Should retailers harmonize marketing variables across their distribution channels? An investigation of cross-channel effects in multi-channel retailing

Retailers with more than one channel of distribution have to decide whether marketing variables such as conveyed image, price, and assortment should be harmonized across channels. This article presents an integrative model and survey results that shed light on this question; its focus is on stores, online shops, and catalogs. The results show that harmonization of marketing variables has advantages and disadvantages: on the one hand, it correlates positively with overall customer loyalty and cross-channel customer retention, i.e., one channel causes more sales in other channels. On the other hand, it also correlates positively with cannibalization within the distribution system. This suggests that general recommendations strictly favoring or disfavoring harmonization do not account sufficiently for the complexity of the problem and retailer heterogeneity.     

The (un)importance of the closure of village shops to rural migration patterns

This study investigates the importance of local service provision for the survival of rural areas. EU Rural Development Policy includes support to village shops as a means to sustain population. Shop closing is assumed to negatively affect migration to and from the area served. We analyse quantitative data on all Swedish village shops and the migration patterns in their market areas before and after shop closure. No significant effect of shop closure on either in- or out-migration can be established, regardless of whether larger or smaller market areas are employed or whether migrants with more urban shopping habits (i.e. commuters and families with children) are excluded. Complementary interviews in three villages where the last shop has closed verify the results.     

对构建我国和谐商业的思考

本文认为,和谐商业是和谐社会的重要组成部分,和谐社会离不开和谐商业。文章提出,构建和谐商业,第一,要培育以城市店为龙头、乡镇店为骨干、村级店为基础的农村现代化流通体系,建立和发展日用消费品、农副产品、农业生产资料"三位一体"的连锁经营服务体系,搞活农产品流通,实现城乡协调发展;第二,要加强零售商业网点规划建设的法制化,规范零售企业进货交易行为,杜绝各种乱收费,建立严厉的失信惩罚制度,进一步整顿和规范市场秩序,坚决打击制假售假、商业欺诈、不正当竞争等违法违规行为;第三,要转变商业增长方式,提高零售企业竞争力;第四,要改进工商关系,实现合作双赢;第五,要加强商业道德建设,优化消费环境,使消费者放心购物、乐于消费。     

Organizational Leadership, Ethics and the Challenges of Marketing Fair and Ethical Trade

This article critically evaluates current developments in marketing fair trade labelled products and “no sweat” manufactured goods, and argues that both the fair trade and ethical trade movements increasingly rely on strategies for bottom-up change, converting consumers “one cup at a time”. This individualistic approach, which we call “shopping for a better world”, must, we argue, be augmented by more collectivist approaches to affect transformative change. Specifically, we look at the concept of mission-driven organizations pursuing leadership roles in developing affinity relationships to promote fair and ethical trade and developing ethical spaces. Increasingly, a range of organizations are restructuring their operations, so that their mission is reflected in ethical practices throughout their operations, including product sourcing and product sales. First, ethical purchasing policies operated by non-profits and public agencies represent markets through which fair/ethical products reach end consumers. The efforts discussed to create ethical spaces through direct democracy and electoral mandate build on a broad-based affinity with the principles of fair and ethical trade. Second, we explore the potential for “mission-driven” non-profit organizations, such as zoos and aquaria for merging their mission of conservation education with their marketing activities through the operation of their shops and cafés. Interesting initiatives to link the conservation message to food choices is being undertaken by a number of zoos and aquaria, while there is scope for increased linkages in the giftware sold in their shops.     

