Investigating the consumer decision-making process and determinants of choice for prepaid services from mobile network service providers
- Authors: Ajayi, Ella
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Mobile communication systems , Consumer behavior
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/53688 , vital:45713
- Description: The mobile telecommunications industry has been a fundamental and an important enabler in the advancement of the South African economy, with mobile network providers investing billions of rands in mobile infrastructure and facilitating a functional and progressive global marketplace (ICASA Annual Performance Plan, 2020/21). South Africa’s telecommunications system is one of the most sophisticated in the emerging markets, and according to Gillwald, Mothobi, and Rademan (2018, p.6), various indices including the ICT Development Index corroborate this view. The deployment of wireless communications networks in the country has had immeasurable social benefits for many consumers. The most rural areas of the country are now able to experience the convenience and ubiquity that comes with having access to mobile network technology. Though mobile network provision is making progress in terms of bridging the digital divide, inhibitors exist within the mobile competitive landscape that prevent consumers from exploring the full benefits of the advanced technologies at their disposal. According to Chinembiri (2020, p.6), mobile data costs remain high and out of reach for the average South African consumer, despite the recent requisite data price reduction by the dominant mobile network service providers. The prepaid segment is dominated by customers who either carry multiple SIM cards or switch between mobile network operators. The adoption by ICASA of the Mobile Number Portability (MNP), the process through which customers switch between mobile operators and keep their mobile number (Yadav, Dabhade, & Dabhade, 2013, p.1), resulted in significant reduction in switching costs thus perpetuating the migration of subscribers between mobile network providers. According to Olufemi and Strydom (2018, p. 52), the fiercest competition experienced by South African mobile providers is in the prepaid market. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Business School, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
The Impact of in-store promotions on consumer buying behaviour
- Authors: Van Niekerk, Ruan
- Date: 2021-12
- Subjects: Consumer behavior , Sales promotion
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/54377 , vital:46486
- Description: The purpose of this treatise is to identify the impact of in-store promotions on consumer buying behavior. Through utilizing real-world data, the study used a qualitative analysis by gathering input from people who are activity involved with in-store promotions. In-store promotions have been suspected to directly impact consumer buying behavior; however, there is no real proof of this. Furthermore, the theory suggests that in-store promotions should impact consumer buying behavior, but there could be a difference between what theory states against what is actually happening. Therefore, this study will be taking opinions and views from those working with in-store promotions and put it to the test against the theory. The aim is to determine whether in-store promotions is a viable source of marketing and if it can ultimately affect the consumers buying behavior. The treatise will also help the reader to understand the theory behind consumer behavior and what it entails. Interviews were conducted with store managers across South Africa to get more accurate data. By interviewing store managers from various regions, geographical skewness of data was prevented from occurring. This study further assists marketing professionals to have a more accurate understanding of what to expect when conducting in-store promotions. Marketing professionals will also be able to better predict the outcome such activities on the final purchasing decision of consumers. , Thesis (MAB) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-12
An investigation into the use of a consumer incentive to encourage recycling in South Africa
- Authors: Conway, John Charles
- Date: 2021-04
- Subjects: Recycling (Waste, etc.) -- Economic aspects , Consumption (Economics) -- South Africa , Consumer behavior
- Language: English
- Type: Master's theses , text
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/51096 , vital:43208
- Description: The focus of this study is the factors that influence recycling behaviours, particularly whether incentives are likely to change consumers’ recycling behaviours in South Africa. Africa is said to become the most polluted continent within a few decades. Three of the largest metropoles in South African are likely to run out of landfill space within the next ten years. Waste streams provide considerable opportunity if waste can be safely collected and either reused, recycled, or recovered, but extracting value from the waste streams is costly and difficult. Consumers need to separate waste at source to improve the efficacy of the recycling stream, yet South Africans do not separate waste at source as a norm. The question that arises then is would an incentive improve South Africans’ willingness to recycle? This study tried to determine if incentives are likely to change consumers’ recycling behaviours in South Africa. It explored the relationship between factors that influence recycling behaviours grounded in Taylor and Todd's (1995) extension of Ajzen's (1991) Theory Of Planned Behaviour. A quantitative survey design, using both online and face to face questionnaires, was used to collect data from a cross section of randomly selected consumers. The research determines that the call to address waste management infrastructure and facilities, is indeed correct. It further confirms previous research findings that an incentive alone is not enough to change recycling behaviours as it will not negate other environmental factors. Lower income groups are more conscientious about recycling and may be enticed to participate in the recycling industry through an incentive to improve their income. , Thesis (MBA) -- Faculty of Business and Economic Sciences, Business Administration, 2021
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2021-04
Factors affecting consumer behaviour in a black box products in South Africa: particularly in the telematics industry
