The purpose of this study was to explore the integration of a branded retail application in physical stores. Doing so, this study was conducted with a qualitative and abductive approach in the form of a case study focusing on H&M. The empirical material was collected through think-aloud observations and semi-structured interviews with 22 participants in total. The theoretical framework consisted of 6 aspects related to smart customer experience, including convenience and time convenience, personalisation, interactivity, control, usefulness, and involvement. Furthermore, the concept of the purchase decision process was also included in the theoretical framework. Five themes regarding the usage of the branded retail application in physical stores was found, including prior store visit usage and in-store usage, in-store information, selective information, visualisation of items in-store, and in-store communication. From this, it was concluded that using the app in-store provide several benefits depending on how the app is used. This leads to the conclusion that the app influences in different phases of the purchase decision process.

Omnichannel has become a central part of future retailing and is expected to be implemented by multiple brands. Omnichannel is an extension of multichannel enquiring complete integration between channels. As customers’ demands changes and demonstrate switching of brands, maintaining loyal customers’ in the evolving retail market with unlimited options is a continuous challenge. There are indicators of omnichannel retailing increasing customer satisfaction but there is no research investigating how it could affect brand loyalty, either through attitudinal loyalty, behavioural loyalty or a combination of both. This research aims to explore how implications of omnichannel retailing could facilitate the demanded satisfactory shopping experience and lead to embarked brand loyalty. A qualitative method was chosen to explore this phenomenon by using primary, secondary data and conducting of in-depth interviews. The results shows that omnichannel is an significant factor facilitating a satisfactory shopping experience, in turn inflicting attitudinal loyalty, but there were vague signs of behavioural loyalty. Thus, omnichannel was not considered the main factor affecting brand loyalty due to lack of expressed commitment to repurchase, hence omnishoppers rarely surpasses the step of satisfaction to fully becoming brand loyal.

Between the years 2013 and 2016, e-commerce sales grew as a percent of total retail sales in the United States from 5.8% to 8.5%, an increase of $129 billion. Some brick-and-mortar (B & M) retailers struggle with maintaining the historic levels of revenue in their stores. A multiple case study design with retail store managers was used to understand what factors engage customers to shop at B & M store locations. The consumer-dominant value creation logic was the conceptual framework. Data were collected from semistructured interviews with 5 retail store managers in Texas who demonstrated successful strategies for engaging customers in their B & M stores, and notes from observations. Data from semistructured interviews were analyzed with a traditional method to identify themes. The found themes included fun at work, customer connection, relationship, pride, and genuine care. The implications of this study for positive social change include the potential to enhance the economic vitality and development in the surrounding community by creating additional jobs and generating additional income for members of the community that could be spent in local economies.

Nowadays, the luxury market is experiencing an intensive competition trend. Business is hard to survive from distinguish itself from other brands. Creating superior customer experience seems to be one of the vital objectives to remain competitive advantage in current retailing environments. This study was designed to investigate differences between levels of loyalty, perceived brand experience and retail experience, among shoppers from a luxury brand. Data for this study were collected from a convenience sample of 200 participants who were selected with personally experienced of a luxury brand. Descriptive statistics were compiled on data for all respondents. Data were analyzed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) to further assess the reliability of the scale. In addition, structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to observe the relationships among the constructs and to test the remaining hypotheses. Results of the study demonstrated differences among brand and retail experience that suggested as drivers to afford experience to customer that successfully effectively affacting customer¡¦s emotion positively towards a significant luxury brand. Furthermore, the degree of expectation fulfillments generates satisfaction which, in turn intensifies intentions toward repatronage decision in the future. Therefore, both brand experience and retail experience embrace valuable feedback and feedforward to brand development strategies and assist in achieving a mutually beneficial commitment for the brand to gain the edge.

