Gender differences of shoppers in the marketing and management of retail agglomerations

This paper aims to first identify gender differences in perception and evaluation of retail agglomerations, and second, discuss the implications of these differences for marketing and management. Based on a conceptual model 2151 agglomeration shoppers were surveyed using interviewer-administered questionnaires. Structural equation modelling revealed that accessibility, parking and infrastructure are perceived differently between gender groups. The attractiveness in terms of satisfaction, retention proneness and patronage intention was also evaluated distinctively. Nevertheless, when examining the impact of the perceived attributes on agglomeration attractiveness, there was no difference. In both settings, the retail tenant mix and the atmosphere are the main antecedents of attractiveness. Finally, an importance–performance analysis offers managers a method for prioritising their marketing efforts considering gender differences.     

Shopping streets versus shopping malls – determinants of agglomeration format attractiveness from the consumers' point of view

The decline of shopping streets and the rise of shopping malls have been major trends in European retailing for decades. So far, research has failed to investigate this shift of agglomeration format (AF) patronage from a marketing perspective, including the consumers' point of view. This paper presents a theoretical discussion of the generic similarities and conceptual differences between shopping streets and shopping malls. Subsequently, the AF-specific characteristics perceived by consumers are compared and discussed with respect to their impact on agglomeration attractiveness. This leads to the development of a conceptual framework which is empirically tested using a web-based survey of almost 1000 consumers representing a typical urban central European retail market. The relative importance of nine distinctive AF characteristics on attractiveness was analysed using structural equation modelling. The findings proved to be quite similar for both shopping streets and shopping malls; the retail tenant mix and atmosphere had the highest relative importance.     

Drivers of agglomeration effects in retailing: The shopping mall tenant's perspective

Abstract

Retail and service enterprises seek benefits and synergies from locating their stores within retail agglomerations, such as shopping streets and malls. The aim of this paper is to identify the main drivers of such synergetic or ‘agglomeration effects’ for tenants. A literature review reveals four sets of drivers that are related to the location, the tenant mix, the marketing, and the management of an agglomeration. Based on a survey of 217 managers representing stores that are located in five regional and four supra-regional shopping malls, we demonstrate that location-related drivers including geographical location, accessibility, and parking conditions have a the highest impact on agglomeration effects in terms of the economic success of tenants. The results were consistent amongst different types of tenants differentiated by store size, customer footfall, industry affiliation, and perceived role within the respective mall (as footfall taker or generator within the network).     

Marketplace icons: shopping malls

ABSTRACT

This article considers shopping malls as marketplace icons. We suggest that shopping malls can be regarded as a significant symbol of consumption in an age of late modernity, and highlight key aspects of their development. The role of the shopping mall as an agent of creative destruction, influencing the nature of the retail landscape (especially with regard to the implications of – stereotypically suburban – malls for traditional urban retail provision), is discussed. We also consider the implications for notions of “place” (in terms of authenticity and meaning, etc.) arising from the fundamental characteristics of shopping malls, and end by suggesting that the shopping mall, as a marketplace icon, continues to dynamically and iteratively define and refine the ongoing interactions between consumers, the act of consumption, and place and space     

Retail location: the post hierarchical challenge

Location, like every other element of the retailing mix, is in a constant state of change. Yet academic conceptualizations of retailing location have changed little in the last thirty years. Indeed, this conceptual stasis stands in marked contrast to the dramatic methodological developments that have recently taken place. This paper examines the traditional, hierarchical model of urban retail location and presents an alternative, post-hierarchical perspective. A distinction is drawn between the shape or form of retailing locations and the functions found therein. A classification of urban retail locations is also proposed and a synthesis with the hierarchical model recommended.     

