Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1974. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

Soweto makes up 43% of the City of Johannesburg’s population, and up until 2005 it only made up 3% of the city’s retail floor space. As a result, the intensity at which retail facilities have mushroomed in the last four years has raised questions whether all retailers who have invested in Soweto will succeed given the existing perceptions about the Soweto shopper and doing business in Soweto. The aim of this qualitative study was therefore to explore factors driving store patronage and cross-shopping in Soweto because the evolution of store formats and the resulting cross-shopping behaviour have received limited attention in literature. Interviews with shoppers from Soweto were conducted in the process and the results showed that an increasing number of Sowetans are actually shopping in Soweto. The study ultimately makes the following conclusions: Factors driving store patronage in Soweto are competitive prices, the atmosphere in the stores, demographic variables, and retailer reputation. Cross-shopping is driven by limited product assortments, ‘out-of-stock’ situations, value-maximising behaviour and the convenience orientation of consumers. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Maintaining and increasing customer loyalty has become a crucial strategic objective for businesses due to cross-shopping and intensified competition across many industries. In the realm of grocery retailing, the necessity for retailers to invest resources towards fostering customer loyalty has reached unprecedented levels, primarily due to the proliferation of shopping formats accessible to customers. Hard discounters are among those store formats. They are stores that offer basic goods and daily necessities at the lowest prices possible while maintaining high-quality standards. Due to the tough economic times, consumers are becoming more price-oriented which makes them switch some of their shopping to hard discounters and when they do, they learn that quality, assortment, and service are actually better than expected which leads to them remaining loyal to the store when good economic times return. However, to be able to achieve and maintain loyalty, stores must first create store satisfaction. And that store satisfaction is in turn based on other factors, such as store attributes and the store's physical environment. Nevertheless, existing marketing research offers limited assistance to retail managers when it comes to maintaining loyalty for hard discounters. Therefore, the purpose of this thesis is to analyze which store image attributes can create store loyalty in a store environment for hard discounters within the Swedish grocery market. This study intends to explore the relationship between store attributes, store image, store satisfaction, and store loyalty within hard discounters. Towards filling this gap, a conceptual model considering the effects of store image attributes on store satisfaction and store loyalty is proposed. Data was collected from a survey of 151 Swedish shoppers at hard discounters. The data was then analyzed using IBM SPSS. when analyzing the data, the results show that the store attributes atmosphere and price had the biggest impact on store satisfaction, followed by assortment and personnel which exerts a moderately positive impact on store satisfaction. However, service did not exert a positive influence on store satisfaction. Ultimately, store satisfaction exerts a strong positive effect on store loyalty to hard discounters. In conclusion, the results indicate that there is a relationship between store image attributes, store satisfaction, and store loyalty for hard discounters in the Swedish grocery market.

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This thesis is an exploration of what happens when people go from moving fast to slow, and when minutes turn into hours within a space that is temporary in nature. It explores the concept of time within the context of convenience store visits, examining the varying durations individuals spend in such spaces—from moments of transit to extended periods of socialization and leisure. Through this exploration, this thesis intends to reflect on the role of the convenience store as not only a service space designed for temporary visits but as architecture that supports community. This exploration led me to concentrate on the dual role of convenience stores: not only as quick stops for essentials but also as communal hubs where individuals gather, interact, and engage in diverse activities. The design approach in this thesis prioritizes user needs, particularly emphasizing community integration and adaptability to evolving local needs. The aim was to create an inviting space that appeals to both pedestrians and drivers, communicating openness, vibrancy, and information sharing. Central to this idea are three key elements: Refuge: Incorporating semi-enclosed spaces and opportunities for shelter, alongside opportunities for open views, high ceilings, and exposure to nature and natural materials, to influence behavioral patterns. Scale: Evaluating the building's relationship with its surroundings, catering to diverse visitor demographics, and considering interactions between automobiles, pedestrians, and occupants. Light: Prioritizing natural light in areas where socialization and extended stays occur, creating vibrant spaces that foster community-building while also attracting and encouraging lingering. / Master of Architecture / This thesis explores the role that convenience stores play in the community not only a service spaces designed for temporary visits but as architecture that supports community.

Magister Commercii - MCom / This study aimed to shed insight on how store image influences customer perception. Everything customers see, hear and experience is linked together and forms their overall perception of a store. The first objective of the study was to analyze whether a relationship exists between the store choice and customers biographical details. The second objective is to identify components of store image that shoppers may consider important in store selection process; how the case company can use this knowledge and develop the business and customer service even further. Eight dimensions of shopping enjoyment are proposed and a 47-item measure was developed to measure 155 consumer perceptions from various malls in the geographical area of Cape Town. Findings indicate that there are no statistically significant relations between store image and consumers demographic factors such as age, gender, level of education, marital status, occupation and income. Furthermore, respondents rated physical characteristics of the store which included factors such as the neatness and cleanliness of the store, its decor, the wideness of the aisles, air-conditioning and lighting as the most important element when making a store choice. The implications of these results are discussed, together with practical and theoretical implications, study limitations, and future research directions.

