Study Supervisor: Mr J.H. Visser Completed: 2008 / A loyal customer can mean a consistent source of revenue to organizations. Organizations have shifted their emphasis of finding customers to one of keeping customers. One of the relationship-marketing tools employed to harness customer loyalty is the customer loyalty programme. Loyalty programmes are an established feature of the retail landscape in mature, developed markets. The South African market has recently seen the implementation of such programmes. There is considerable debate as to the effectiveness of loyalty programmes in achieving customer loyalty. Research conducted in mature markets has revealed mixed results. The South African market has been shaped by the recent economic, political and social changes, and is unique in its make-up. The value and effect of loyalty programmes still have to be explored within this market. The study aimed at exploring the awareness, perceptions and effects of customer loyalty programmes within the retail industry of the Durban Metropolitan area. Focus groups were conducted from which a questionnaire was formulated. The questionnaire was then distributed to 115 consumers with the Durban Metropolitan area. The study revealed that the respondents within the sample had an accurate understanding of the purpose of a customer loyalty programme. A slightly higher proportion of respondents belonged to one or more customer loyalty programmes. It was revealed, however, that membership to customer loyalty programmes did not primarily influence purchasing behaviour. Consumers were influenced to join and use the customer loyalty programmes by the rewards and perks offered by the programme. Customers tended to favour programmes offering incentives perceived to be worthwhile and when the benefits of joining such a programme outweighed the cost. Regular customers are more loyalty programmes likely to join customer, thereby increasing the received benefits.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the level of collaboration between the Saudi Arabian supermarkets and their suppliers, and how they exchange information. As part of this research, the aim was to identify the ways in which orders are placed including the use of electronic methods. Another aim of this study was to explore any particular procedures followed by both retailers and suppliers, regarding product quality and product shelf life. Moreover, this research tried to identify whether or not the retailers experienced any shortage in supply, and tried to determine the causes of the potential delays from both points of view. In addition, this study tried to identify the sources of any conflict between the two parties. Finally, this study tried to determine the impact of the collaboration between the retailers and the suppliers on the supermarkets' customers. The intention was also to test their loyalty to see whether or not they were happy regarding the services and product quality received from supermarkets. In this research the initial investigation was carried out through a literature review in order to develop an understanding of the overall situation in the food retailing sector. This was necessary in order identify any gaps in the literature. This was found to be lacking in terms of any detailed research specific to Saudi Arabia. Then, two case studies were carried out with regard to two different suppliers in Saudi Arabia and the United Kingdom. This was followed by a structured interview carried out in Saudi Arabia with eight main supermarkets and four food suppliers which serviced those supermarkets. In addition, an anonymous online survey was conducted with Saudi customers to identify their satisfaction regarding supermarket services The Soft System Methodology was used as a qualitative method to analyse the results from the structured interviews, and to determine those factors that could influence and improve the operations of the supply chain. These were validated through the expert panel feedback, though not all believed that it is possible to implement some of these without a change to how the market operates. The study identified that there was a very low level of collaboration between the two parties (retailers and suppliers) and that there was a strong refusal on the part of the supermarkets to share any information with suppliers regarding stock levels. Also, it was found that there were no electronic methods for passing orders from the supermarkets to the suppliers. The main method used was that of sales representatives who had to visit the stores to check the stock level and issue new orders. In addition, the results revealed that sometimes supermarket experienced problems of product availability. The supermarkets were of the opinion that the suppliers' capabilities were limited when it came to providing the required quantity. On the other hand, suppliers suggested that the main cause was late payment to the suppliers on the part of Saudi supermarkets. To conclude, the food retailing sector needs to reshape itself, and the way in which supermarkets deal with their suppliers needs to be fairer, especially in terms of the payments issue and returned products. This sector needs close supervision from a government organisation in order to enhance the sector generally.

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Due to the growth of subscribers and contents, electronic newspapers have gradually changed the reading habits of Taiwanese people. Its customization, however, is limited to users¡¦ choice of information conten t. The arrangement of page layout, which is quite important to readers¡¦ preferences is seldom taken into consideration. Based on literature review, field interview, and portal websites observation, this study has proposed seven categories of information content and six dimensions of page layout customization that are concerned by PC hardware retailers. A customized electronic newspaper system was implemented according to the above ideas. Several PC hardware retailers were invited to test the usability of the system. The usage log files were also analyzed by statistical method to investigate the behavior of customized electronic newspaper.

The main objective of this study was to determine the consequences of making changes to retail web-sites by examining how consumers respond to change within online retail environments. To achieve this aim, the study drew theoretical guidance from the general Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) paradigm. In particular, building upon web-site typology theories, the study proposed that two types of change influenced consumers’ internal responses, prompting behavioural consequences. The two types of change were Task-Relevant and Non-Task-Relevant – representing the two broad components of the retail web-site. A conceptual model was developed outlining the expected effects of change on the emotional (Arousal, Pleasure and Dominance), psychological (Flow), and cognitive (Hedonic and Utilitarian Value) states predicted to precede re-acceptance of the changed retail web-site (Attitude toward Re-patronage and Re-patronage Intention). To empirically examine this model, an online experiment (using a 2 x 2 between-subjects factorial design) was conducted, in which subjects were exposed to a modified version of a commercial personal banking web-site. A total of 292 responses were collected from Internet users in New Zealand. Simple linear regression, two- and three-stage hierarchical regression, and path analysis were used to analyse the dependence relationships outlined in the conceptual model. The results of the study suggest that both types of change have individual impacts on consumer response moreover, the effects are very different. In particular, Non-Task-Relevant Change appears to carry positive consequences, such as positive emotion, while the effects of Task-Relevant Change appear to carry negative consequences such as negative emotions and reduced value. Furthermore, findings suggest that offsetting the negative influences of change on emotion (particularly pleasure) can aid managers in minimising the negative consequences of change. The complete findings, their implications for the current research, and the provision of directions for future research are discussed in detail.

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Brand equity is a construct that has numerous implications for both academics and practitioners. It has been the topic of a great deal of research during the past three decades. Several components of brand equity have been theorized and tested over the years, but the foundation of the construct remains consistent - brand equity is enhanced by factors that increase the profitability of the firm. One factor that has long been recognized as important for the retailer brand is location, yet previous work on brand equity has never specifically considered the role of geographic location of the retailer brand in relation to customers. This dissertation addresses this important gap by building a theoretical case for Retailer Location-Based Brand Equity (RLBBE) and attempts to uncover the primary determinants of the newly-proposed construct. Essay One begins with a qualitative exploration of consumer perceptions related to retailer location and the benefits and detriments that can flow from location. A mixed-method qualitative approach will employ machine learning, AI-enabled content analysis, and a traditional netnographic content analysis of consumer reviews on the Yelp social media platform. Findings support a proposed definition of RLBBE as "the portion of brand equity that is directly dependent on the location of the retailer brand relative to the consumer". Findings suggest the 3L's of RLBBE - location-based convenience, locus of loyalty, and locality of the brand - as the three dimensions that make up RLBBE. Essay two builds upon the work done in Essay One to determine the roles that the three proposed dimensions of RLBBE play and the relative importance of each. Essay two utilizes choice modeling to examine the dimensions of RLBBE as perceived by consumers. Three studies directly extend the work reported in Essay One by testing the 3L's of RLBBE. These three studies, taken together, further strengthen the case for RLBBE as an important and unique component of brand equity for retailer brands. This dissertation opens the door for both academics and practitioners to begin considering the role that location plays in determining the equity of retailer brands and the impact that location-based strategy can have on the brand.