The Effect of Cultural Distance on International Marketing Strategy: A Comparison of Cultural Distance and Managerial Perception Measures

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this article is to examine whether service convenience increases customer satisfaction that fosters customer loyalty in Indian commercial banks. A cross-sectional study of 352 retail banking customers through questionnaires was conducted. The population of the study is retail urban customers of banks in Rajasthan. Responses are analyzed using structural equation modeling. Dimensions of service convenience are decision convenience, access convenience, transaction convenience, benefit convenience, and postbenefit convenience. Decision convenience was found to influence customer satisfaction more than the other dimensions of service convenience. Customer satisfaction furthers customer loyalty. The article emphasizes the significance of SERVCON on customer satisfaction for the Indian banking sector. The direct impact of SERVCON on customer loyalty is also studied.     

Bouncing back from a sudden-onset extreme event: exploring retail enterprises’ resilience capacity

ABSTRACT

A feature of recent decades has been the sudden and unexpected occurrence of catastrophic events seriously affecting people and territories. From an economic viewpoint, this has led scholars to pay increasing attention to factors and determinants taking enterprises face-to-face with extreme and catastrophic events, through the resilience lens. In this context, this study aims to contribute to the literature on resilience to natural disasters which is currently still limited in the business and management fields, both theoretically and empirically. This is particularly true as regards retailing, despite the key role played by retail in the aftermath and recovery periods following on from sudden-onset extreme events such as earthquakes.

The 2012 Emilia earthquake is a case in point with which to explore small retail enterprises’ resilience to sudden-onset disasters. Specifically, our empirical research consisted of administering a structured questionnaire to a sample of small retail enterprises which experienced an earthquake. The unit of analysis adopted was the retail enterprise. Data was processed applying Covariance-Based Structural Equation Modeling (CB-SEM). The structural model aims to verify the impact of sales capabilities, market orientation and networking capabilities on the resilience capacity of retail enterprises affected by an extreme event, controlling for certain financial indicators such as suppliers’ payment timeframes and the use of debt capital, as well as respondent age and gender. The findings show that all the antecedents analysed exert a significant and positive effect on small retail enterprises’ resilience capacity and ability to bounce back from natural disasters. Moreover, suppliers’ payment timeframes showed a direct relationship with retail enterprises’ resilience capacity, with lower use of debt capital equalling higher retail business resilience. Age and gender do not exert any significant effect. Scientific, managerial and public policy implications are derived.

Abbreviation: SEM     

The impact of consumer local engagement on local store patronage and customer satisfaction

Abstract

This paper examines the drivers of local grocery retail patronage. Drawing on institutional and social network theory literature, we develop a framework to investigate how consumers’ personal values and engagement with local communities affect their satisfaction and local store patronage. We test our model with survey data on 1504 Finnish consumers. Our results show that the relationship between customer local engagement and local retail patronage is indirect rather than direct, and it is mediated by the vitality of local services, social interaction, and consumer satisfaction.     

Bridging the valuescape with digital technology: A mixed methods study on customers’ value creation process in the physical retail space

This mixed methods study investigated how value is created in the physical retail space and how the customer experience is influenced by digital technology. A cross-sectional survey, with both qualitative and quantitative components, was distributed across a heterogeneous sample of 832 customers. The results revealed an overarching model comprised of three interrelated clusters: customer, service provider, and digital technology. We propose that this model can be understood as a valuescape, where customers' specific goals, needs, and desires drive them to interact and co-create value with service providers in the physical retail space, with digital technology either enhancing or disrupting this value co-creation process. The results also show that the importance of aligning digital solutions with customers’ drives increases at the same pace as reliance on technology. The findings offer guidelines on how to utilize digitalization to leverage customer experiences and thus strengthen the attractiveness of physical retail spaces.     

零售情景下营销组合的基础与框架探索

在零售情景下,传统营销组合范式具有一定的局限性。这是因为传统营销组合框架是以制造商为视角构建起来的,而制造商与消费者交换的内容同零售商与消费者交换的内容是不同的。制造商向消费者提供的是价值方案,零售商向消费者提供的是合格价值方案的获取过程。因此,获取过程是零售商与消费者交换的基本内容。效率、乐趣、费用、沟通是消费者与零售商发生交换的四个必要条件,即零售营销的四项基本功能。零售营销活动的功能性归属分别是:定价属于费用类别,广告属于沟通类别,物理环境的设计与管理属于乐趣类别,商品组合、选址、商店布局、物流与结算属于效率类别。     

