The purpose of this study was to investigate the factors that influence the consumers' decision-making process in the selection of shopping centres. The South African society is undergoing a rapid transformation in its consumption patterns. The development and expansion of shopping centres means that consumers, in most cases, have an increasing choice of shopping destinations that meet their needs for goods, services and entertainment. The development and rapid expansion of planned shopping centres, often called Shopping Malls, has been one of the greatest retail revolutions in South Africa in the last twenty years. The competitive retail environment poses serious threats and opportunities for growth and profitability of shopping centres. The empirical research, which was conducted amongst shoppers at the various centres in the greater Durban area, confirms the significance of the various situational influences, which are the physical surroundings, the social surroundings, time, task definition and antecedent states as they impact on the shopping centres. The findings of this study reveal that stakeholders of shopping centres should go beyond the tactical aspects of shopping centre operations and adopt a strategic approach to business, in which customers' needs and competitors' actions are monitored in their quest to obtain preference vis a vis their competitors. The need to create and maintain a sustainable competitive advantage over other centres is at the heart of ensuring the continued viability of individual shopping centres. Against the urgent need to adopt a strategic approach to shopping centre development and management, recommendations are provided for developers and managers to acknowledge the impact of the dynamic aspect of the factors that influence the consumers' decision-making process and their implications for shopping centre development and promotion. This study is aimed at providing valuable information to a variety of stakeholders such as the tenants, property developers, investors, shopping centre managers, retailers and consumers at shopping centres as well as academics interested in consumer behaviour and the impact of shopping centres in South Africa. / Thesis (M.Com.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, 2007.

Many niche and luxury brands build their strategies based on the notion that “people want what they can’t have.” Companies build their brand exclusiveness on brand rejection. While rejection may heighten one’s desire, it may also decrease one’s preference and enjoyment. In this study, we focus on the effect of brand rejection by exclusive brands on consumers: do consumers want a brand more but like it less when rejected by a brand and can this counter-driving be expanded to include peer brands? In two studies, we show that the counter-driving of want and preference is present when brand rejection comes from a legitimate source and expands to include peer brands but not non-peer brands. Our research makes novel theoretical contributions and provides important managerial implications. We offer suggestions for future research that may bring great interest and knowledge expansion in the field of consumer behaviour and branding.

This study investigated the behaviour of re-gifting using both qualitative and quantitative research methods. Re-gifting is the gift-giving behaviour of giving a gift that was previously given to you, to another with the pretence that you purchased the gift. The qualitative phase used semi-structured interviews to uncover an initial understanding of re-gifting behaviour from participants’ selected using purposive sampling. The main findings arising from this phase showed that re-gifters used three main factors to determine when it is appropriate to re-gift. These three factors, relationship, occasion and gift were used as the basis of the conceptual framework. This framework was then analysed using an online experiment with the use of vignette techniques which was the focus of the quantitative phase. The study focused on understanding what influences individuals decisions to re-gift. The main factors of interest were how the gift, occasion and relationships involved influenced re-gifting intentions. Re-gifting attitudes where analysed using the factors gift-giving attitudes, previous re-gifting experiences and frequency of re-gifting. A total of 211 responses were collected from Web users from around the world. The study suggests that re-gifters are influenced by the relationships involved and the type of gift, not the occasion. Re-gifting attitudes can be influenced by previous re-gifting experiences. This study has numerous practical implications, more specifically for retailers and charity organisations. This study adds major contributions to both gift-giving and disposition literature and introduces the area of re-gifting. Future research in cultural differences, gender differences and re-gifters versus non re-gifters suggested.

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The global apparel market is an increasingly desirable industry sector for many marketers. The apparel retail industry in South Africa has experienced significant growth since the year 2000. In 2009, South Africans spent approximately R57 million on apparel items (Statistics South Africa, 2009). On average, South Africans spend R600 or more per month on apparel, making the apparel industry a very lucrative market. Consumer socialisation is the process by which the youth gain the necessary skills and knowledge that enable them to function as consumers in the marketplace. Consumer socialisation highlights the sources of consumer influences or ‘socialisation agents’ that transfer norms, develop attitudes, motivations and behaviour to the learner. Consumer attitudes, behaviour and skills are acquired through socialisation agents such as parents (father, mother and guardian), peers (brothers, sisters and friends) and the mass media (newspaper, television, radio, magazines) The Generation Y cohort (defined as individuals born between 1986 and 2005) is described as the largest and most profitable consumer group for marketers. Generation Y is a lucrative and growing market segment, particularly for apparel retailers. Apparel includes clothing, shoes, jewellery and cosmetics. Those Generation Y members engaged in tertiary education represent an especially important segment given that tertiary education often translates into higher future earning potential and a higher social status within a community and among peers. The primary objective of this research study was to investigate Generation Y students’ attitudes towards the influence of socialisation agents’ on apparel purchasing intentions in South Africa. The target population used in this research study was defined as full-time Generation Y undergraduate students, aged between 18-24 years, who were enrolled at public higher education institutions (HEIs) in South Africa in 2013. The sampling frame comprised the 23 registered South African public HEIs. A non-probability judgement sample method was used to narrow this sampling frame down to two HEI campuses situated in the Gauteng Province. For this study, a convenience sample of 500 full-time Generation Y students who were registered at these two South African HEI campuses during 2013 was drawn. A self-administered questionnaire was used for the collection of primary data for this research study. Academic staff at each of the two HEIs were contacted and asked if they would assist with the distribution of the survey questionnaire to students during class. The attitude towards the influence of socialisation agents on apparel purchasing intentions was measured based on peers, parents and the media. The outcomes from this research study suggest that Generation Y students do not perceive the influence of socialisation agents (peers/parents/media) as being particularly positive. While there was a significant positive relationship between their perceptions concerning the influence of peers, parents and media on apparel purchasing, none of these socialisation agents were perceived as having a significant influence on the Generation Y students’ monthly apparel spending. In terms of gender differences, males perceived the peer influence to be more important while females perceived the parent influence to be more important. There was no significant difference between males and females concerning the importance of the media influence on apparel purchasing. The analysis of statistical information gathered from this study will be relevant to both marketing practitioners and academia in understanding Generation Y consumers’ attitudes towards the influence of socialisation agents (peers/parents/media) in apparel purchasing intentions. / MCom (Marketing Management), North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2014

