This research study aims to obtain a holistic view of the area of store atmospherics, which forms part of the retail industry. A consumer-centred response approach was followed. Store atmospherics and its influence on consumers’ buying behaviour has received very little attention in the literature to date. Consumers’ views on in-store atmospheric elements and the influence of these elements on their buying behaviour were obtained. The primary research aim that was derived from the preliminary literature was therefore to explore the influence of store atmospherics on consumers’ buying behaviour in apparel retail stores in the Tshwane region. The type of research design used in this study was exploratory, making use of a qualitative approach and a communicative technique of interviews. The selected method was focus group interviews and naïve sketches. The data gathered was analysed by means of Tesch’s inductive descriptive coding technique, better known as thematic analysis. It was found that atmospheric elements have the ability to influence consumers in either a subconscious or a conscious way. This has a direct influence on the amount of time that consumers will spend in-store and ultimately influences their buying decisions and behaviour either positively or negatively. This had a direct influence on the amount of time that consumers will spend instore and ultimately influences their buying decisions and behaviours either positively or negatively, meaning that the consumers’ will display either an approach- or avoidance behaviour. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

Retailers are turning to loyalty marketing to attempt to sustain profitability by encouraging consumer loyalty. This study aimed to explore the factors that influence consumer loyalty towards Edgars, the largest clothing retailer in South Africa. The study found that the strongest influence of consumer loyalty towards Edgars was price, followed by service and then merchandise selection. The effect of method of payment on loyalty was also measured and it was concluded that the more closely consumers are contractually tied to a retailer, the less of an influence price has on their loyalty towards the retailer. The results can guide retail organisations in determining the focus areas of their marketing efforts for consumers that favour different payment methods. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

Abstracts in English and Zulu / Airline choice is of interest to both airline product development and marketing personnel and academics. While most of the studies airline choice/service quality only identify airlines service attributes essential to customers, this study employed personal values to extend and provide the reasons why airline service attributes are not or essential to passengers. Personal values are presented in the literature as the ultimate life goals individuals seek to attain in all aspects of their lives; hence, guide their behaviour. Based on this, the main objective of this study was to examine and identify the consumer (passenger) personal values that underpin the evaluation of airline service attributes used to choose an airline within the South African domestic passenger market. To achieve this objective, together with the secondary objectives, a quantitative descripto-explanatory research design was employed to guide data collection and analysis. A sample of 324 respondents was selected using a hybrid technique of convenience, and snowball sampling techniques and data were collected using both an online and hardcopy questionnaire. Data obtained were sorted and cleaned for analysis using the Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS 26) and the Analysis of a Moment Structures (AMOS Version 26) software. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted to assess factor structures of observed variables and identify latent constructs. The factorability of portrait value questionnaire (PVQ) items was determined using the confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Hypotheses were tested using the backward multiple regression analysis, Whitney-Mann test, Spearman correlation and hierarchical regression with Hayes’ Process Macro. The study identified five of Schwartz’s 19 refined values as significantly influencing the evaluation and prioritisation of airline service attributes. A state of indifference among customers was found when the impact of airline service attributes was tested, with only onboard services found to significantly influence post-purchase outcomes such as satisfaction, loyalty and repeat purchase behaviour. It was also found that passengers did not distinguish between low-cost and full-service carriers. Income only moderated the influence of stimulation and self-direction thought values on airline service attributes while marketing communications effort was found to have a direct than a moderating role. In the main, these findings bring a novel and rich way of explaining airline choice through personal values. The results are essential for airline market segmentation, positioning and the development of airline products or features that match passenger desired life goals (personal values) which are touted as a guide to their choice behaviour. / Ukuqoka inkampani yezindiza ozoyisebenzisa kumayelana nokuthuthukisa umkhiqizo nabasebenzi bokumaketha kanye nabacwaningi. Phezu kokuba ukucwaninga ngezindiza nokuqokwa kwazo/ ikhwalithi yesevisi kukhomba kuphela izimfanelo zesevisi ezibalulekile kumakhasimende, lolu cwaningo lumbandakanye okungamagugu abantu ukunweba nokuletha izizathu zokuthi kungani izimfanelo zesevisi zenkampani yezindiza zingabalulekile noma zibalulekile kubagibeli. Okungamagugu abantu kwethulwe ngemibhalo kwaba ngamaphupho ekusasa ahlonzwayo ezimpilweni, ngakho,ebe eqondisa indlela yokuziphatha kwabo. Kuncike kulokhu, eyona nhlosongqangi yalolu cwaningo kwaku wukuhlola nokuhlonza okungamagugu omuntu ongumthengi (umgibeli) ukusekela ukuhlolwa kwezimfanelo zesevisi ezisetshenziswa ukukhetha inkampani yezindiza azoyisebenzisa ezimakethe zalezi ezihambela ngaphakathi eNingizimu Afrika. Ukufezekisa le nhlosongqangi kanye nezinye izizathu zocwaningo, idizayini yokucwaningo ye’quantitative descripto-explanatory’ isetshenziswe ukuqokelela idatha nokuhlaziya ulwazi. Isampula yababambe iqhaza abangama-324 ikhethiwe kusetshenziswa i hybrid technique of convenience, kanye nendlela yesampula yemihlathi eyazanayo (snowball sampling), kanti idatha iqoqwe ngakho kokubili, ‘online’ namaphepha anemibuzo ebuzelwa ukuthola okuthile. Idatha etholakele ihlukanisiwe yenzelwa ukuhlaziyeka kahle kusetshenziswa iStatistical Product neService Solutions (SPSS 26) kanye ne-Analysis of a Moment Structures (AMOS Version 26) software. I-Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) yenziwe ukuze kuhlolwe ukuthi izakhiwo eziyizimiso ukuqaphela okuguqukayo kwabuye kwaqashelwa ne-identify latent constructs. I- factorability yeportrait value questionnaire (PVQ) izinto zanqunywa kusetshenziswa iconfirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Umbono ube usuhlolwa kusetshenziswa ibackward multiple regression analysis, Whitney-Mann test, Spearman correlation ne hierarchical regression ene Hayes’ Process Macro. Lolu cwaningo lube nezinkomba ezinhlanu zika’Schwartz’s 19’ ezingamagugu acwengisisiwe abe nomthelela wazo ethonyeni lokuhlola nokubeka phambili kwezinkampani zezindiza izimfanelo zesevisi. Kutholwe isimo sokunganaki kubagibeli uma kuhlolwa izimfanelo zesevisi yenkampani yezindiza, kuphela nje isevisi yangaphakathi endizeni ithathwa njengebaluleke kakhulu enomthelela emiphumeleni yokuthenga kamuva okubalwa kukho ukwaneliseka kwabagibeli, ukwethembeka nokuphinda kuthengwe amanye ngokuzayo. Kutholakele ukuthi abagibeli abakwazanga ukwahlukanisa phakathi kosizo olusezingeni eliphansi nalolo olusezingeni eliphezulu. Inzuzo ibe nomthelela kuphela ekukhuthazeni isiqondiso ngasinye ngokwamagugu okuziphatha ezinsizeni zesevisi yenkampani yezindiza ngakolunye uhlangothi ezokuxhumana kwezezimakethe kuyimizamo etholakele kube neqondile kuneqhaza elisezingeni elilinganayo. Ngokwesidingo, lokhu okutholakele kwethula indlela entsha ecebileyokuchaza ukuqokwa kwezinkampani zezindiza ezisethenziswa abantu abawuhlobo oluthile. Imiphumela ibalulekile emakethe yezinkampani zezindiza ukuze kwahlukaniswe, kubekwe endaweni, kuthuthukiswe imikhiqizo yezinkampani zezindiza noma izinto ezithandwa abagibeli nezidingo zabo zempilo okuyizona eziwumhlahlandlela wokuqoka inkampani abazoyisebenzisa / Business Management / D. Com. (Business Management)