Text in English with abstracts in Zulu and Afrikaans / Despite its substantial growth and contribution to the economy of the country, the
South African retail industry is faced with various challenges, including customers’
changing buying habits and expectations, the evolution of e-commerce, the entry of
giant retailers into the retail market, and the growing importance of the urbanised
middle class and its potential purchasing power.
This creates risks that are mostly beyond retailers’ control. Therefore, there is a
general drive among retail brands to build customer loyalty in order to respond to
these contemporary dynamics within the industry and, ultimately, enhance
sustainability. It is noted from literature that current understanding of customer
behaviour in the South African retail space is largely the result of rational behavioural
measurement, while the subconscious behaviour of customers is often neglected.
The study on which this thesis reports attempted to address this gap in the current
knowledge base. The current study makes a novel contribution to knowledge in
using complementary traditional and neuromarketing instruments in a sequential
mixed method research design to measure verbal, non-verbal and physiological
emotions, which indicate the key influential cognitive and emotive factors shaping
shopping decisions.
For a comprehensive understanding of customer behaviour, the study primarily
explored the emotional antecedents of customer loyalty in the formal retail industry of
South Africa. In order to explore and describe both retail brands and customers’
experiences regarding the drivers of retail brand loyalty, the empirical phase of the
study adopted a sequential mixed method research design. This design comprised
eight individual semi-structured interviews, which focused on and explored the
fundamentals of behavioural and attitudinal loyalty within the context of a customer
relationship management strategy.
x
Based on the findings emerging from the quantitative mall intercept survey with 300
retail customers, the study identified the motivating factors of greatest likelihood
among customers that best explain retail brand loyalty, namely product quality,
convenience of location, customer care, product variety and availability, as well as
fair pricing. Furthermore, findings emerging from the inferential analysis (structural
equation modelling, two-step cluster analysis, optimal scaling and multivariate binary
regression analysis) showed that brand trust, brand affect and attitudinal loyalty are
key predictors of behavioural loyalty. Additionally, customer loyalty differs depending
on customer predisposition towards the major retail brands tested. In this regard,
Pick n Pay, Massmart and Shoprite/Checkers recorded the most favourable
perceptions among customers.
As Despite its substantial growth and contribution to the economy of the country, the
South African retail industry is faced with various challenges, including customers’
changing buying habits and expectations, the evolution of e-commerce, the entry of
giant retailers into the retail market, and the growing importance of the urbanised
middle class and its potential purchasing power.
This creates risks that are mostly beyond retailers’ control. Therefore, there is a
general drive among retail brands to build customer loyalty in order to respond to
these contemporary dynamics within the industry and, ultimately, enhance
sustainability. It is noted from literature that current understanding of customer
behaviour in the South African retail space is largely the result of rational behavioural
measurement, while the subconscious behaviour of customers is often neglected.
The study on which this thesis reports attempted to address this gap in the current
knowledge base. The current study makes a novel contribution to knowledge in
using complementary traditional and neuromarketing instruments in a sequential
mixed method research design to measure verbal, non-verbal and physiological
emotions, which indicate the key influential cognitive and emotive factors shaping
shopping decisions.
For a comprehensive understanding of customer behaviour, the study primarily
explored the emotional antecedents of customer loyalty in the formal retail industry of
South Africa. In order to explore and describe both retail brands and customers’
experiences regarding the drivers of retail brand loyalty, the empirical phase of the
study adopted a sequential mixed method research design. This design comprised
eight individual semi-structured interviews, which focused on and explored the
fundamentals of behavioural and attitudinal loyalty within the context of a customer
relationship management strategy.
x
Based on the findings emerging from the quantitative mall intercept survey with 300
retail customers, the study identified the motivating factors of greatest likelihood
among customers that best explain retail brand loyalty, namely product quality,
convenience of location, customer care, product variety and availability, as well as
fair pricing. Furthermore, findings emerging from the inferential analysis (structural
equation modelling, two-step cluster analysis, optimal scaling and multivariate binary
regression analysis) showed that brand trust, brand affect and attitudinal loyalty are
key predictors of behavioural loyalty. Additionally, customer loyalty differs depending
on customer predisposition towards the major retail brands tested. In this regard,
Pick n Pay, Massmart and Shoprite/Checkers recorded the most favourable
perceptions among customers.
