ISSN : 1738-3110
Purpose - The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of awareness on the characteristics of a consumers' social commerce. This study examines whether the characteristics of social commerce influence the purchase intentions in accommodating these types of social commerce. Research design, data, methodology - The data for the study were collected and analyzed from a sample of 126 adult customers, comprising both males and females, using social commerce. The survey was conducted and the results aggregated through distributing a copy to each participant. For statistical analysis of the data collected, SPSS 18.0 statistical package was used. Results - The results can be summarized as follows. First, the perceptions about the characteristics of Social Commerce demonstrated a significant effect for attitudes. Second, the attitudes demonstrated positive effects on purchase intention. Third, the subjective norm affected the purchase intention. Fourth, perceived behavioral control influenced the purchase intentions. Conclusions - As a result, perceptions about the characteristics of Social Commerce may be seen in the positive effects on purchase intention. Using social commerce in the future, retailers would need to increase the scope of the study, through applying more diverse characteristics of Social Commerce.
Purpose - This study attempts to measure the management performance of a food manufacturer using the BSC as one of the main business management techniques used to achieve the vision of a corporation. Research design, data, methodology - The measurement of business performance of a Japanese food manufacturer was conducted from four perspectives of BSC. Matsui (2005) developed the 'Cross-analysis chart'. Results - First, there were many cases where a minor wastage of raw materials was related to increasing costs. Second, the food manufacturer should try to recover the investment cost through significantly increasing the rate of the facility's operations. Third, reducing personnel expenses could be an important issue in labor-intensive manufacturing. Fourth, customer management was very important in the food manufacturing business. Finally, the food manufacturer should actively consider proposals influencing the food culture to secure high profits in the future. Conclusions - There were many limitations in applying these results to Korean food manufacturers, as this study applied to and analyzed the results in the context of the Japanese food manufacturer.
Purpose - This study aimed to analyze the strategy of late domestic entrants into the Chinese retail market, focusing on the case of Lotte-Mart, given that there are few studies on market entry strategies of domestic retail companies in China. Research Design, data, methodology - The methodology of this paper is a case study approach, focusing on literature reviews and a few interviews. We conducted a survey by disseminating questionnaires and conducting interviews focusing on the Chinese retail market, and analyzed Lotte-Mart's market entry strategy in China. Results - Lotte-Mart chose M&A as the mode of entry, pursuing quick market entry and rapid expansion. It chose small to medium size cities with relatively less competition. Subsequently, Lotte-Mart devoted significant effort towards localization, attempting to organize stores and assorting products to fit the Chinese consumers' preferences. It operated CSR programs to increase its brand awareness and to create a favorable brand image. Conclusions - Lotte-Mart now needs to devise alternative corporate strategies for business expansion and growth. An understanding of the Chinese retail market and the case study analysis of Lotte-Mart's market entry strategy offers significant insights for domestic retail companies looking to expand into China.
Purpose - This study was conducted under the assumption that brand A, a store of company Z of Pangyo, with a new store at Pangyo station is targeting the Bundang-gu area of the newly developed city of Seongnam. Research design, data, methodology - As a result of demand forecasting using geometric series models, an extrapolation of past trends provided the coefficient estimates, without utilizing regression analysis on a constant increase in children's wear, for which the population size and estimated parameter were required. Results - Demand forecasting on the basis of past trends indicates the likelihood that sales of discount stores in the Bundang area, where brand A currently has a presence, would fetch a higher estimated value than that of the average discount store in the country during 2015. If past trends persist, future sales of operational stores are likely to increase. Conclusions - In evaluating location using the simple weighting model, Seohyun Lotte Mart obtained a high rating amongst new stores in Pangyo, on the basis of accessibility, demand class, and existing stores. Therefore, when opening a new counter at a relevant store, a positive effect can be predicted.