- Authors: Sebate, Othusitse Ronny
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: Consumer behavior , Marketing research Telecommunication -- South Africa
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/43435 , vital:36881
- Description: Crime has given rise to the telematics market in South Africa, however, not much is known about this industry. The telematics products, or vehicle tracking products, have to be installed in vehicles in such a way that the criminals, let alone the owners, will not be able to find it. It is a “black box” product that it is not known what is inside, and it is not to be seen. This then posed a question of how then does one choose one telematics product over the other. This study was aimed at finding out what influences consumer behaviour in the South African telematics market. This study specifically looked at various factors such as understanding of deeper customer insights, operational excellence, readiness, predictive maintenance, new digital services and marketing mix on how they influence consumer behaviour. An empirical study using online survey was conducted amongst 98 respondents who own or rent a telematics product from various telematics companies in South Africa. The key findings indicated that most important atributes to influencing consumers in the telematics industry were operational excellence, response readiness, and the marketing mix. Recommendations were then given that although other atributes that were investigated such as understanding deeper customer insights, predictive maintenance, and new digital services are important, they will not bear much fruit for any organisation if the basics of operational excellence, response readiness, and marketing mix are not mastered.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Factors influencing parents’ decisions when choosing a private school
- Authors: Arendse, David
- Date: 2019
- Subjects: School choice -- South Africa -- Case studies , Competition -- South Africa , Private schools -- South Africa , Consumer behavior , VRIO framework (Valuable, Rare, Imitable and Organized) , St. Stithians College
- Language: English
- Type: text , Thesis , Masters , MBA
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10962/92628 , vital:30738
- Description: Purpose: Consumers make decisions based on multiple factors that influence their decision-making process. These decisions can be influenced by deep personal reflection to the simple impulsive purchase done to fulfil a need or want. This research study explored the relationship between the resource-based view and the factors considered by parents when selecting a school for their child/children. The Valuable, Rare, Imitable and Organized (VRIO) framework as developed by Barney, J. (1991) outlines the framework through which an organisations resources can be assessed in terms of their potential competitive advantage. The research study was interested in understanding how an educational institution can identify and then leverage its resources to create a competitive advantage. Methodology: Each family that has one or more child enrolled at St Stithians College, which is a private school in Gauteng, South Africa, was invited to participate in the study. This represented a potential population size of 1 700 families, however a sample of 334 was used. The educational institution caters to both boys and girls from Grade R to 12 (Matric). Each family was requested to participate in the study as they had already chosen to have at least one child enrolled. A self-administered close-ended questionnaire was used as the instrument for data collection and the questionnaire was broken into two sections. Section A focused on building a profile of the respondent while section B assessed the level of influence the factors had on a parent’s decision. Section B’s questions were structured as Likert-Scale questions requiring a response between 1 and 5, with 5 being the highest influence, and 1 being the lowest. The responses to the questions were then grouped into the factors they spoke to and the average results per factor were assessed via an ANOVA table to test the null hypothesis that parents do not consider factors when choosing a school for their children. Findings: As a paper, this study set out to discover what the competitive advantage was of a private education institution in South Africa. It did so by identifying what the key factors were when parents selected the school of their choice and then analysed these findings against the resources of the given institution. The ANOVA table analysis of the responses identified that parents do consider factors and that the factor that they were most influenced by was convenience factor, represented by location of the institution and the distance to it. While there are multiple private education suppliers in South Africa, no other provider has the location that St Stithians College has, and as such, its location is its competitive advantage. Significant: This research study will expand the existing but limited competitive advantage body of knowledge in the South African education sector. South African educational institutions will be able to develop similar studies which will then assist in identifying their own competitive advantages. This can better enable education providers to entice consumers to their education services.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2019
Antecedents and outcomes of service encounters in the restaurant industry in Zimbabwe
- Authors: Mukucha, Paul
- Date: 2018
- Subjects: Consumer behavior , Hospitality industry -- Zimbabwe -- Management Management -- Zimbabwe
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DPhil
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/32949 , vital:32479
