. This study extends research on retail consumers' decision-making and the retail shopping experience using hermeneutic phenomenology. The authors conducted in-depth interviews with respondents, who were self-identified customers of a leading intimate apparel retailer. The results suggest that consumers' retail shopping decision-making incorporates a complex set of interactive components that are brand-driven and simultaneously affect and are affected by the interaction of in-store shopping and retail setting. The findings show a rich understanding of the consumer decision-making process is achievable by including the actual in-store experience, consumers' prior contextual experiences and expectations regarding retail visits.     

Allied Breweries and the Development of the Area Manager in British Brewing, 1950-1984

Brewing in the United Kingdom in the years following 1950 sawa shift from a production to a retailing orientation. As partof this shift, the role of the area manager started to movefrom production and sales discipline to retail development.This article explores the job of the area manager during theperiod, seeking to demonstrate the weakness in recent accountsthat suggest that area managers serve only as an "informationrelay" between senior managers and unit managers. Although theevidence is limited, because of problems with the survival ofrecords, it suggests a more complex picture, which has implicationsfor area managers in retail and service industries more generally.     

Retail Buying in the United Kingdom

Retail buying in the United Kingdom has undergone considerable change in the last 20 years. Faced with a lack of satisfactory published material concerning what retail buyers actually do, the author carried out a survey of buyers in multiple food and apparel retailers. This paper discusses the main changes to have taken place in retail buying in recent years, describes what buyers do, their interface with other functional departments in the business, the characteristics needed by successful buyers, and how buyers are appraised. Finally, it is concluded that the perceived status of buyers does not always reflect their impact on the marketing activity and success of their companies.     

Convenience Stores in Northern Ireland Steve Worthington*

The concept of the convenience store has been a subject of much enthusiasm among observers of the United Kingdom retail scene, many of whom see the C-store as a counterpoint to the expansion of the large multiple retailers. There is, however, evidence to suggest that the nationwide spread of the convenience store format will not be as uninhibited as has been that of the grocery supermarket. One reason for this is the local differences in retailing patterns that exist throughout the United Kingdom. This article looks in particular at Northern Ireland, exploring some of the unique features of C-store trading in this region.     

Store loyalty: its impact on retail revenue. An empirical study of purchasing behaviour in the UK

In this paper, we present some significant empirical findings about store loyalty and consumer spending in the United Kingdom across five retail sectors. Our findings are presented at two levels: Firstly, we compared loyalty levels across retail sectors in the UK and identified that home improvement stores generate the lowest levels of consumer loyalty. Secondly, by disaggregating the data by loyalty types, we found that, while loyal shoppers tend to have smaller monthly budgets than switchers, they spend double the amount in their “first choice” store. All our results highlight the importance of developing a corporate approach to managing customer loyalty in retailing.     

Fair trade,ethical decision making and the narrative of gender difference

Fair trade (FT) is of growing interest to those carrying out research into ethical decision making. In this paper, we report findings from a recent survey of FT purchasing among 688 retail shoppers in the United Kingdom. We examined the relationship between individual differences, in terms of gender and age, and three outcome measures: purchasing, word of mouth (WOM) recommendation and social advocacy. Though age appeared to have no significant effects, we found evidence of gender difference in each outcome measure. Females in our sample were more likely to purchase FT goods, to recommend them by WOM, and to advocate FT purchasing to friends and family. We discuss the implications of these findings in terms of the literature on ethical decision making and gender difference.     

The Spread of Article Numbering and Retail Scanning in Europe

Electronic point of sale (EPOS) systems based on article numbering and scanning are in the forefront of the applications of micro electronic technology within retailing. This article outlines the characteristics and the origins of article numbering and retail scanning and examines their spread within Europe and the United Kingdom.     

Wege zu einer st?rkeren Trennung von Investment- und Gesch?ftsbanking

In the United Kingdom, the United States, Australia and many other countries, ways to separate retail from investment banking are explored and put into practice. In Germany, there is great reluctance to undertake such steps. The main arguments against such a separation are the structure of the German banking sector, the universal banking system, and the claim that Lehman was (only) an investment bank, and its breakdown has triggered the subprime crises. These arguments, the authors show, are not convincing. The paper first discusses different views on a stronger separation of retail from investment banking and subsequently presents and analyses different proposals. Finally, the paper elaborates on the question of how to implement such a system in Germany.     