Purpose - This study identifies relationships amongst repurchase intentions, brand equity, and preference by applying VMD of fashion retail stores. The results would help coffee shop owners and coffee makers in devising an appropriate strategy for successfully managing coffee shops. Research design, data, methodology - The VMD model of a coffee shop includes harmony, trend, and attractiveness, while brand equity encompasses brand awareness, perceived quality, and brand image. In this study, the VMD factors of coffee shops, brand equity, and brand preference, are shown as independent variables, while repurchase intention is shown as the dependent variable. The study aims to ascertain the extent of the influence configuration factors of a coffee shop have on brand equity, brand preference, and repurchase intention. Regression analysis was used to verify the mediating effects of brand preference on brand equity and repurchase intention. The measurement items were already deemed as reliable and valid in the previous study, but some modifications were made for the purposes of this study. Questionnaires were distributed to 550 consumers on a national scale, and 517 consumers amongst these were finally used as a sample for analysis using the SPSS 17.0 statistical program. Results - First, amongst the VMD configuration factors of a coffee shop, trend, and attractiveness have a positive impact on brand equity (brand awareness, perceived quality, and brand image). Second, brand equity has a positive effect on brand preference. Third, brand preference has a positive effect on repurchase intention. Fourth, brand preference plays the role of a mediator in measuring the impact of brand awareness and brand image on customers' repurchase intentions. Conclusions - The theoretical implications can be summarized as follows. First, this study proposes a theoretical basis that can be adapted to the VMD configuration factors of a coffee shop by identifying the relationship between brand equity and coffee shops. This study applies the VMD factors to the coffee shops and presents a new research model by examining the relationships amongst VMD components of coffee shops: brand equity, brand preference, and repurchase intention. Second, it clearly establishes the relationship between brand equity and brand preference by identifying the mediating effects of brand preference, given that brand equity has a positive impact on repurchase intention. The practical implications are as follows. First, development of brand equity and management can be important components for coffee shops in determining that the VMD configuration factors of coffee shops have an impact on brand equity. Second, amongst the VMD configuration factors, attractiveness and trend have a positive influence on choosing coffee shops, therefore store atmosphere should be attractively designed, while the menu and interiors should complement each other and be reviewed periodically to conform to the latest trend. Third, VMD configuration factors that are confirmed are not easily changed. Fourth, large franchises and foreign companies have strengths in scale, locations, and brand. Fifth, the different ways of campaigning should be compared to those of large franchises and foreign companies in order to increase brand equity using VMD configuration factors.
Purpose - This study aims to suggest policy directions for small retail markets in Korea by statistical analysis, which would help small retailers who are facing various difficulties. Research design, data, methodology - This study diagnoses the problems faced by small retail industries in Korea based on government statistics. In addition, this study identifies three areas for successful collaboration between the SSMs and traditional markets-information distribution, products, and fair trade. Results - This study makes three recommendations-information distribution, products, and fair trade. This includes activation of the existing mutual collaboration efforts, channels, CSR report writing and publicity, ethical management cooperation seminars, contract systems of no return, establishment of staff outsourcing standards, and support for suppliers' organizations. Conclusions - Our suggestions for a collaborative system (based on the three suggestions) show that collaboration rather than confrontation between large and small markets can lead to a sales increase of 2,258.2 billion Won, which is equivalent to the sales loss in 11 traditional markets in one year in Busan.
Purpose - The entry of Super Supermarkets (SSM), operated by large corporations, into the retail distribution market weakens the competitive power of local supermarkets (SM) and their families leading to a rapid collapse of the local-SM market. Accordingly, this is a very sensitive and urgent issue in Korean society and politics. Therefore, the government is required to take steps to activate a local-SM market and regain the loyalty of their customers. However, in spite of the urgent need of a comparative study on the advantages and competitive power of local-SM in relation to the SSM, little research has been done on this issue to date. One purpose of this study is to analyze the differences in store characteristics of the local SM and SSM, and to explore the relationships amongst various store characteristics, such as consumption emotion, relation quality, and store loyalty between store types to provide an efficient solution to activate a local-SM market. Research design, data, methodology - To analyze the differences in the evaluation of store characteristics between store types, and to test the moderator and mediator effects, data were collected from 488 customers in Seoul, Incheon,and Gyeonggi Province. The theoretical model consists of four hypotheses, and data was processed to test these using factor analysis, t-test, regression analysis, hierarchical regression, and the three step regression proposed by Baron and Kenny. Results - First, the analysis shows that local-SM customers evaluate location characteristic factors significantly higher compared to SSM customers. However, SSM customers evaluate quality of merchandise, sales promotion activities, and store environment significantly higher. Yet, there are no significant differences in the evaluation of consumption emotion, relation quality,and store loyalty between the store types. Second, the analysis of moderator effects of the store type show that sales promotion and store atmosphere factors have a significantly negative moderating effecton positive consumption emotion, while positive consumption emotion has a significantly positive moderating effect on absorption of relation quality, while there are no significant moderating effects between consumption emotion and store loyalty. Third, while both trust and absorption of relation quality are partially mediated between consumption emotion and store loyalty, only absorption is partially mediated between positive consumption emotion and store loyalty. There are no significant mediating effects of absorption between negative consumption emotion and store loyalty. Conclusions - We strongly recommend that location restrictions on entrance of SSM into local-SM market should either be further strengthened or sustained for the activation of the local store market. Government should strengthen financial support to improve the quality of merchandise, sales promotion, employee education, store environment of the local-SM by providing appropriate business consulting. Moreover, the result implies that the owners of alocal-SM should take measures to increase customers' absorption and store loyalty, such as store cleanliness, maintaining a delightful atmosphere at the store, and training employees on attitudes towards customers. As this study is restricted within Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi Province, care needs to be taken in generalizing the interpretation and application to the national level.