- Description: This study aimed to determine the antecedents and outcomes of service encounter experiences of patrons in the restaurant industry in Zimbabwe. In addition, the study aimed to test the strength of the relationships between service encounter experiences and the selected antecedents, and outcomes. Service encounter experiences were investigated to contribute to the success of restaurants in Zimbabwe. The study presented literature on the restaurant industry in Zimbabwe. The literature explored the types of restaurant businesses that are operating in Zimbabwe, the contribution of the restaurant industry to the national economy, the attractiveness of the restaurant industry and the market structure of the restaurant industry. The literature also revealed that the restaurant industry immensely contributes to the national economy of Zimbabwe through employment creation and statutory payments. It was further revealed that the restaurant industry in Zimbabwe is attractive because there are little entry and exit barriers, and there is some degree of differentiation of service delivery. The contemporary issues that affect the restaurant industry in Zimbabwe cut across several macro business factors, and were identified as political, economic, social, technological, legal and environmental factors. Theories and literature were considered, and the study extensively presented content related to the postulated relationships among the study’s variables, namely the specified antecedents of service encounter experiences which are the variables service contact levels, ambience factors, service delivery quality, and typology of patrons; and the selected outcomes of service encounter experiences, namely patronage retention, re-patronage retention, and patronage loyalty. A synthesis of how all the study constructs are interrelated, culminating with the proposed conceptual model, were presented. The proposed conceptual model that captures service encounter experiences and its possible antecedents and outcomes, depicted a series of hypotheses. The hypotheses presented were developed by using extant theoretical and empirical literature. The study further presented the research methodology, and the results of this study. This explanatory study followed a quantitative survey research design and 400 restaurant patrons in Zimbabwe were respondents to the study’s questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were calculated. In addition, using exploratory factor analyses results, the conceptual framework was updated, and further inferential statistics were computed. These statistics included a reliability analysis, correlation analysis and regression analyses to statistically test the proposed relationships. The empirical results revealed that all the postulated independent variables, except the variable service contact levels, are positively and significantly related to the patrons’ service encounter experiences. Furthermore, the study revealed that the patrons’ service encounter experiences significantly influence two specified dependent variables namely re-patronage intention and patronage loyalty. Patronage retention, which was one of the hypothesised outcomes of service encounter experiences, was eliminated from the proposed conceptual model during the measurement scale validation phase as almost all of its items loaded onto the patronage loyalty factor. This suggested the absence of a conceptual distinction between patronage retention and patronage loyalty. The study concluded that the levels of the patrons’ service encounter experiences in the restaurant industry in Zimbabwe are high as a result of higher levels of the postulated antecedents such as ambience factors, service delivery quality and typology of patrons. However, the levels of contact in restaurants did not have any significant impact on the patrons’ service encounter experiences. The study also concluded that eliciting pleasant service encounter experiences generates higher levels of re-patronage retention and patronage loyalty. The conclusions generated in this study subsequently led to a number of recommendations for restaurants in Zimbabwe. The study also contributed by either closing or clarifying many research gaps as well as by developing a hypothetical model and measuring instrument. This study was the first to show how ambience factors, service quality delivery and the typology of patrons, based on their personality traits, could positively influence the service encounter experiences of Zimbabwean restaurants’ patrons. Furthermore, the study confirms that in the restaurant industry, the patronage retention construct is conceptually the same as the patronage loyalty construct. Moreover, restaurant businesses must exploit the differences in their patrons’ dispositions in order to enhance service encounter experiences through providing differentiated service offerings.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2018
Sport consumption patterns in the Eastern Cape: cricket spectators as sporting univores or omnivores
- Authors: Brock, Kelcey
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Cricket -- South Africa -- Eastern Cape , Cricket -- Social aspects , Consumption (Economics) , Consumer behavior
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:1115 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017534
- Description: Since its inception, consumption behaviour theory has developed to account for the important social aspect that underpins or at least to some extent can be used to explain consumption behaviour. Modern consumption behaviour theory is anthropocentric in nature, with people and societal influence at the forefront of the theory. To date, empirical studies on consumption behaviour of cultural activities (for example, music and arts), entertainment and sport have used Bourdieu’s (1984) omnivore/univore theory to suggest that consumption of leisure activities is bound up in social ties. To date, no such investigation has been conducted in the context of sport in South Africa. The aim of the study therefore is to investigate whether South African cricket spectators are sporting omnivores or univores, thus, essentially investigating whether sports consumption behaviour in South Africa is bound up in social ties. A number of positive economic and social ramifications could result from gaining a holistic understanding of sports consumption behaviour in South Africa. Given these ramifications, the secondary goal of the research is to identify motives for consumers making specific sport consumption decisions, and determining whether certain characteristics can be attributed to these consumption decisions. Recommendations based on the findings of the research could help various stakeholders understand sports consumption patterns in South Africa, which could in turn lead to the realization of positive economic and social benefits. The study made use of a questionnaire, administered at four different limited overs cricket matches in the 2012/13 cricket season, to obtain a range of responses reflecting specific types of consumption behaviour as well as motives for consumption decisions of cricket spectators in the Eastern Cape. Using individual binary probit models and post estimation F-tests, the results indicate that consumption behaviour of sport within South Africa predominantly differs on the grounds of education and race. This suggests that there are aspects of social connotations underpinning sports consumption behaviour within South Africa