Who buys from farmers’ markets and farm shops: The case of Germany

In this article, we analyze the influence of sociodemographic factors and consumer attitudes toward direct marketing products and sources (outlets) on the frequency of buying food from farmers’ markets and farm shops. By conducting an intercept survey with pedestrians in 2011 and 2012, we interviewed a total of n = 550 consumers. The target regions of the study were the Eastern German federal states. The study uses two ordered logit regression models to investigate consumers’ shopping behaviour at farmers’ markets and farm shops separately. We find that different factors significantly influence consumers’ buying behaviour at the two direct marketing outlets. Specifically, both a more favorable view toward the freshness of directly marketed foods and the intention to support local producers are positively related to consumers’ purchase frequency from farmers’ markets. In contrast, consumers’ purchase frequency from farm shops is significantly influenced by their perception of the cost of the products, confidence in food producers of directly marketed products, perception of the safety of the food and perception of the accessibility of farm shops. The study results indicate that considering consumer behaviour separately for different direct marketing channels for food rather than considering the entire category of local food outlets may provide new and valuable insights.     

The benefits and pitfalls of contemporary pop-up shops

As e-commerce growth continues to surpass that of brick-and-mortar retail, temporary retail spaces, also known as pop-up shops, are becoming an important promotional strategy, especially for online retailers and service providers. Success in today’s retail environment means being able to create and maintain brand communities, to generate instant and measurable hype, and to deliver personalized consumer experiences—all of which can be readily achieved through a strategically placed physical business presence. In this study, a survey of retailing organizations worldwide reveals that among those that had implemented at least one pop-up shop, more than 80% considered it a success. The results also show that the primary reasons for activating pop-up shops were to create connections with current and potential customers, to increase brand awareness, to introduce a new product or brand to the marketplace, and to stage a new product or brand. While the respondents deemed revenue generated at pop-up shops important, they considered improving market visibility (e.g., through social media, website traffic, or media coverage) a more significant objective. Given the economic potential of pop-up shops, this research provides retailing organizations with guiding principles for developing and operating successful pop-up shops in the current marketplace.     

发展现代物流促进流通现代化

物流是一个国家实现流通现代化的重要途径,也是衡量一个国家和地区流通现代化程度的重要标志。发展现代物流,实现流通现代化,是提升我国经济素质和效益,降低成本,服务民生的迫切需要。目前中国现代物流业已从起步期进入了发展期,各个方面都取得了突出的成绩,物流的产业地位得以确立,物流对经济的贡献逐步加大,物流行业的改革开放步伐加快,物流行业的竞争实力进一步增强,物流园区的集聚作用日益突出,为现代物流发展奠定了坚实的基础,但物流业的发展与我国经济发展的要求还不相适应,许多方面与国际水平比还有相当大的差距,影响了流通效率,加大了流通损耗。因此,必须抓住当前面临的良好机遇,采取积极有效措施,全面推动现代物流业发展,要以规划促发展,以改革促发展,以开放促发展,以科技促发展。重点抓好流通企业内部物流的社会化,加强冷链物流体系建设,大力发展农村现代物流,努力推动第三方物流的发展,积极推广先进适用的物流技术,开展物流试点示范工作。     

Marketing Innovation in Rural Small Food Industries in Iran

Marketing innovation is essential for small industries to transform products into profit; therefore, understanding its nature and determinants is of utmost importance. This study aimed at understanding marketing innovation and its determinants in the 60 small food industries in the rural areas of Tehran province, Iran. Using a census sampling method, 111 managers of these firms were interviewed. Results showed that the firms’ performance in marketing innovation is generally weak, and a higher level of radical innovation in marketing is perceived compared to the incremental innovation. Also, a cause-and-effect relationship exists between both product and organizational innovations and marketing innovation. Furthermore, while incremental marketing innovation was negatively influenced by formal R&D unit, product diversification, and the manager’s years of experience, radical marketing innovation was affected by the capacity of production, product diversification, and managers’ age and education. The study concluded that in order to boost marketing innovation, innovation should be made also in products and organization. In addition, in order to facilitate the process of marketing innovation, practical and updated training for managers encouraging incremental innovation in marketing, product diversification, and improving R&D activities in the studied firms should be regarded.     