Plečiantis oro uostams Lietuvoje, spaudoje, internete padaugėjo skundų dėl Kauno oro uosto veiklos. Šiame darbe naudojant pakankamai naujus patirties marketingo įgyvendinimo būdus, planuojama pagerinti keleivių patirtį Kauno oro uoste. Todėl darbo tikslas – parengti patirties marketingo įgyvendinimo projektą Kauno oro uoste. Darbe analizuojama mokslinė literatūra, statistiniai duomenys, įvairūs antrinių duomenų šaltiniai. Pirmas skyrius skirtas teoriniam patirties marketingo pristatymui. Antrajame skyriuje analizuojami oro uostų veiklos ypatumai bei atlikti tyrimai patirties marketingo srityje. Siekiant parengti projektą, suformuojama patirties marketingo tyrimo metodika Kauno oro uoste. Atlikus tyrimą sudaromas keleivių patirties žemėlapis, pagal kurio duomenis rengiamas patirties marketingo įgyvendinimo projektas Kauno oro uoste. Atlikus teorinę analizę ir padarius tyrimą, paaiškėjo, kas kuria didžiausią neigiamą keleivių patirtį, todėl buvo parengtas pirmasis patirties marketingo įgyvendinimo Kauno oro uoste projektas – „Informacijos sklaidos projektas“. / While airports in Lithuania are expanding, in press, on the Internet you can find more and more complaints about Kaunas airport. Using fairly new methods of experience marketing this paper aims to prepare experience marketing implementation project in Kaunas airport. The analysis of research literature, articles, statistical data and various secondary data has been done. Theoretical approach to experience marketing has been discussed in the first chapter. In the second chapter airports’ activities and results of experience marketing researches have been presented. In order to prepare the project, a new research has been done at Kaunas airport. After the research a new passenger experience map has been made. The project is prepared according to the map. After analysis of theory and research, it is obvious, what is creating the most negative experience at Kaunas airport. The first project prepared for Kaunas airport to implement experience marketing is called “The Spread of Information”.

The concept of customer perceived value occupies a prominent position within the strategic agenda of organisations, as firms seek to maximise the value perceived by their customers as arising from their consumption, and to equal or exceed that perceived in relation to competitor propositions. Customer value management is similarly central to the marketing discipline. However, the nature of customer value remains ambiguous and its measurement is typically flawed, due to the poor conceptual foundation upon which previous research endeavours are built. This investigation seeks to address the current poverty of insight regarding the nature and measurement of customer value. The development of a revised conceptual framework synthesises the strengths of previous value conceptualisations while addressing many of their limitations. A multi-dimensional depiction of value arising from customer experience is presented, in which value is conceptualised as arising at both first-order dimension and overall, second-order levels of abstraction. The subsequent operationalisation of this conceptual framework within a two-phase investigation combines qualitative and quantitative methodologies in a study of customer value arising from subscription TV (STV) consumption. Sixty semi-structured interviews with 103 existing STV customers give rise to a multi-dimensional model of value, in which dimensions are categorised as restorative, actualising and hedonic in type, and as arising via individual, reflected or shared modes of perception. The quantitative investigation entails two periods of data collection via questionnaires developed from the qualitative findings, and the gathering of 861 responses, also from existing STV customers. A series of scales with which to measure value dimensions is developed and an index enabling overall perceived value measurement is produced. Contributions to theory of customer value arise in the form of enhanced insights regarding its nature. At the first-order dimension level, the derived dimensions are of specific relevance to the STV industry. However, the empirically derived framework of dimension types and modes of perception has potential applicability in multiple contexts. At the more abstract, second-order level, the findings highlight that value perceptions comprise only a subset of potential dimensions. Evidence is thus presented of the need to consider value at both dimension and overall levels of perception. Contributions to knowledge regarding customer value measurement also arise, as the study produces reliable and valid scales and an index. This latter tool is novel in its formative measurement of value as a second order construct, comprising numerous first-order dimensions of value, rather than quality as incorporated in previously derived measures. This investigation also results in a contribution to theory regarding customer experience through the identification of a series of holistic, discrete, direct and indirect value-generating interactions. Contributions to practice within the STV industry arise as the findings present a solution to the immediate need for enhanced value insight. Contributions to alternative industries are methodological, as this study presents a detailed process through which robust value insight can be derived. Specific methodological recommendations arise in respect of the need for empirically grounded research, an experiential focus and a twostage quantitative methodology.