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
The impact of internal behavioural decision-making biases on South African collective investment scheme performance
- Authors: Muller, Stacey Leigh
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Decision making , Investment analysis , Efficient market theory , Consumer behavior , Behavioral assessment , Mutual funds
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:1209 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1020308
- Description: Market efficiency, based on people acting rationally, has been the dominating finance theory for most of the 20th and 21st Century’s. This classical finance theory is based on assumptions that people are rational, they absorb all available information and maximise utility. This view is outdated; it has been shown that people are in fact irrational and that this could be the cause of anomalies in the market. Behavioural finance takes into account people, and their natural biases. Behavioural finance has integrated classical financial theories and psychological theories to illustrate the way in which irrational people can impact market efficiency. This research looks at the way collective investment scheme manager decision-making can impact market efficiency. Specifically the behavioural biases: overconfidence, over optimism, loss aversion and frame dependence and whether or not collective investment scheme performance is affected by these. This research was carried out using a questionnaire distributed directly to CIS managers and risk-adjusted returns were used in order to allow for comparative results. The results from the questionnaire show evidence that actively managing South African CIS managers do indeed suffer from overconfidence and loss aversion and they do not appear to suffer from frame dependence or over optimism in this research context. There was also evidence showing that managers who suffer from these biases also demonstrated lower investment returns. “The investor’s chief problem, and even his worst enemy, is likely to be himself.” - Benjamin Graham
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
The influence of selected variables on motor vehicle-related purchasing behaviour
- Authors: Nkoyi, Anele
- Date: 2014
- Subjects: Motor vehicles -- Purchasing , Consumer behavior , Marketing -- Decision making
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: http://hdl.handle.net/10948/9119 , vital:26466
- Description: Marketers are faced with informed and highly complex consumers. The consumer market is becoming more competitive and more difficult to predict as consumers make purchase decisions in their everyday life. An ongoing need exists for information and an examination of purchasing behaviour for marketers to succeed in their pursuit of business endeavours. This study examines the influence of selected variables on motor vehicle-related purchasing behaviour. Five independent variables, namely branding, price, promotion, safety features and colour were investigated and the dependent variable (purchasing behaviour) was examined. In doing so, various stages which consumers undergo when making purchasing decisions were discussed. These stages were outlined as need recognition, information search, and evaluation of alternatives, purchase and post-purchase behaviour. The primary research objective of this study was to determine the influence of selected variables on motor vehicle-related purchasing behaviour. In order to achieve the objectives of the study, an empirical investigation was undertaken. The quantitative (positivistic) paradigm was used in this study, as the aim was to test the hypotheses and conceptualmodel of the study using statistical analysis. In gathering primary data, 192 self-administered questionnaires were issued to respondents for completion by means of convenience and quota non-probability sampling. Upon completion of all the questionnaires, data was analysed in order to arrive at the conclusions regarding the research questions. The empirical findings and analysis followed a systematic and statistical process, where exploratory factor analysis using target rotation was used to test the validity of the measuring instrument. Cronbach alpha correlation coefficients were used to confirm the reliability of the measuring instrument, while multiple regression analysis was carried out to test the hypothesised relationships between the independent variables and the dependent variable of the study. ANOVA was applied to determine differences in the demographic characteristics of respondents. The main findings on the validity and reliability of the measuring instrument proved to be statistically satisfactory. The main findings which emerged from the multiple regression analysis suggested that price and colour had statistically significant influence on motor vehicle-related purchasing behaviour. Findings revealed that branding, promotion and safety conditions had no significant effects on motor vehicle related purchasing behaviour. Accordingly, the hypotheses for price and colour were accepted and those for branding, promotion and safety conditions were rejected. Therefore according to respondents, price and colour of a motor vehicle are the most important considerations when undertaking purchasing decisions regarding motor vehicles. Additionally, the empirical investigation revealed that significant differences exist between age groups of respondents, meaning that different age groups of respondents had different perceptions and opinions with regard to their purchasing patterns relating to price. Furthermore, significant differences were also found between male and female respondents in terms of price and colour, meaning that the two genders had different perceptions and opinions with regard to their purchasing patterns in these areas. The empirical findings of this study are relevant for motor vehicle retailers and original equipment manufacturers, as the findings provide important information regarding the influence of selected variables on motor vehicle-related purchasing behaviour. Secondly the findings of this study contribute to the body of knowledge regarding purchasing behaviour.