The influence of social capital on local retail patronage in an urban setting

Local retail stores are currently facing intense competition from both online retailers and large chain stores. An understanding of local retail store patronage (i.e., patronage of retail stores in one's own community) is essential to the survival and growth of local retailers. Drawing on Social Capital Theory, we theorize and show with store-level survey data the influence of social capital (community attachment and reciprocity) on local retail store patronage in a large urban setting. We find that the impact of social factors differs for residents within the community compared to those outside of the community. We also demonstrate the importance of social factors in comparison to non-social factors. These findings contribute to the literature by extending the impact of social capital on local retail store patronage beyond rural settings, providing insight into urban consumers' decision to patronize local retail stores, and highlighting the impact of community boundaries. These findings also generate practical recommendations for local merchants and stress the importance of building reciprocal relationships with local customers as well as varying communications across community boundaries.     

Spending time,spending money: passenger segmentation in an international airport

Changes within the air transport sector have required many European airports to either develop or expand their commercial activities. Strategies have included the expansion of retail space, a broadening of the tenant and merchandise mix and the development of a passenger segmentation strategy. This paper explores the efficacy of this approach by identifying the behaviour of different passenger segments while in an international airport. Using a framework of strategic market segmentation, it identifies how travellers allocate their time having entered ‘airside’ and details any purchases made. Using observational research and a face-to-face quantitative survey, 301 passengers were tracked and interviewed. Through a broad based, a priori form of segmentation, significant differences in shopping behaviour are identified. Such findings assist with the development of the airport's commercial strategy and allow a number of observations to be made about the value of market segmentation from both a theoretical and managerial perspective.     

Conceptualising town centre image and the customer experience

Abstract

Compared with store image literature, the town centre is underexplored as a retail image context. This paper examines what is meant by town centre image by conducting an empirical study of 536 consumers to elicit top-of-mind images of five town centres. Following extensive content analysis and rigorous replication, the findings reveal a broader, holistic image construct than previously assumed in the literature. New psychological, intangible elements of town centre image are identified, confirming the need to measure image specific to the retail context. Further, drawing on the customer experience framework, a conceptual model of town centre image is developed. The model provides the basis for future conceptualisation and operationalisation of town centre image, combined with an approach for managing the customer experience in town centres.     

Retail corporate groups: Challenges of omnichannel management in Japan

Abstract

The omnichannel varies across countries due to different retail environments and retailers’ growth strategies. The Japanese big retailers’ omnichannel can be characterized by having multiple retail formats, such as department stores, general merchandise stores, convenience stores, specialty stores, Internet stores, and so on. They have grown by multiplying retail formats to appeal to different customer segments, and they have unique challenges in managing an omnichannel with many retail formats. These are (1) extremely wide variety of merchandise, (2) enormous quantity of data from transaction, inventory, logistics, and customers, (3) different organization structures and management, and (4) unique organizational capabilities in each retail format. From these challenges, we could propose further research issues as follows: (1) theoretical consideration of boundary-spanning functions among retail formats, (2) international comparative analysis reflecting the different conditions in each country, and (3) clarifying the characteristics of the omnichannel shopper in the Japanese omnichannel environment.     

Local Retail Segmentation Using the CETSCALE

Abstract

The CETSCALE was used to segment a local retail luxury sedan market into pro-import and anti-import groups. Four versions of a newspaper advertisement for both Cadillac and Lexus luxury sedans were tested across these two segments. Non-comparative, weaker indirect comparative, stronger indirect comparative, and direct comparative advertising headlines were used in a between-subjects design. An existing automobile dealership selling both Cadillac and Lexus brands was used as the test sponsor. Results unexpectedly indicate that the pro-import segment favors the hard-hitting direct comparison format significantly less than the anti-import segment, finding it less believable, likable, convincing, and professional, plus more boring.     