Purpose - This study examined marketing communication in traditional markets by assessing consumers demonstrating brand loyalty through repeat purchases despite active marketing by competing brands hence, showing that the brand did not lose customers owing to communication. Specifically, this study examined the effects of marketing communication factors in traditional markets upon consumers' store loyalty and to determine consumers' practical and hedonic values, as moderating variables. Moreover, this study determined that both experienced and inexperienced consumers in traditional markets could similarly assess the market and examined the outcome of traditional market development as well as future strategies. Research design, data, methodology - To verify the relationship between marketing communication and store loyalty, and the moderating effects of shopping value, data were collected from 230 consumers in the Gyeonggi Province to test the theoretical model and its hypotheses. Although the field of distribution management typically uses two research methodologies, this study was conducted using empirical methodology. Specifically, analysis of variance and hierarchical regression analysis were used to test the hypotheses. Results - Consumers who had experienced the traditional market placed a greater emphasis on the physical environment or word-of-mouth marketing. Moreover, other factors apart from advertising had a significantly positive influence upon marketing communication sub-factors and store loyalty. Word-of-mouth marketing was found to be more important than other factors, therefore affirmative word-of-mouth marketing was considered important from various viewpoints. The study investigated the moderating effects of hedonic value and practical use value in the relationship between marketing communication sub-factors and store loyalty: The negative influence of publicity, physical environment, and word-of-mouth marketing was considered to be statistically significant. Conclusions - Consumers who made use of the traditional market did not think of the physical environment in an affirmative way, and consumers who did not make use of the traditional market perceived it as having a poor physical environment. However, consumers who engaged in word-of-mouth marketing experienced the traditional market in an affirmative way. Consumers who made use of the traditional market had significantly high hedonic value and/or practical use value, therefore future strategies should encourage consumers to make more use of the traditional market. Consumers who had experienced the traditional market demonstrated strong market loyalty. For consumers who did not make use of the traditional market, marketing communication was likely to influence store loyalty in a different manner from a practical perspective. In other words, marketing communication was needed to develop the traditional market, and consumers who did not make use of the traditional market should be given the opportunity to do so. Consumers having low hedonic values experienced high publicity to have high store loyalty, and consumers who experienced good facilities of the traditional market had high store loyalty (Nam & Jun, 2011). Consumers with low hedonic values as well as those with high hedonic values on the traditional market could have high store loyalty through affirmative word-of-mouth marketing.Therefore, various types of events and strategies were needed to enable consumers to experience the traditional market in an affirmative way.