- Full Text: false
- Date Issued: 2014
Valuation of internet-based businesses
- Authors: Krüger, Janine
- Date: 2013
- Subjects: Electronic commerce , Internet marketing -- Evaluation , New business enterprises , Internet marketing , Retail trade -- Computer network resources , Teleshopping , Consumer behavior
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , PhD
- Identifier: vital:9280 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1008187 , Electronic commerce , Internet marketing -- Evaluation , New business enterprises , Internet marketing , Retail trade -- Computer network resources , Teleshopping , Consumer behavior
- Description: This study investigates the valuation of Internet-based businesses. In particular the influence of the implementation of an e-business strategy on the value of a business by focussing on its financial performance, will be determined. Although the valuation of businesses in general has been researched extensively, research on the valuation of Internet-based businesses produced contradictory findings. No consensus could be reached regarding the most appropriate valuation approach to be used. Some research findings indicated that the discounted cash flow approach was the most appropriate while others stipulated that a new valuation approach should be developed. Many authors state that the move to include an e-business strategy is natural, and that businesses cannot afford not to include some form of e-business strategy. Previous research has also shown that by including an e-business strategy, it is possible to improve efficiency of the business and ultimately increase profitability. However, there was no emphasis on how the e-business strategy will influence the business valuation. In order to establish whether an e-business strategy will create value for a business, an empirical investigation was undertaken.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2013
The influence of persons and marketing related variables on consumers purchasing of environmentally-friendly products
- Authors: Jonas, Altouise Glowdean
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Consumer behavior , Marketing research , Natural resources , Human ecology
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MTech
- Identifier: vital:9368 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1011098 , Consumer behavior , Marketing research , Natural resources , Human ecology
- Description: The human environment is under serious threat as natural resources such as air, water and forests are being overused. Worldwide, people have become more aware of the threatening situation and consequently many more individuals are showing concern for the environment. Often this concern is not displayed in consumers’ purchasing behaviour, as consumers who claim to be concerned about the environment are not necessarily consuming or showing a preference for environmentally–friendly products. This study examined two sets of variables, namely, person related and marketing related factors, and determined the extent to which these factors influence consumers’ behaviour when buying environmentallyfriendly products. The empirical data was collected by means of a survey, using self-administered questionnaires distributed to adult employed consumers residing in Port Elizabeth. Two hundred usable questionnaires were received. Three person related factors, namely, norms, environmental concern and environmental knowledge, and four marketing related factors, namely, price, product, place and promotion - were found to influence respondents’ behaviour when purchasing environmentally-friendly products. Environmental concern explained the largest portion of variation in purchase behaviour, while promotion explained the smallest portion of variation. Significant differences in the influence of age were found for norms, nvironmental concern, environmental knowledge and price. It is recommended that suppliers of environmentally-friendly products should ensure that these products are located at outlets which are convenient to consumers; more should be done by the relevant stakeholders to increase environmental knowledge and educate South Africans about the benefits of leading a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle; marketers find more innovative methods to convince consumers to act on their environmental concern; further attempts be made to minimise the price difference between environmentally-friendly products and traditional products; marketers should pay more attention to advertisements promoting environmentally-friendly products to ensure that these appeal to their target markets; and the performance of environmentally-friendly products should be on a par with the performance of traditional products.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
Travelling shoppers' perceptions on the comprehensive servicescape within the South African retail environment
- Authors: Zinhumwe, Cephas
- Date: 2012
- Subjects: Retail trade -- Customer services -- South Africa , Consumer satisfaction -- South Africa , Consumption (Economics) -- Social aspects , Consumer behavior
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Doctoral , DCom
- Identifier: vital:9296 , http://hdl.handle.net/10948/d1013610