The Thesis looks into problems of in-store communication from Brief of POS to final placement at the store. The core of the Thesis is to reveal non-efficient fields of otherwise very successful tools. The goal is to verify hypothetic problems which influence full effectiveness of POS tools at retail stores. The Thesis brings a different frame of reference and tries to reveal problems and make them visible, but to find out solutions as well. The results are supported by researches from 3 different fields. They are the customer research, the supplier and POS implementer research, and retail research (hypermarket). The methods used are observation, interview (personal and questionnaire) and assisted shopping. Confirmed problems which follow from researches and influence the effectiveness of POS are these: no certain definition of POS goals; inadequate attractiveness of POS for customers; low-cost production instead of creativity and originality; no harmony between material of display and exposed products and bad cooperation between all subjects within process of POS.

Effect of the On-line Personal Services on Store Image and Purchase Intention in Electronic Stores

A thermal energy store corrects the misalignment of heating demand in the winter relative to solar thermal energy gathered in the summer. This thesis reviews the viability of a solar charged hot water tank thermal energy store for a school at latitude 56.25N, longitude -120.85W

With the rapid growth and competitiveness in the South African apparel retail industry, retailers and marketers face numerous challenges to remain competitive. Contributing to the dynamic nature of this phenomenon is the impulsive nature and individual preferences of consumers when buying apparel, which necessitate retailers to be more responsive towards consumer needs and preferences in order to attract potential, and retain existing, customers. This can be done by formulating a retail strategy that will enrich consumers' total retail experience. When developing a total retail experience, all the elements that would encourage or inhibit the consumer to buy from the retailer should be considered, which among others include the store attributes applied within the store environment. This implies that apparel retailers, and especially those selling casual wear, should identify the importance attached to store attributes of their particular target market and how satisfied they are with the attributes offered. Since consumers use store attributes during store selection, it is essential for retailers and marketers to understand consumer behaviour, and more specifically the consumer decision-making process, since store attributes are used as evaluative criteria during this process. To satisfy consumer needs, retailers should meet consumer expectations in order to generate a positive attitude towards the store, which will increase the chances of repeat patronage. Consumer expectations form an essential part throughout the consumer decision-making process, which in the end will determine whether consumers experience post-purchase satisfaction or dissatisfaction. Since consumer expectations are formed by previous experiences, marketers should ensure that they offer the necessary store attributes consumers perceive as important when purchasing products, services or selecting a store. Evidently, this will influence both consumers' satisfaction towards a certain retail store, as well as future store selection. The primary objective of this study was to determine the importance of, and satisfaction with, store attributes to black Generation X consumers when choosing a store selling casual wear. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to survey 252 black respondents at a mall in Soweto. The questionnaire aimed to determine which store attributes are important to black Generation X consumers when selecting a store selling casual wear, and how satisfied they were with the store attributes offered by the store they most often buy casual wear from. Results identified 10 reliable Importance factors when determining which factors black Generation X consumers consider when selecting a store selling casual wear, namely service provided by salespeople; check-out points, dressing. rooms, store hours and proximity to store; display of casual wear and in-store advertising; store appearance, styles, sizes and quality of casual wear; physical facilities to enhance shopping convenience; offering cell phones and accessories; music played; price of casual wear; variety of brand names and credit card facilities; and the alteration of clothing and lay-buy services. It was also found that respondents were less satisfied with certain store attributes offered by the store they most often buy their casual wear from when compared to how important these factors were to them, including service provided by salespeople, check-out points, dressing rooms, store hours and proximity to the store. It is recommended that retailers who sell casual wear to black Generation X consumers should determine which attributes are considered as important to their target market and apply it in their retail and marketing strategies accordingly. It is also recommended that stores selling casual wear should conduct research to determine whether differences exist between their target markets' demographic profile with regard to the importance of store attributes as well as their satisfaction with those attributes offered by the store. Based on these results, marketers will be able to identify the attributes consumers are not satisfied with, which gives the opportunity for improving and amending strategies and gaining a competitive advantage. Future research can focus on the importance of store attributes to black Generation X consumers or other groups in other units of analysis, such as different retail formats and industries, as well as expanding the study to include more geographic areas. / Thesis (M.Com. (Marketing Management)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.