Retail buyer segmentation based on the use of assortment decision factors

The purpose of this study is to provide detailed information about apparel retail buyers' buying behaviors based on their use of assortment decision factors. After interviews with five retail buyers and merchandisers, surveys were conducted in Seoul, South Korea for this exploratory study. Apparel retail buyers, merchandisers, and retail store owners, who are involved in assortment planning and buying, participated in the survey (N=378). Results of factor analysis created seven assortment decision factor groups. Based on the factor groups, four cluster groups were the best cluster result: (1) Least Factor Use Buyers, (2) Traditional Factor Use Buyers, (3) Consumer-Oriented Buyers, and (4) Most Factor Use Buyers. Because this study used convenience and snowball sampling methods in one country, the findings cannot be generalized to the general population of apparel retail buyers and merchandisers. However, the study provides researchers with planning factors and cluster information for retail buying behavior. The results offer insight to buyers for their decision-making by organizing assortment decision factors from the most to the least important, especially for younger buyers, who need guidance about assortment planning. Although assortment planning and trade-off decisions are known to be extremely important to retail success (e.g., Kok et al., 2008), no previous study identified a typology of retail buyers on the basis of their consideration of assortment decision factors. This study adds new information and confirms the application of traditional assortment decision factors from 1980s and 1990s to post-2008 era.     

Latent class nested logit model for analyzing high-speed rail access mode choice

This paper explores access mode choice behavior, using a survey data collected in Taiwan. The latent class nested logit model is used to capture flexible substitution patterns among alternatives and preference heterogeneity across individuals while simultaneously identifying the number, sizes, and characteristics of market segments. The results indicate that a four-segment latent class nested logit model with individual characteristics in segment membership functions is the most preferred specification. Most high-speed rail travelers were cost-sensitive to access modes, and thus strategies that reduce the access costs can be more effective than reducing the access times.     

Segmentation by visitor motivation in three Kenyan national reserves

This study addresses the needs of three national reserves in north central Kenya for developing a tourism strategy aimed at enhancing tourist opportunities at the reserves. In order to adequately address visitor needs, the reserve managers must first understand the motivations for different types of visitors. A factor-cluster approach was employed to identify visitor segment profiles based on their motivations for visiting the reserves. A principal components analysis of motivations revealed eight motivation factors, and three distinct visitor segments were identified using an ipsative clustering method. These segments included Escapists, Learners and Spiritualists. Understanding the differences in these visitor segments will help managers of the reserves better provide alternative activities and services to tourists. Management recommendations include providing scenic and expansive landscape viewing opportunities and developing a more competent and knowledgeable ranger corps capable of visitor education and outreach initiatives.     

Who's behind the screen? Segmenting social venture consumers through social media usage

With the growing popularity of social media as a tool for marketing social causes and the increasing significance of social ventures in today's market economy, it is important to understand the heterogeneous nature of social venture consumers in regard to their social media usage. Using cluster analysis of survey responses from 305 consumers of various social ventures, four distinct segments of consumers who support social ventures were identified – social observers, active contributors, social connectors, and moderate contributors – based on three dimensions of social media site usage: creating content, connecting with others, and control over the user experience. Further analysis of survey results revealed that these four segments of consumers show significant differences in supporting behaviors     

Segmentation of impulse buyers in an emerging market – An exploratory study

Impulse buying promises to be a dominant buying behaviour in the highly conducive environment of emerging markets like India. However, existing research in these markets is largely within the context of product or market driven factors with inadequate focus on psychological exploration. The present study emphasizes on the role of an individual with underlying personality trait of impulse buying tendency being the focal point of the planned investigation. It uses the knowledge of impulse buying tendency and its contextual indicators as an effective taxonomical tool to profile the retail consumers’ psychologically and capture their demographic diversity. The analysis identifies and profiles three distinct impulse buying consumer segments: proactive impulsive, hesitant-hedonist and pragmatic-rationalist; thus providing manufacturers and retailers an effective marketing tool to address different consumer groups.     

Household composition and the importance of experience attributes of nature based tourism activity products – A Norwegian case study of outdoor recreationists

This study examines the relationship between household composition and the consumption of nature based tourism products by analysing the results of a survey among members from two of Norway’s largest outdoor recreation NGOs. Survey respondents were categorised into five main household types, namely: nuclear family, single parent, couples without children, single, and adults living together. These five main household types were then further divided into 19 age-based subgroups. Four key experience attributes connected to nature based tourism activities were identified, namely: Risk/challenge, Facilitation, Learning and Family/children friendly. This study reveals differences between household types in terms of the importance of the experience attributes sought from nature based tourism activity products. The tourism sector needs to be aware of variations in the key experience attributes different household types seek and to adapt to the process of changes in household structures in post-industrialised societies.     

Assessing the viability of university alumni as a repeat visitor market

Both student and repeat visitor markets have been recognised by tourism academics and destination marketing agencies, but the alumni repeat visitor market has been neglected. The paper examines alumni propensity to return as tourists to their university city using a sample of graduates from a university in the North West of England. The large majority returned to the destination as tourists within six months of graduation, although visitation declined sharply after the first return visit. A cluster analysis using both motivation and constraint dimensions identified six a posteriori segments. Three of these were found to have significant potential because of their strong emotional attachment to the destination rather than the university. The accessibility of segments for targeting, through the development of links between the DMO and the educational institution, also supports their commercial viability.     

Retail-consumer commitment and market segmentation

Customer's commitment has become a main mediating goal for many companies. It appears to be a promising market segmentation criterion. In this sense, the present work focuses on commitment as a possible criterion to segment the consumers' market. It starts by analysing the importance of consumer commitment for companies. After the review of the literature of commitment at different relationship levels, a definition and a multidimensional structure is proposed for this construct. The study performs a segmentation analysis of bank customers. Three clusters of clients are identified according to their level of commitment. Main conclusions and its implications for marketing management are pointed out.     

Shopping-centre selection modelling: a segmentation approach

This study seeks to develop an in-store brand-extension commitment (ISBEC) scale. To accomplish this goal, consumers were questioned about the efforts they are willing to undertake when confronted with critical moments in the store concerning their favourite brand extension. Using exploratory factor analysis, seven dimensions of ISBEC efforts were discovered. A higher order factor analysis revealed two factors: switching brand extensions within the same brand and the commitment behaviours in favour of brand extensions. In addition, based upon these seven ISBEC effort dimensions, six clusters of consumers were discovered. In an era of ECR, where the manufacturer and the retailer seek to develop economically responsible category systems, insights into what consumers will do for their preferred brand extensions might provide them with some strategic insights.