Cognitive and affective constituents of the consumption experience in retail service settings: effects on store loyalty

Based largely on the recently growing experiential marketing stream, this study explores the joint effects of cognitive assessments of and emotional responses to service experiences on store loyalty in a retail service setting. Experience-related cognitions and store-related cognitions based on evaluations of the service experience, as well as the subsequent positive and negative emotional responses on the part of the customers, are modeled and investigated in terms of effects on store loyalty. Empirical data were collected through a survey of 518 consumers in four coffee shops of two major chains. The results suggest that consumer evaluations of the service experience and store environment may influence store loyalty, both directly and indirectly, through both negative and positive emotional arousals. The relative effects of each construct through different mechanisms are the primary research questions investigated in this study. Managerial implications and future research directions are also discussed.     

桂林城乡双向物流体系建设研究

结合桂林实际,应用现代物流理论,认为现阶段桂林城乡双向物流体系的目标模式就是大力发展第三方物流。为此,依托供销社的网络体系,利用邮政物流的品牌优势和覆盖网络,建立桂林市城乡双向物流体系,全力挖掘第三利润源,打造新的物流价值链。     

农村商品流通发展对策研究

本文认为,目前我国农村商品流通中存在着商品流通业态单一、营销方式单一、支付方式单一、流通网络薄弱等问题。开拓农村市场,要进一步提高农村商品档次、增加商品种类;积极发展农村超市和连锁经营,开辟旧货市场,满足农村市场的不同需求;完善支付方式,如赊销、信用交易等,为农村市场发展提供更多的便利;推行新的营销方式,增加有效供给;加强物流供应链理论的研究,发挥各类协会在农村商品流通中的重要作用。     

Marketing performance assessment and accountability: Process and outcomes

Marketing accountability, and how it may be achieved via performance assessment and metrics, have been central topics in both the marketing literature and practice (Katsikeas et al. 2016). Recent developments in digital channels, the accompanying explosion of data and emergence of marketing automation, the globalization of markets, and the rise of customer experience as a key firm priority have further magnified interest in and the importance of understanding how potential marketing outcomes are and can be achieved (CMO Survey, 2021; Mintz et al., 2021). As a result, gaining clarity on how to design and manage performance assessment systems to deal with these issues has never been more important. This paper argues that further progress in this research domain requires a deep understanding of the marketing performance assessment (MPA) process to provide both a catalyst and foundation for the next generation of research. Although there has been considerable research in the areas of marketing metrics and marketing accountability, much less attention has been paid to the MPA process that links them. Yet, the MPA process is essential to successful marketing management. To address this, we first review past research in this broad domain to answer the “Where have we been?” question that identifies theneed for a new conceptual model. Second, drawing on research findings both within the broad MPA domain and allied areas within and outside of marketing, we develop and detail a new conceptual model of the MPA process and use it to identify what really needs to be known but is currently unclear in this domain (i.e., “Where do we need to go?”). Third, we suggest how these areas of needed inquiry may best be investigated (i.e., “How do we get there?”) by identifying new perspectives, theories, data sources, and analysis approaches that may be productively employed in future research.     

Rethinking the bottom of the pyramid: Towards a new marketing mix

The purpose of this study is to re-conceptualize the conventional marketing mix for Bottom of the Pyramid (BoP) markets and propose a revised framework by reorganizing the elements based on the customer perspective while retaining the principles of services marketing. Primary data was collected through a questionnaire with a sample size of 400 people from both urban and rural markets in the BoP. Findings indicate that the needs and perspective of the BoP members is distinct from the Middle of the Pyramid (MoP). Managers should consider this point while formulating marketing mix strategies for BoP markets. The present study is the first of its kind to present a revised marketing mix framework for customers in the BoP markets. The framework comprises five Ps, including personalization, product, place, the process of service delivery and price. Thus, a theoretical contribution is made in the context of service marketing and the BoP.     