As a complement to the quantitative research phase of the study, a Self-Assessment
Manikin attitude measure was applied to a sample of 120 customers. This phase of
the study highlighted pertinent emotional elements as key mediators in securing
sustainable retail brand loyalty. In this regard, Woolworths and Pick n Pay recorded
the most favourable perceptions on four stimuli, namely quality, customer rewards,
customer care and brand logos. The study also applied eye tracking and galvanic skin response techniques to a
sample of 10 participants to determine customers’ psychophysiological reaction to
the four stimuli. Galvanic skin response findings showed that customers were
especially engaged with Spar, Shoprite/Checkers and Pick n Pay, while eye tracking
findings showed customers’ higher visual engagement with Shoprite/Checkers, Pick
n Pay and Spar.
A key overall finding of this study was the significant role of feelings and emotions in
driving customer loyalty. Retail brands lose relevance when they fail to connect
emotionally with customers, and without that emotional attachment, brands can
easily be replaced by generic imposters. A comprehensive understanding of
customer behaviour remains a quandary for marketing and business practitioners. In
an attempt to address this limitation, the current study used insights from non-verbal
attitudinal and psychophysiological measures to obtain a more comprehensive
behavioural understanding of retail customers. / Nakuba imboni yezitolo ezihwebayo yaseNingizimu Afrika ibonise ukukhula
nokudlondlobala okukhulu futhi idlala indima esemqoka emnothweni wezwe,
ibhekene nezinselelo eziningana futhi ezihlukahlukene, kubandakanya indlelakuthenga
yamakhasimende eguquguqukayo kanye nalokho okulindelwe
ngamakhasimende nezimfuno zawo, ukungenisa ngezinkani kwemboni yokuhweba
nge-intanethi nobuxhakaxhaka bobuchwepheshe besimanjemanje, ukungena
kwezitolo eziyizikhondlakhondla emakethe yezitolo ezihwebayo, kanye nokukhula
kokubaluleka kwabantu abahlala emadolobheni abasesigabeni sempilo
esimaphakathi kanye namandla abo okuthenga.
Lokhu kudala ubungozi obuvamise ukuba ngaphezu kwamandla nolawulo lwezitolo
ezihwebayo. Ngakho-ke, kunomkhankaso oqhutshwa yizitolo zonkana ezihlose
ngawo ukwakha ubudlelwano namakhasimende kanye nokuqinisekisa
ukwethembeka kwamakhasimende ukuze zikwazi ukumelana nezimo ezikhona
esikhathini samanje embonini yezitolo ezihwebayo, futhi ekugcineni, ukuze zikwazi
ukusimamisa ibhizinisi lazo liqhubeke njalo futhi likhule lidlondlobale. Kuphawulekile
emibhalweni efundiwe ukuthi ukuqonda kanye nolwazi olujulile olukhona
njengamanje mayelana nokuziphatha kwamakhasimende eNingizimu Afrika
emkhakheni wezitolo ezihwebayo ikakhulukazi kuwumphumela wokukalwa kwezinga
lokuthatha izinqumo ngobuhlakani nokwenza izinto emva kokucabangisisa, kepha-ke
ngakolunye uhlangothi kuvamise ukushaywa indiva ukwenza izinto
kwamakhasimende ngaphandle kokuqaphela nokucophelela futhi ngokuthathela
izinto phezulu noma ngaphandle kokucabangisisa ngalokho akwenzayo. Lolu cwaningo okubikwa ngalo kulo mbiko wocwaningo luzamile ukubhekana naleli
gebe elikhona njengamanje eliphathelene nokuntuleka kolwazi. Lolu cwaningo
lwamanje lufaka isandla esinohlonze kanye nemibono ephusile olwazini olukhona,
ngokusebenzisa amathuluzi asekelayo ajwayelekile kanye nalawo asebenzisa
ubuchwepheshe bokukala ukusebenza kwengqondo, ngaphansi kwedizayini
yocwaningo egxile kwindlela-kusebenza exubile yokwenza izinto ngokulandelana
kwazo, ngenhloso yokukala imizwa ezwakaliswa ngomlomo, ngezenzo noma
