Consumer brand preference is an essential step to understand consumer choice behaviour, and has therefore always received great attention from marketers. Brand preferences reveal the type of attributes a brand possesses, to strengthen its position and increase its market share. Moreover, it forms a critical input in developing a company’s successful brand strategy, and gives insight for product development. However, the shift to experiential marketing broadens the role of the brand from a bundle of attributes to experiences. Experiential marketing also considers both, the rational and irrational assumptions of consumer behaviour. The technological advancement helped increasing the similarities between the brands attributes and product commoditisation. Consequently, consumers cannot shape their preferences among brands using rational attributes only. They seek the brand that creates experience; intrigue them in a sensorial, emotional, and creative way. Companies’ competitiveness in such market has, therefore become increasingly difficult. Their survival requires building their competitive advantage by delivering memorable experiences, which would influence consumers’ brand preferences, and consequently stimulate consumers’ purchase decisions. In the marketing literature, the traditional models are uni-dimensional, and addressing the brand preferences by consumers’ cognitive judgement of brand attributes on a rational basis. The role of experience is limited to the impact of its type on shifting preference level. Most of prior studies are partial and focusing on one or two antecedents of brand preferences. In addition to these drawbacks, the studies also ignore consequences determining the consumer purchase decisions. Based on these limitations in the literature, a lack of understanding of how consumers develop their brand preferences was identified. Accordingly, the aim of this study is to develop a model that provides an understanding of how brand knowledge and brand experiences determine brand preferences and to investigate its impact on brand repurchase intentions. In this model, the brand knowledge is defined by attribute-based beliefs, referring to consumers’ salient beliefs about the brand intrinsic cues, and non-attribute beliefs, reflected in the price, appearance, brand personality, and self-congruity. Therefore, the relative importance of brand knowledge factors contributing to brand preference is determined. Furthermore, the model addresses the interactions between the brand knowledge and brand experience in shaping brand preference. Thus, addressing how the experiences reflect embedded value in the brand offerings influencing consumer preferences. To achieve the aim of this study, a sequential mixed-method methodology combining both qualitative and quantitative research was adopted. The aim of the first qualitative phase is exploratory, using focus groups, to refine the proposed model and generate items for questionnaire development. The second phase, quantitative research, is the survey conducted using self-administrated questionnaires. The structural equation modelling (AMOS) software is used to analyse the data. The findings confirm that brand knowledge and brand experience are key sources of brand preferences. In addition, all the factors of brand knowledge have a direct positive impact on brand preferences. However, the role of brand personality on brand preference is realised through brand experience. The findings also support that the impacts of the general brand attributes and appearance on brand preference are partially mediated by brand experience. Furthermore, brand preference positively impacts repurchase intentions. The ultimate contribution of this study stems from revealing that both cognitive information processing and experiential responses form the bases of developing brand preferences, which form the link to future psychological reactions. Methodologically, the study measures the multi-dimensional constructs, brand experience and brand personality, at the aggregate level. In addition, it validates the “big-five personality” as a measure of brand personality. Pragmatically, the study suggests three levels for building brands of technological products to win consumer preferences. At the first level lies the brand functional attributes, at the second level, are the brand symbolic attributes reflected in the imagery associations and aesthetic appearance while at the third level is the brand experience. Noteworthy, these experiences are private in nature and cannot be commoditised. This model extends the notion of brand experience on preference development and can be extended in future research to build long-term consumer-brand relationship.

Bulk food exist in various kind of food, can be purchased by individual needs and quantities required, customer in Taiwan still stick to bulk food and the way sales. Recent year, many problems have revealed the bulk food safety issue. Therefore, Department of Health enacted bulk food labeling regulation in 2009 to clarify what information to be revealed, and has advocating the information to consumer about how to choose bulk food. The government hopes to increase the consumer knowledge and avoid food hazard. We can tell that knowledge must be an important part in decision procedure of food purchasing, but a few of research concern this issue. Hence, in this research product knowledge and other variables are discussed and selected to form research model. This research also discovered the bulk food safety situation unprecedentedly, gives an overview to readers. The goals of this research are find the mediator effect within involvement, perceived quality and repurchase intention and the moderator effect of product knowledge between the relationships of perceived quality and repurchase intention. Samples of 973 collected through questionnaire survey, tested the hypotheses by regression analysis. The result showed the three variables did have partial mediator effect. And the moderator effect was confirmed, product knowledge will weakened the relationship, implied the bulk food safety information advocacy would help to change the customer decision. Based on the result, suggestions are as followed: government should keep on educating consumer to establish proper food decision criteria; bulk food producer and distributor should improve the information reveal and food quality control spontaneously, to win customers¡¦ perceived quality and increase purchase.