Retailing to Foreign National Consumers in the Border Zone

Abstract

This study investigates the factors that affect how retailers in a border zone manage the elements of the retail mix with respect to foreign national consumers. Several hypotheses concerning the effects of competition from foreign retailers and currency devaluation(s) on variables of the retail mix and traditional measures of perceived retailer outcomes are advanced. Results indicate that while perceptions of devaluation have an impact on the planning of the retail mix as well as on perceived retail outcome measures, competition from foreign retailers is not perceived to be an important factor. Research and managerial implications are offered.     

城市零售流通系统的空间竞争结构及其变化--以日本为例

本文以日本为例,对城市零售流通系统的空间竞争结构及其变化问题进行了较为深入的研究。研究的初步结论是:城市零售流通系统的空间结构会随着城市的发展而不断发生变化,城市发展阶段不同,城市零售流通系统的空间结构也不同;大城市首先发生零售流通系统规模结构的变化,进而波及到地方城市或中小城市;随着城市的发展,城市零售流通系统出现了许多相互区隔、相互竞争的零售市场空间;零售商业集聚的竞争优势会不断发生变化,一些新的零售商业集聚区也会不断出现。     

Marketing Organic Products: Exploring Some of the Pervasive Issues

ABSTRACT

This article explores the marketing of organic products. It identifies the issues that pervade the national, organisational, and individual differences within the global organic industry. These are discussed using the marketing mix framework of product, price, promotion, and place of distribution. It concludes that a large percentage of customers, who are spread throughout the community, purchase organic products, most of whom only purchase it occasionally. The most important attributes of organic products are health, quality, and environment. Promotion of these benefits has the potential to demonstrate that, even at the higher price, they still offer value for money.     

The more,the merrier? An exploratory study into managing channels in UK financial services

Abstract

Following the emergence of retail parks in the late 1970s in Britain, they have grown in number, scale and degree of retail specialisation. Some continue to form concentrations offering primarily ‘bulky goods’ shopping, while others have diversified to offer traditional ‘high street’ functions from stores indistinguishable from their town and city centre equivalents. Consequently, in some cases the emergence of new ‘high streets’ in the suburbs can be posited. In view of the potential impact such developments might have on traditional shopping centres, this study reviews the development of retail parks in Britain in recent years, and examines the commercial impact of a retail park in the process of transition towards a suburban ‘high street’. Evidence from surveys in 2003 and 2004 of the Fforestfach Retail Park in the greater Swansea area indicates that the transition towards a suburban ‘high street’ is beginning to impact significantly on traditional shopping centres of all types. It was evident that even small additions of ‘high street’ functions between the two recent survey dates elicited a statistically significant strengthening of their trading impact. Consequently, it is suggested that upgraded retail parks are likely to become stronger competitive threats to the full range of district, town and city centres if ‘high street’ functions continue to be added to retail parks.     

What drives competitive webrooming? The roles of channel and retailer aspects

ABSTRACT

Competitive webrooming, the phenomenon in which consumers gather product information online but ultimately purchase the product in an offline store of a competing retailer, has gained traction and become a major threat for retailers. To gain a deeper understanding of its drivers, we surveyed 1081 retail customers about their most recent consumer electronic product purchase to examine the impact of channel-related aspects as well as retailer-related aspects – a dual approach that has not been applied previously. A channel’s anticipated after-sales service and price level are the strongest predictors for webrooming. Moreover, retailer aspects determine whether customers simultaneously switch retailer when webrooming. A retailer’s assurance of delivery, including payment modalities, return policies, and product obtainment, as well as competitive product prices motivate consumers to switch retailer when webrooming. These results suggest that customers have a fundamental need for certainty within and after the buying process, which can be satisfied by both channel and retailer. Additionally, this is the first study to empirically test for interactions between channel and retailer aspects, as they are likely to occur in real shopping situations. We identified two interactions: First, a retailer’s assurance of delivery can compensate for an anticipated lack of a channel’s after-sales service, dampening the impact of the latter on competitive webrooming. Second, retailer’s price attractiveness acts in a similar vein. Hence, to steer customers into channels and/or keep them with the company, retailers should emphasize their price attractiveness as well as assurance of delivery.