The main aim of the study was to determine which measurement tool, existing or adapted, would be able to determine the levels of customer centricity within the sales channels of a specific organisation, operating in the South African financial industry. A literary study showed that in order to determine the levels of customer centricity, customer experience should be measured. Six questionnaires were administered, namely, EXQ, NPS, CES, Customer satisfaction, Word-of-Mouth and Behavioural loyalty intention. The data showed a statistical significance and a positive relationship between all the constructs within all the questionnaires except with that of CES. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Convenience stores are playing a pivotal role in the contribution to profitability in the fuels retail environment. In order to increase market share that will lead to increased profits it is imperative to provide excellent customer service. Customer experience has been identified as the key construct in the modern retail environment to be addressed, in order to ensure a satisfied customer. It has been noted that customer experience is not measured in the convenience stores, but only at the pump stations and the carwash service points of Sasol garages. Sasol Oil has a fuels retail market share of 9% and it will be beneficial for the company to explore all avenues to increase market share since convenience stores contribute 25% towards the total profit of the company. A literature review was conducted to identify the important controllable elements of the total customer experience and the measuring instruments that can be used to measure these elements, which formed the basis of the empirical study. The measuring instruments discussed in the literature are Servqual, Kano and customised models. One of the dimensions of the total customer experience is service quality and a customised model was chosen as the measuring instrument of choice. Questionnaires were developed, based on the controllable elements of customer experience, and distributed via email and handouts. In total, 260 questionnaires were distributed with a response of 47.7%. Descriptive statistics and exploratory factor analysis were employed to analyse the data. The reliability of the questionnaire was tested using Cronbach alpha. Cronbach alpha values above the minimum requirements and a cumulative variance of only 47% was achieved. Conclusions were drawn from the empirical study and recommendations were made in the final chapter. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Convenience stores are playing a pivotal role in the contribution to profitability in the fuels retail environment. In order to increase market share that will lead to increased profits it is imperative to provide excellent customer service. Customer experience has been identified as the key construct in the modern retail environment to be addressed, in order to ensure a satisfied customer. It has been noted that customer experience is not measured in the convenience stores, but only at the pump stations and the carwash service points of Sasol garages. Sasol Oil has a fuels retail market share of 9% and it will be beneficial for the company to explore all avenues to increase market share since convenience stores contribute 25% towards the total profit of the company. A literature review was conducted to identify the important controllable elements of the total customer experience and the measuring instruments that can be used to measure these elements, which formed the basis of the empirical study. The measuring instruments discussed in the literature are Servqual, Kano and customised models. One of the dimensions of the total customer experience is service quality and a customised model was chosen as the measuring instrument of choice. Questionnaires were developed, based on the controllable elements of customer experience, and distributed via email and handouts. In total, 260 questionnaires were distributed with a response of 47.7%. Descriptive statistics and exploratory factor analysis were employed to analyse the data. The reliability of the questionnaire was tested using Cronbach alpha. Cronbach alpha values above the minimum requirements and a cumulative variance of only 47% was achieved. Conclusions were drawn from the empirical study and recommendations were made in the final chapter. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

Consumers perceptions of retail stores, the assortment of products and the locations in which they are situated, all influence consumers decisions about where, when and how to shop. In the highly competitive arena of retailing, this knowledge greatly affects retailer performance and marketing strategy. Despite this strategic importance, the literature lacks empirical research into the assortment of categories offered in retail stores and their influence on store image. Moreover, image conceptualisation for different retail contexts is fragmented and the consumer image perceptions of categories are unexplored. Recent attention has shifted to customer experience research, yet this literature refers to the consumers interaction with one retailer, when consumer shopping journeys may include many retail interactions. The research presented in this thesis addresses the above gaps, contributing to theory and knowledge in the area of retail marketing. The thesis comprises eight papers published over a 17-year period. It examines the perceptions and roles of retail assortments; category perceptions and management in retail stores; customer perceptions of image and experiences of town centres. The thesis draws from a range of empirical studies documented within the eight papers. These include: a comparative study of ten major retailers assortment strategies; a survey of 504 consumers perceptions of supermarket assortments; a qualitative study involving six national focus groups of apparel consumers; and a survey of 536 consumers across five regional city centres. The studies are informed by two literature reviews documenting retail assortment research and town centre research. Collectively, the thesis delivers a significant research contribution to knowledge and theory. The first four thesis papers clarify the strategic relationships between retail assortment and image. The following two papers identify new perspectives of image congruence and relationships between category and store image. The final two papers consolidate all previous contexts in a multi-faceted retail image construct, emphasising the previously neglected psychological image elements. Fundamentally, consumers experiences in town centre retail environments contribute to the ongoing process of holistic image creation. The findings demonstrate that as retail environments change, consumers perceptions are also evolving from a functional, static image perspective to a dynamic, experience driven concept. The research commentary concludes by outlining future research agenda.