This study aims at movie theaters in Kaohsiung to explore the relationship between marketing mix strategy and repurchase intention. single screen, miniplex, multiplex and megaplex. Our three targeted movie theaters are in the form of multiplex (holding 8 to 15 screens): Vieshow Cinemas in MegaA, Cinemark in Dream Mall and 3.Ambassdor Theatres in E-Da World. The audiences who have tickets to the three movie theaters are the researched samples. This study adopts structured questionnaires and qualitative method to analyze diverse variables. The formal questionnaire includes three sections: marketing mix strategy scale, repurchase intention scale and the consumer¡¦s basic profile. The questionnaires are made with reference to literatures and previous surveys in order to revise to conform to the purpose of the study. For the pilot study, the number of the questionnaires is 100 copies. Then, the number of the samples amounts to 1200 persons by means of convenience sampling. From survey participants, 1012 respondents were collected, and invalid ones were excluded, at the rate of recollection of 84.3%. Two hypotheses are proposed: 1¡GDifferent customers-one variable of population- has significant impact on marketing mix strategy. 2¡GMarketing mix strategy has significant impact on repurchase intention. The statistic tool SPSS17.0 are used for analysis of data and test of hypotheses covering multi analysis in terms of description, reliability, factor, T test, single-factor ANOVA, correlation and regression. The following are the findings: 1¡GDifferent consumers, the variable of population, significantly impact on marketing mix strategy. 2¡GMarketing mix strategy has significant impact on repurchase intention. Our suggestions are made as follows: 1¡GDesign specific network communication for youngsters and adults. 2¡GConvey more advertisement messages on popular networks and papers toward students and employees 3¡GStrengthen the diversity, accessibility and popularity with respect to the contents of network marketing. 4¡GImplement diversified marketing mix strategy for different customers. 5¡GExtend other dimensions (e.g., customer¡¦s satisfaction) for study. 6¡GStudy more movie theaters in different areas (such as Tainan, Taichung, New Taipei City and Taipei) or non-premier theaters by expanding our scales. 7¡GCollaborate and cooperate with the authority.

ABSTRACT The Relationship between Service Quality, Service Value, Customer Satisfaction, and Repurchase Intention- Example of Medical Cosmetology Clinic in Kaohsiung It is an essential task for managers of clinic to promote service quality, service value, patient satisfaction, and setup efficient marketing strategies to attract patients. From the view of repurchase intention, when patients have positive intention to purchase medical service, they will not only propagate for this clinic but also keep repurchasing medical services from that clinic. Therefore, it is important for clinics to keep patients¡¦ repurchase intention in mind to grasp their future. By sending questionnaires, this study surveyed patients of two medical cosmetology clinics in southern Taiwan randomly, with which the valid returned questionnaires are 314. The methodology of this study is structural equation model. By performing SEM, this study discusses the relationship between service quality, service value, customer satisfaction and repurchase intention. Besides, this study discusses the marketing programs to improve medical quality and upgrading patient satisfaction. This study suggests cosmetology medical clinic should endeavor in upgrading service quality, including reliability, assurance, and tangibility, responsibility and empathy. Thus would lead to the promoting of service value, satisfaction and repurchase intention. Therefore, repurchase intention leads to actual purchasing behavior. Finally, this study also does some managerial implications for managers of medical cosmetology clinics according to the analytic results.