- Description: The study is on the influence of comprehensive servicescape on shopping behaviour of road and rail travelling shoppers. The comprehensive servicescape is referred to as synchronization of the multidimensional servicescape dimensions, which are the physical environment, social environment, socially symbolic and the natural dimensions into one entity that the travellers encounter during the shopping exercise. The servicescape cues that include shoppers and the physical set-up of the service firm are important in influencing service quality evaluation and consumer satisfaction. The aim of this study was to establish the impact of servicescape on travelling shoppers’ buying behaviour and shopping motivations amongst different shoppers that were identified within the South African bus and railway stations. The bus and railway station environment induces an interesting type of shopping behaviour amongst the travelers. The purpose of the study was also to explore the travelling shoppers’ expectations and perceptions on the comprehensive servicescape within the bus station’s retail environment. Additionally the study attempted to address important gaps in the South African literature in respect of the influence of socialservicescape on the buyer behaviour and hedonic motivation of travelling shopper. The questionnaires used in the study were constructed along five dimensions of service quality containing statements linked to a five-point Likert-type interval scale anchored by “strongly agree” and “strongly disagree. Self administered questionnaires were used for data collection from the travelling shoppers through “mall intercept technique” and 300 questionnaires were collected from respondents. The academia benefits from this study from the comprehensive servicescape model of the South African bus and railway stations that was developed. The study built on literature by nvestigating the influence of the comprehensive servicescapes as perceived by travelling shoppers within the South African retail environment. Additionally it was shown both theoretically and empirically, that, that service quality in high contact service environment like the bus and railway station can best be explained by an analysis of the comprehensive servicescape or the multidimensional and hierarchical model. As a result of this study retailers will have a full picture on the specific needs, perception and expectations of road and rail travellers in relation to the quality of the stations’ servicescape, which retailers have to improve in order to increase customer patronage. It is assumed that retailers will be aware that store image and the store ambience should meet the challenges of the perceptions, motivations and consumer behaviour of travellers within the comprehensive servicescape of the station. This study provides a trigger effect to spatial planners to design high quality servicescape that will attract travellers for both hedonic and utilitarian shopping. Hirschman and Holbrook (1982) believed that shoppers derive pleasure from the experience of shopping itself, regardless of the joy from acquiring goods, this more so with travelling shoppers. A bus station can be both a growth node and a tourist attraction, if its features are attractive, therefore planners can benefit from this study. In this study theory that forms the bases of the influence of social servicescape on the behaviour of travelling shoppers that frequently visit and participate in shopping at various South African bus station retail outlets is provided. Additionally, this study provided empirical information on the relationships that exist amongst the characteristics of the South African Park Stations’ physical retail environments, user perceptions and interpersonal encounters. The behaviour of shopping travellers was extensively discussed to provide the background of theories and various models concerning shopping behaviour of travellers. Through this work, clarity on consumer behavioural trends of travelling shoppers in the South African retail sector is provided, which assist in differentiating retail products, services and segmentation of markets in a way that could enhance marketing effectiveness amongst the travelling shopping segment. Special attention was paid to factors that motivate road travellers’ choice of stores; the type of products they purchase and their decision making processes. Effort were made to identify, categorize and segment shopper typologies and their shopping behaviours. Effort was also made to discuss extensively the social and physical influences of environments in a retail environment such as that of the bus and railway station. The discussions in this study focussed on describing the comprehensive servicescape model dimensions which shoppers encountered during their shopping activity. The study also indicated the significance of the interaction of service staff with the customers in determining the service quality, customer satisfaction and the future intention of travelers. Additionally this study emphasised the importance of social encounters and perceptiveness to cues within the station, which determine whether they actively or passively are involved in the shopping encounter. The research findings reveal that, travellers perceive the servicescape within the bus station as unattractive and lack appropriate facilities. Furthermore travelers considered the two dimensions (store image and store ambience) of the store’s servicescape as one composite unit of the servicescape. This position is supported in literature, where it is argued that people respond to their environment holistically, rather than to individual stimuli. The travelling shoppers reveal that although they always find the shops from the bus station clean and neat, consumers expect a certain level of ambient environmental conditions to be present. The empirical findings in this study indicate that travelling shoppers are not interested in visiting the stores at the bus and railway station for shopping because merchandise from the bus station stores is poor in quality and unreliable; the surroundings at the station as unpleasant