Communication is an essential element of any retail business as it is a means of informing the customer about the retailer and the products and services that they offer. The internet and the rapid advancements in technology have provided retailers with various methods of communicating with the customer such as real-time marketing. Real-time marketing, which allows retailers to interact with customers through various means in real time, has already been widely used in businesses around the world. Although many South African businesses are starting to adapt real-time marketing as a marketing tool in their businesses, the perception of consumers regarding real-time marketing has not been investigated in South Africa. The primary purpose of this study was therefore to determine consumers perceptions of real-time marketing used as a marketing tool by retailers in Gauteng, South Africa. A broad and in-depth literature review was conducted on the advent of real-time marketing as a marketing tool and the various tools used by retailers to execute real-time marketing campaigns of retailers. An empirical study was conducted, in which data was collected from consumers of retail stores in the Gauteng province of South Africa by means of a web-based (computer-assisted), self-administered questionnaire. A quantitative approach was followed in order to satisfy the research objectives of the study. The results of this research study indicated that consumers perceived real-time marketing campaigns as clutter. Customers only considered the real-time marketing campaigns that consisted of immediate discounts and that were personalised for the individual customer as valuable to them. / 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)