Bulk food exist in various kind of food, can be purchased by individual needs and quantities required, customer in Taiwan still stick to bulk food and the way sales. Recent year, many problems have revealed the bulk food safety issue. Therefore, Department of Health enacted bulk food labeling regulation in 2009 to clarify what information to be revealed, and has advocating the information to consumer about how to choose bulk food. The government hopes to increase the consumer knowledge and avoid food hazard. We can tell that knowledge must be an important part in decision procedure of food purchasing, but a few of research concern this issue. Hence, in this research product knowledge and other variables are discussed and selected to form research model. This research also discovered the bulk food safety situation unprecedentedly, gives an overview to readers. The goals of this research are find the mediator effect within involvement, perceived quality and repurchase intention and the moderator effect of product knowledge between the relationships of perceived quality and repurchase intention. Samples of 973 collected through questionnaire survey, tested the hypotheses by regression analysis. The result showed the three variables did have partial mediator effect. And the moderator effect was confirmed, product knowledge will weakened the relationship, implied the bulk food safety information advocacy would help to change the customer decision. Based on the result, suggestions are as followed: government should keep on educating consumer to establish proper food decision criteria; bulk food producer and distributor should improve the information reveal and food quality control spontaneously, to win customers¡¦ perceived quality and increase purchase.

This research aims to discuss the correlation between after-purchase satisfaction and repurchase intention of mobile phones. The amount of mobile phone users had reached to 20 million and the possession rate of mobile phones was over 90% in Taiwan in July 2005. Repurchasers, including replacing the used mobile phone and buying the second one, are primary consumers in the mobile phone markets. Therefore it is important for mobile phone producers to understand consumers¡¦ repurchase intention and repurchase behaviors. However, consumers¡¦ purchasing decision does not end at buying but continues to influence consumers by the products¡¦ performance. After purchasing mobile phones, consumers tend to determine whether the buying decisions are correct or not by the satisfaction of the products. The conclusions of this research are presented as follows, (1)On average, university students have purchased 2.43 mobile phones by signing contracts with mobile phone service providers. (2)Consumers¡¦ after-purchase satisfaction, perceived value satisfaction, and brand loyalty significantly differ from different brands. Nokia was ranked highest. (3)In attributes of mobile phone, only brands and service points are considered affecting after-purchase satisfaction. (4)Perceived value satisfaction is prominently correlated to repurchase intention. (5)In personal concerns, attributes of mobile phones not only affect the repurchase intention but also have moderation effects. The conclusions above are meaningful for management in the following aspects, (1)University students have strong purchasing power and change mobile phones frequently, so mobile phone producers should create customer databases and offer special discounts to original customers. (2)Mobile phone producers should add more effort in product design and conduct remarkable attributes to create customers¡¦ usage habits and then attain their brand loyalty.

The global fashion retail industry has been characterised by fierce competition for numerous years. Boutiques face increasing pressure to distinctly differentiate themselves from competing retail stores offering fashion merchandise, since customers are becoming ever more demanding as fashion evolves and new trends reach South African retail stores. Accordingly, marketers have to ensure customer satisfaction, build store loyalty, and stimulate repurchase intentions in the fashion retail industry in order to survive and prosper. For marketers to attract and retain customers, they have to adjust their marketing strategies and utilise various elements in the marketing mix to compete for customers’ attention, satisfy their retail experience needs, and encourage them to return. Shopping for clothes forms a significant part of many South African females’ lifestyles. Customers to whom fashion is important, have specific needs and wants and desire specific retail experiences. These customers are also becoming increasingly more sophisticated and individualistic, and therefore turn to small, speciality retailers such as boutiques, which they believe can accommodate them by providing unique and tailored retail experiences. Essentially, these customers do not merely purchase the retailer’s merchandise; they want to experience the store atmosphere the retailer offers. Therefore, it is important for boutiques to be aware of their store atmosphere which can offer customers a satisfying, consistent and sound retail experience. Customers who positively experience a retailer’s store atmosphere may feel more satisfied with the boutique, and may return to the retail store in the hope of receiving a similar retail experience. Once the customer returns to the same retail store, the possibility arises that the customer may become store loyal. As soon as the customer keeps on returning to the same retail store, the probability of repurchase intentions becomes real. That said, store atmosphere is considered to be a significant marketing tool, given that it provides boutiques with the power to manipulate a customer’s retail experience which could ultimately influence, customer satisfaction, store loyalty and repurchase intention. The primary objective of this research study is to investigate store atmosphere as a second-order construct model comprised from four sub-dimensions (factors) namely the retail store exterior, interior, layout and design