The study investigated the cognitive opinions expressed by consumers in an online shopping environment in the sport supplementation industry as well as the influence certain factors identified through literature, had on the decision-making of these consumers. This was done in an attempt to better understand the online consumer in order to improve marketing campaigns within an e-Commerce environment. Primary data was collected by means of a snowball sampling strategy. Respondents were asked to complete an online questionnaire that consisted of 68 questions. 118 respondents initialized the online questionnaire and 102 fully completed it. Initial analysis proved the data to be sufficient for factor analysis where after confirmatory factor analysis was performed. A new framework to measure influential factors in an online environment was established. 6 out of 10 factors were found to contain sub-groups of influence which suggests that certain questions pertaining to those factors need improvement or rephrasing in order to measure the stand-alone factor more accurately. The reliability of all the factors was measured adequately, noting that Service Quality, Product Risk and Vendor Familiarity could be improved by further developing their underlying variables. Overall it was concluded that Price and Convenience were seen as the greatest motivational factors when a consumer decided to shop online, and Vendor Familiarity and Website Usability were regarded as two crucial components in the comfort level portrayed by consumers while shopping online. Trust and Security were also pointed out to be a major concern for online shoppers in a South African context. The findings of this study are of great value to entrepreneurs and businesses alike seeking to expand or increase their product offering into an online environment. Given the research results from this study and future studies on this topic, marketing strategies can be constructed more precisely in order to reach a target audience in an optimum and more productive manner. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

The study investigated the cognitive opinions expressed by consumers in an online shopping environment in the sport supplementation industry as well as the influence certain factors identified through literature, had on the decision-making of these consumers. This was done in an attempt to better understand the online consumer in order to improve marketing campaigns within an e-Commerce environment. Primary data was collected by means of a snowball sampling strategy. Respondents were asked to complete an online questionnaire that consisted of 68 questions. 118 respondents initialized the online questionnaire and 102 fully completed it. Initial analysis proved the data to be sufficient for factor analysis where after confirmatory factor analysis was performed. A new framework to measure influential factors in an online environment was established. 6 out of 10 factors were found to contain sub-groups of influence which suggests that certain questions pertaining to those factors need improvement or rephrasing in order to measure the stand-alone factor more accurately. The reliability of all the factors was measured adequately, noting that Service Quality, Product Risk and Vendor Familiarity could be improved by further developing their underlying variables. Overall it was concluded that Price and Convenience were seen as the greatest motivational factors when a consumer decided to shop online, and Vendor Familiarity and Website Usability were regarded as two crucial components in the comfort level portrayed by consumers while shopping online. Trust and Security were also pointed out to be a major concern for online shoppers in a South African context. The findings of this study are of great value to entrepreneurs and businesses alike seeking to expand or increase their product offering into an online environment. Given the research results from this study and future studies on this topic, marketing strategies can be constructed more precisely in order to reach a target audience in an optimum and more productive manner. / MBA, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2014

Many niche and luxury brands build their strategies based on the notion that “people want what they can’t have.” Companies build their brand exclusiveness on brand rejection. While rejection may heighten one’s desire, it may also decrease one’s preference and enjoyment. In this study, we focus on the effect of brand rejection by exclusive brands on consumers: do consumers want a brand more but like it less when rejected by a brand and can this counter-driving be expanded to include peer brands? In two studies, we show that the counter-driving of want and preference is present when brand rejection comes from a legitimate source and expands to include peer brands but not non-peer brands. Our research makes novel theoretical contributions and provides important managerial implications. We offer suggestions for future research that may bring great interest and knowledge expansion in the field of consumer behaviour and branding.

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