Rethinking flow: qualitative insights from Mexican cross-border shopping

The purpose of our study is twofold: (1) to conceptualize the flow construct in the offline retail environment not only as a psychological phenomenon but also as a sociocultural phenomenon by exploring related cultural variables and (2) to adopt a qualitative approach as a means to provide broader coverage of the likely factors associated with flow. We follow a grounded theory approach to formulate a conceptual model about the phenomenon of interest. Data collection includes semistructured in-depth interviews and a focus group. For data interpretation, we applied semiotic and narrative textual analyses. We propose a model of the antecedents leading to flow experience in the offline retail environment, introducing macro (sociocultural) factors and advancing micro (psychological) factors. Key elements of flow require a more refined definition in the offline retail environment. Several macro (cultural) attributes that influence Mexican shoppers' propensity to experience flow while either just browsing or fulfilling their shopping goals were identified. Retailers' efforts should be directed to providing opportunities for flow experience by articulating the right communication strategies. Qualitative methods uncovered a unique perspective exploring sociocultural characteristics and redefining individual characteristics of the offline retail shopping experience.     

Re-imagining retailers’ co-operatives

This article gives clarity to the area of retailers’ co-operatives. It provides a discussion on the different types of co-operatives and their identifying characteristics. This is to clear up common misunderstandings and misapplication of the word retail co-operative in the literature and popular culture and allow for further research in the area of retailers’ co-operatives. This article also provides a discussion of the drivers and developmental path for retail co-operation as a strategy for independent retailers. Three types of retail co-operation are discussed in this way namely buying groups, retailers’ co-operatives and retailers’ co-operative retail chains. The differences between a retailers’ co-operative retail chain and a corporate retail chain are then elucidated. Finally, managerial implications are provided surrounding retail strategy. This research is important as it provides greater understanding of a very successful retail format that has not been studied in depth, a format that allows for sustainable retail development and growth. This article enables further study in the area along with clarity on terms and dimensions.     

An Exploratory Framework for Analysing International Retail Learning

It is argued that international retail research has overlooked an essential component of the retail internationalization process, notably learning. This paper proposes an exploratory framework that enables the application of learning theory to the study of international retailing. The paper provides a meaningful starting point for developing an overarching framework which would represent one sort of re-conceptualization of the retail internationalization process, and arguably a new perspective for reinterpreting, re-evaluating and refining the existing literature on international retailing. Alongside this exploratory framework, we present a series of research propositions that might serve as an agenda for research into international retail learning. The paper concludes with a summary of the key themes and ways in which the area of international retail learning may be investigated.     

Designing retail - Unravelling coping strategies through emphatic interviewing owner managers.

This research aims at demonstrating how retail designers through empathic interviewing and listening to the story that retailers tell about their retail concept, can program the retail design task, identify inconsistencies not thought of using the “retail design thematic map” developed and give better advice to retailers.Using independent retail as case the article sheds light on the empathic interview as method, strengthens retail design as a relevant discipline for retail strategy, and clarifies the role of emotion in the client – retailer relation regarding strategizing.     

Taiwanese Retailing: Market Analysis and Retail Branding Model Application

ABSTRACT

The Taiwanese retail market is in a highly competitive stage. In the past three decades, the Taiwan retail grocery market has experienced many developments and changes, and recently, has started to realize the importance of developing its own retail brand. Although the idea of retail branding is still new in Taiwan, the major hypermarket players have tried to build up their own brand image and create new own label products which differ from other competitors. This paper explores retail branding in the Taiwan hypermarket industry through macro/micro environment analysis and applying retail branding models to the Taiwanese retail market. The macro/micro environment analysis is undertaken by the two STEPs model and the retail branding model is created from Dawson's three levels model combined with previous studies and theories. The approach in this study involves literature reviews and secondary research in the field of the Taiwanese retail market. The outcome of this study is to highlight key issues that deserve further research.     

The social media response to the rollout of legalized cannabis retail in Ontario,Canada

With Canada becoming the first G20 country to legalize the recreational use of cannabis, there has been increasing interest in the emergence of this new retail market. The research utilizes social media analytics to analyze the public's response to the rollout of the government-controlled cannabis retail stores: Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS). The research analyzes 17,162 tweets mentioning the OCS (@ONCannabisStore) on Twitter in the one-year period following the legalization of recreational cannabis. Using thematic analysis, 19 codes are identified and further categorized under six themes—i.e., consignment, product, retail model, policy, producers, and consumers. The research provides valuable insight into the public's perceptions of the newly legalized cannabis retail market on social media. As a practical implication of the research, key concerns and issues with the initial retail rollout are identified, which provides insight into the evolution of an illegal to legal retail market. The methods can be used by future researchers, policy makers, and emerging cannabis retailers to gather and understand cannabis consumers' opinions on social media. Furthermore, the findings can be leveraged to inform future government policies and decisions around the emergence of this new retail sector.