and point-of-purchase and décoration in order to determine the interrelationships between these sub-dimensions (factors), customer satisfaction, store loyalty and repurchase intention in the fashion retail industry. In order to address this, a descriptive research design was followed and self-administered questionnaires were fielded amongst females, 18 years and older with an average monthly household net income of more than R14 000 (medium-to-high household income) who have bought items most recently from boutiques in Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp during the past six months. Judgemental, convenience and quota sampling methods were used to select the sampling units and sampling elements. A total of 361 questionnaires were ultimately analysed. With respect to the empirical results of this research study, respondents agreed the most that the exterior location of the boutique is convenient, the entrance to the boutique is inviting, the interior of the boutique is clean and that the temperature in the boutique is comfortable. Regarding the layout and design of the boutique, respondents agreed the most that the checkout and service points in the boutique are well placed and that all the spaces in the boutique are creatively utilised, as well as that the furnishings in the boutique are attractive. Finally, regarding the point-of-purchase and décoration of the boutique, respondents agreed the most that the pricing of the merchandise in the boutique is clearly visible and that the merchandise is well displayed. All the measurement scales measuring the sub-dimensions (factors) and constructs of this research study exhibit internal consistency reliability as well as content, construct and criterion validity. The standardised model results indicate that all statements included in the measurement model exhibit significant factor loadings above the recommended cut-off point, exhibiting a large effect in all instances, leading to the retention of all statements for further statistical analysis. With respect to the assessment of the structural model, the fit indices indicate an acceptable model fit. Based on the empirical results obtained from this research study, it became clear that store atmosphere has a large direct influence on customer satisfaction and store loyalty, albeit with no direct influence on repurchase intention. Both mediation relationships realised a medium indirect effect between store atmosphere and repurchase intention with customer satisfaction and store loyalty as mediators. The recommendations of this research study mainly focus on strategies to improve the store atmosphere of boutiques, since it positively influences customer satisfaction and store loyalty directly and repurchase intention indirectly. Limitations the researcher encountered were mainly related to budget and time constraints. Recommendations for future research include extending this research study to other Provinces of South Africa in order to determine the status quo in these Provinces and to determine whether statistical significant differences exist between respondents based upon demographic and geographic differences with respect to the constructs of this research study. / MCom (Marketing Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The global fashion retail industry has been characterised by fierce competition for numerous years. Boutiques face increasing pressure to distinctly differentiate themselves from competing retail stores offering fashion merchandise, since customers are becoming ever more demanding as fashion evolves and new trends reach South African retail stores. Accordingly, marketers have to ensure customer satisfaction, build store loyalty, and stimulate repurchase intentions in the fashion retail industry in order to survive and prosper. For marketers to attract and retain customers, they have to adjust their marketing strategies and utilise various elements in the marketing mix to compete for customers’ attention, satisfy their retail experience needs, and encourage them to return. Shopping for clothes forms a significant part of many South African females’ lifestyles. Customers to whom fashion is important, have specific needs and wants and desire specific retail experiences. These customers are also becoming increasingly more sophisticated and individualistic, and therefore turn to small, speciality retailers such as boutiques, which they believe can accommodate them by providing unique and tailored retail experiences. Essentially, these customers do not merely purchase the retailer’s merchandise; they want to experience the store atmosphere the retailer offers. Therefore, it is important for boutiques to be aware of their store atmosphere which can offer customers a satisfying, consistent and sound retail experience. Customers who positively experience a retailer’s store atmosphere may feel more satisfied with the boutique, and may return to the retail store in the hope of receiving a similar retail experience. Once the customer returns to the same retail store, the possibility arises that the customer may become store loyal. As soon as the customer keeps on returning to the same retail store, the probability of repurchase intentions becomes real. That said, store atmosphere is considered to be a significant marketing tool, given that it provides boutiques with the power to manipulate a customer’s retail experience which could ultimately influence, customer satisfaction, store loyalty and repurchase intention. The primary objective of this research study is to investigate store atmosphere as a second-order construct model comprised from four sub-dimensions (factors) namely the retail store exterior, interior, layout and design and point-of-purchase and décoration in order to determine the interrelationships between these sub-dimensions (factors), customer satisfaction, store loyalty and repurchase intention in the fashion retail industry. In order to address this, a descriptive research design was followed and self-administered questionnaires were fielded amongst females, 18 years and older with an average monthly household