The impact of customised mobile marketing on passenger shopping behaviour in the airport terminal

With growing popularity of mobile devices, digital marketing strategies are increasingly important for modern airports. This paper studied context-aware mobile marketing strategies in the airport retail environment. An on-site mobile marketing experiment was conducted at a partner airport to explore how preference and/or location-based mobile coupons could affect passengers’ retail behaviour. Results show that retail shopping became more efficient (less browsing time) with mobile marketing influence, but not necessarily more effective (not higher spending amount). Randomly pushed mobile marketing information is effective in keeping passengers in shops for longer but context-aware mobile marketing is more effective in increasing spending amount.     

Antecedents of rural and urban consumers' propensity to outshop and product specific outshopping behaviour

Retail sector survives in the face of severe competition caused especially by outshopping activity. Outshopping involves residents—urban or rural—of one area travelling to another area, usually larger retail developments, to buy goods. This practice is of special concern to retailers particularly when consumers outshop even if the product is available locally. This study aims to understand how psychographics influence the propensity to outshop among urban and rural consumers, and more specifically to find out which products they purchase. It analyzes a quota sample of 298 usable responses from urban and rural areas of northern Gujarat. A structured questionnaire was administered through survey approach. From an exploratory analysis, six factors were extracted and regressed with a propensity to outshop among consumers, followed by the analysis of variance to determine which products were outshopped by consumers. The study demonstrates that rural consumers’ propensity to outshop is influenced by factors such as outlet prone, local involvement, and time saving opinions, urban consumers’ propensity to outshop is influenced by travelling oriented, outshopping interests, and time saving opinions. Additionally, rural consumers outshop for sports goods and flooring materials, while urban consumers outshop for children's clothing and fancy items for women’s use. This study can help retailers to tailor-make their communication strategies for rural and urban consumers. In addition, it can contribute significantly in understanding the retail flow for specific product categories, which in turn, can help retailers in designing marketing mix strategies for expanding their customer base.     

农产品微博营销浅谈

由于信息流动不畅以及物流体系不健全等原因,我国农村地区长期面临农产品销售难的问题。微博作为互联网发展的最新产物,给农产品营销带来了众多的优势。通过在微博营销中采取针对性的策略,可以有效拓宽农产品的销售渠道,解决困扰农民和地方政府多年的难题。     

The Constant Gardener Revisited: The Effect ofSocial Blackmail on the Marketing Concept,Innovation, and Entrepreneurship

This paper discusses how adoption of the social dimensions of the marketing concept may unintentionally restrict innovation and corporate entrepreneurship, ultimately reducing social welfare. The impact of social marketing on innovation and entrepreneurship is discussed using the case of multinational pharmaceutical firms that are under pressure when marketing HIV treatments in poor countries.The argument this paper supports is that social welfare may eventually be diminished if forced social responsibility is imposed. The case of providing subsidized AIDS medication to less developed nations is used to illustrate how social blackmail may result in less innovation, entrepreneurship, and product development efforts by the pharmaceutical industry, ultimately reducing social welfare.     

农户粮食销售时机选择及其影响因素分析

通过对黑龙江、吉林、内蒙古三省区232个农户调查数据分析,发现农户的售粮渠道较为单一,71.7%的农户将粮食卖给小粮贩。农户通过选择不同的销售时机来尽量化解单一销售渠道带来的"敲竹杠"风险。通过进一步分析农户售粮时机选择的影响因素,发现农户的财富水平和销售时机选择存在正相关关系,即农户家庭财富水平越高,农户销售时间越往后延。     

开发我国农村汽车市场的对策

开发我国农村汽车市场具有重要意义,在分析开发农村汽车市场前提条件的基础上,探讨了开发农村汽车市场的对策：政府发挥宏观职能作用,营造适宜的外部环境;企业应多方努力,从重视市场调研、开发农村市场用车、加大营销力度、完善服务体系等方面开拓农村汽车市场。