Purpose - The objective of this paper is to suggest that a company's CRM activities have an effect on customer loyalty in the Korean retail industry. Typically, Korean customers use large local marts with convenience in the absence of any other choice. Therefore, this study aims to shed light on the fact that customers do not break away from their preferred retail stores, either owing to their stringent loyalty (the lie loyalty) or difficulty in turning to alternative choices. Research design, data, methodology - By surveying a sample of 200 hyper-markets through a questionnaire, and excluding dubious and missing responses, I obtained 181 samples to be included in the empirical analysis. The survey was conducted for two weeks during October 2011. AMOS and SPSS18 statistical packages were used for conducting statistical analysis for this study. This paper was developed using the concept of customer equity on CRM, which is known to have a positive impact on customer loyalty through the satisfaction and switching-barrier parameters. The hypothesis of this paper is that customer equity is composed of relationship equity, value equity and brand equity, and that the relationship equity variable has positive effects on the value equity and brand equity amongst other types of customer equity. Moreover, customer equity influences customer loyalty through parameters including customer satisfaction and switching costs in the Korean retail industry. Results - According to the results of the analysis, it was confirmed that relationship value had a positive effect (+) on all variables, including the perceived QoS (Quality of Service), store brand images, economic value, and store convenience. It was also confirmed that the assumption that the perceived QoS (Quality of Service), economic value, and store convenience had a positive effect on customer satisfaction was shown to be statistically significant, with a p-value below 0.05. Only the store brand value variable had an effect on the switching-cost variable with respect to the causal sequence of the variables, including the perceived QoS, store brand value, economic value, and store convenience. The remaining variables did not seem to influence the switching-cost variable. On the other hand, another effect showed that customer satisfaction had a statistically significant influence on the switching-costs variable. Moreover, the customer satisfaction and switching-cost variables also had a statistical influence on customer loyalty. Conclusions - The CRM activities had an influence on various variables (including perceived QoS, perceived economic value, store brand value, and store convenience) pertaining to customer values. Customer satisfaction and switching-cost had some effects on customer loyalty as a parameter. This confirms that stringent loyalty exists with respect to customer loyalty in the retail industry. The fact that the variable had such a statistically significant influence on the switching-cost and store brand equity variables means that consumers react to the reputation of a brand, confidence about the store, and quality confidence. The implications of this study in the retail industry should be further extended to devise strategies for customer retention.
Purpose - Mobile devices, especially mobile terminals capable of telecommunication and wireless connectivity, are leading the advancements in consumer electronics. Digital convergence drives the functions of various devices, such as cellular phones, MP3 players, personal digital assistants, and gaming, into a single device. This trend would continue and applications such as digital audio and video streaming (including personalized content delivery mechanisms) would soon be on a handheld device. As customers want mobile convergence devices, manufacturers are driving new initiatives in the emerging mobile device market. Given the roles played by device design and service content in user satisfaction of a mobile convergence device, this study focuses on identifying and measuring the constructs for the process by which user satisfaction is achieved. This study synthesizes the expectation-disconfirmation paradigm with empirical theories in user satisfaction. Device and service levels are separated, and nine key constructs for user satisfaction of mobile convergence devices are proposed. Insight into this process could help web-based businesses to improve user satisfaction, thus enhancing the effectiveness of e-commerce for sellers and buyers. Research design, data, methodology - This study draws on three users of mobile convergence devices as examples. To test there search model and hypotheses, survey questionnaires were sent to 607 mobile device users. Mobile device users were initially identified from several members, and subjects were randomly drawn. Data from 577 survey responses were finally analyzed. The unit of measurement and analysis in this research study is at a personal level. Results - The measurements for the constructs were developed and tested in a two-phase study. In the first phase, the device and service dimensions were identified, and instruments for measuring them were developed and tested. In the second phase, using the salient dimensions of the device and service as the formulating first-order factors, instruments were developed and empirically tested to measure satisfaction of the device and service. In measuring satisfaction of mobile convergence devices, the critical tasks are to identify the key constructs of such user satisfaction and to develop validated instruments to measure them. Hence, the results of this study have immediate implications for businesses and for research in user satisfaction of mobile convergence devices. Conclusions - This study provides reliable instruments for operationalizing key constructs in the analysis of user satisfaction of mobile convergence devices within the expectation-disconfirmation paradigm. Hence, convergence device makers will be able to examine whether their websites meet their customers' expectations by examining the device aspect of the mobile convergence device customers, and the service aspect expectations and disconfirmation. Moreover, the introduction of expectation and disconfirmation constructs brings the marketing aspect of convergence devices into focus for such retailers, an aspect crucial to the effective design of websites for online businesses. In addition,this study provides the metrics required to initiate future studies on user satisfaction of mobile convergence devices.