net income of more than R14 000 (medium-to-high household income) who have bought items most recently from boutiques in Potchefstroom and Klerksdorp during the past six months. Judgemental, convenience and quota sampling methods were used to select the sampling units and sampling elements. A total of 361 questionnaires were ultimately analysed. With respect to the empirical results of this research study, respondents agreed the most that the exterior location of the boutique is convenient, the entrance to the boutique is inviting, the interior of the boutique is clean and that the temperature in the boutique is comfortable. Regarding the layout and design of the boutique, respondents agreed the most that the checkout and service points in the boutique are well placed and that all the spaces in the boutique are creatively utilised, as well as that the furnishings in the boutique are attractive. Finally, regarding the point-of-purchase and décoration of the boutique, respondents agreed the most that the pricing of the merchandise in the boutique is clearly visible and that the merchandise is well displayed. All the measurement scales measuring the sub-dimensions (factors) and constructs of this research study exhibit internal consistency reliability as well as content, construct and criterion validity. The standardised model results indicate that all statements included in the measurement model exhibit significant factor loadings above the recommended cut-off point, exhibiting a large effect in all instances, leading to the retention of all statements for further statistical analysis. With respect to the assessment of the structural model, the fit indices indicate an acceptable model fit. Based on the empirical results obtained from this research study, it became clear that store atmosphere has a large direct influence on customer satisfaction and store loyalty, albeit with no direct influence on repurchase intention. Both mediation relationships realised a medium indirect effect between store atmosphere and repurchase intention with customer satisfaction and store loyalty as mediators. The recommendations of this research study mainly focus on strategies to improve the store atmosphere of boutiques, since it positively influences customer satisfaction and store loyalty directly and repurchase intention indirectly. Limitations the researcher encountered were mainly related to budget and time constraints. Recommendations for future research include extending this research study to other Provinces of South Africa in order to determine the status quo in these Provinces and to determine whether statistical significant differences exist between respondents based upon demographic and geographic differences with respect to the constructs of this research study. / MCom (Marketing Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

For companies, the cost of acquiring a new customer is several times the cost of retaining an existing customer. Furthermore, the purchasing power of an existing customer is usually more predominant than a new one. Therefore, more and more companies attempt to establish long-term relationships with customers in order to make them patronize again or do other useful behaviors. The concept of consumer-company identification (C-C identification) has been used to qualify the deep, meaningful, and long-term relationships between consumers and companies. This research analyzes the antecedents and consequences of C-C identification. We suggest that high identity distinctiveness and identity prestige may lead to high C-C identification. Also, high C-C identification should enhance consumers¡¦ repurchase intention and word-of-mouth (WOM). Our survey with questionnaire conducted to investigate and collect data is sent to the consumers who have shopping experience recently in department stores of Taiwan. The valid sample with questionnaire returned is 294. We analyze the results by using structural equation modeling (SEM) and find that identity distinctiveness and identity prestige have a positive relationship with C-C identification separately. Moreover, C-C identification also has a positive effect to repurchase intention and WOM. Eventually, the managerial implications of this study may help corporate managers to ponder their marketing strategies or even improve their firms¡¦ performance.

Abstract With the trend of liberalization in the domestic financial market in recent years, domestic banking, which operates conservatively all the time, encounters structural changes plus establishment of new banks, tremendous growth of direct finance, spread shortness of traditional deposit business and additional competition with non-bank organizations. Domestic banking has difficulty in making profits little by little and bank organizations adjust their operating strategy to response to these changes of new financial situation. Under the circumstances of decreasing spread of traditional deposit, fee income is regarded as another crucial source of banks¡¦ profits. Therefore, fortune management business becomes an objective that domestic banks and foreign banks strive for; thus, finance management service for banks¡¦ VIP becomes a significant part of banks¡¦ ¡§Fortune Management.¡¨ The objective of the thesis lies in discussing the research in operating strategy of fortune management business of banking. By means of understanding customers¡¦ opinions about service quality of fortune management business, customer satisfaction, trust, promise, e-commerce service and customer relationship management, and repurchase intention, adopt questionnaires issued to customers of banks which offer fortune management service in Kaohsiung City as information sources for empirical research. Then, compile statistics to gain information relevant to the research and propose the conclusion and suggestion. The thesis is expected to be beneficial for existing banks that offer fortune management service and prospective banking intends to add this service in drafting operating strategy, and make contribution to competent authorities of the government and savants related to the research.