and the bus and railway station stores are congested. Thus, hasty shopping and spending more time or stay longer than planned for shopping at the bus and railway station is not useful to travelling shoppers. Therefore, travellers feel strongly that the shopping environment of the station is not conducive to shopping. These facilities (stations) are only used for travelling purposes; therefore there is a need for improvement in the retail and station facilities in order to increase shopping activities within this servicescape. The research findings reveal that shopping at the bus station seems to be driven by traditional needs such as functional and experiential motivations as well as travelrelated needs such as busstation-atmosphere-related and bus station-infrastructurerelated motivations. It was difficult to deduce a particular typology of shoppers in this environment, but due to the stress related to travelling. Passive shopping was observed amongst travellers, which is not a positive shopping behaviour for retailers.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2012
How the internet supports the consumer decision process: the case study of McCarthy Call-a-Car
- Authors: Limbada, Suhayl
- Date: 2006
- Subjects: McCarthy Call-a Car , Automobile dealers -- South Africa , Automobile industry and trade , Internet marketing , Consumer behavior , Customer services , Consumer satisfaction
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:1171 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1002787 , McCarthy Call-a Car , Automobile dealers -- South Africa , Automobile industry and trade , Internet marketing , Consumer behavior , Customer services , Consumer satisfaction
- Description: This thesis aims to provide a better understanding of the ways in which the Internet supports the consumer decision process of potential customers in an online car retail environment. The thesis is mainly focused on how this can be done in South Africa. A case study approach was adopted in investigating the case of McCarthy Call-a-Car. Interviews were carried out with McCarthy Call-a-Car employees and documents and the Call-a-Car website, were analysed. It was revealed that Call-a-Car focuses on using the Internet to support customers in the pre-purchase phase only. The purchase and post-purchase phases are carried out offline at its dealership network and Club McCarthy respectively. The findings showed that Call-a-Car views the Internet as a marketing tool that provides convenience to customers searching for product information in the pre-purchase phase. The interviews revealed that due to Call-a-Car's strategy, as well as practical problems of selling online, the customer will still have to visit a dealership to conclude a purchase and for post-purchase support. From this research it appears that there are three main issues arising out of Call-a-Car's usage of the Internet in the customer buying process: firstly, the research revealed that instead of cutting out the middle-man, the Internet has created new types of intermediaries called "cybermediaries" and that Call-a-Car is one such intermediary. Secondly, it was revealed that trust is crucial in the online environment and that Call-a-Car builds trust through branding. Thirdly, the Internet has not affected prices online, despite theoretical estimations that the Internet would induce lower prices. The main recommendations for future research are empirical studies to investigate if the cybermediary model is unique to the car industry and whether this business model could be applied to other look and feel industries such as real estate. Future studies could also investigate the mechanics of trust-building and brand-building in the online environment and finally, studies from the customer perspective considering what Internet tools the customer would like to see online to support them during their buying decision process.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2006
An analysis of the influence exerted by the pharmacist and pharmacy assistant in the purchase decision of health and beauty aid products
- Authors: Suttner, Raymond Sharl
- Date: 1986
- Subjects: Cosmetics -- Marketing , Consumer behavior , Pharmacists -- Information services , Drugstores -- Marketing
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MCom
- Identifier: vital:1189 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1004383 , Cosmetics -- Marketing , Consumer behavior , Pharmacists -- Information services , Drugstores -- Marketing
- Description: [Introduction] The 1980s have ushered in an era of extreme competitive pressure for the modern business organisation. In previous times many business organisations have succeeded simply because of the excellence of their products, with little concern or attention being paid to the wants and needs of potential customers. As the business environment has become more competitive, however, the point of focus has changed. There is ample evidence which suggests a correlation between success in business and firms which have adopted a marketing-orientated philosophy of business. The evolution of marketing as a discipline has been hastened in recent times by the need of the firm to survive in the face of increasing competition. This "increasing attention" is occurring because of the realisation that sheer product excellence alone will not necessarily mean that the firm will succeed in establishing a group of satisfied customers in the long term. It is the adoption of the so-called "marketing concept" which provides the opportunity for the firm to develop a competitive edge which will more likely eventuate in success.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 1986