ngeminyakazo yomzimba, okuyinto ebonisa izimo nezici-bunjalo ezisemqoka futhi
ezinomthelela omkhulu eziphathelene nokusebenza kwengqondo kanye nemizwa,
okuyizona ezilawula izinqumo zamakhasimende eziphathelene nokuthenga. Ngenhloso yokuqonda ngokuphelele ukuziphatha kwamakhasimende, lolu cwaningo
lwacubungula futhi lwahlaziya ikakhulukazi izici-bunjalo zemizwa elawula
ukwethembeka kwamakhasimende embonini yezitolo ehlelekile yaseNingizimu
Afrika. Ukuze kucutshungulwe futhi kuchazwe kokubili izinhlobo zezitolo kanye
nezimo ahlangabezane nazo amakhasimende mayelana nezici-bunjalo ezenza
amakhasimende athembeke esitolo esithile futhi athenge kusona ngaso sonke
isikhathi, isigaba socwaningo esiphathelene nolwazi oluphathekayo nolubonakalayo
sasebenzisa idizayini yocwaningo egxile kwindlela-kusebenza exubile yokwenza
izinto ngokulandelana kwazo. Le dizayini beyibandakanya ama-semi-structured
interviews enziwa nababambiqhaza bocwaningo abayisishiyagalombili,
okuyizingxoxo ezabe zigxile ekucubunguleni ukwethembeka kwamakhasimende
okuphathelene nokuziphatha kwawo kanye nendlela abuka ngayo izinto ngaphansi
kwesimo seqhingasu lokuphathwa kobudlelwano namakhasimende. Ngokususela kwimiphumela eyatholakala kwinhlolovo ebandakanya abathengi
abangama-300 okwaxoxiswana nabo ezikhungweni ezinenxanxathela yezitolo,
ucwaningo lwahlonza izimo nezi-bunjalo ezikhuthaza futhi zihehe amakhasimende
okuyizona ezingasetshenziswa ukuchaza kangcono ukwethembeka
kwamakhasimende ezitolo ezithile, okuyikhwalithi yomkhiqizo, ukufinyeleleka kalula
kwendawo lapho kutholakala khona isitolo, ukunakekelwa kwamakhasimende,
imikhiqizo ehlukahlukene kanye nokutholakala kwayo, ngokunjalo namanani-ntengo
angambi eqolo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, imiphumela eyatholakala ohlaziyweni
lwezinqumo ezithathwe ngokubheka ubufakazi kanye nokuqonda okujulile (structural equation modelling, two-step cluster analysis, optimal scaling kanye ne-multivariate
binary regression analysis) yabonisa ukuthi ukwethenjwa kohlobo lomkhiqizo,
ukukhanga nokuthandeka komkhiqizo kanye nokwethembeka okuphathelene
nendlela-kubuka kuyizibikezeli ezisemqoka zokuziphatha kwamakhasimende
okuhambisana nokwethembeka emikhiqizweni ethile. Futhi ngaphezu kwalokho,
ukwethembeka kwamakhasimende kuyehluka, futhi lokhu kuncike ekuhehelekeleni
kwamakhasimende ezitolo enkulu ezihloliwe. Mayelana nalokhu-ke, abakwa-Pick n
Pay, Massmart kanye nabakwa-Shoprite/Checkers yizona zitolo ezibonise
ukuthandwa kakhulu ngamakhasimende. Njengendlela yokweseka nokunezezela phezu kwesigaba socwaningo
olukhwantithethivu olwenziwe, kwasetshenziswa isikali sendlela-kubuka esibizwa
nge-Self-Assessment Manikin kwisampula yamakhasimende ayi-120. Lesi sigaba
socwaningo saqhakambisa izimo nezici-bunjalo eziphathelene nemizwa ezifanelekile
njengezinto ezisemqoka kakhulu ekuqinisekiseni ukwethembeka kwamakhasimende
esitolo esithile ngokuqhubekayo. Mayelana nalokhu, abakwa-Woolworths kanye
nabakwa-Pick n Pay babonisa ukuthandwa kakhulu ngamakhasimende mayelana
nezici-bunjalo ezihehayo futhi ezikhuthazayo ezine, okuyikhwalithi, imivuzo
yamakhasimende, ukunakekelwa kwamakhasimende kanye nemibala egqamile,
igama elidumile nezimpawu zesitolo. Ucwaningo lwasebenzisa futhi nezindlela zokucwaninga eziphathelene nokulandela
umkhondo wamehlo amakhasimende kanye nezimpawu zemizwa yamakhasimende
ezibonakala esikhumbeni semizimba yawo, okuyizindlela zocwaningo
ezasetshenziswa kubabambiqhaza bocwaningo abayi-10 ngenhloso yokuhlonza
indlela-kusabela kwamakhasimende ephathelene nengqondo nomzimba kulezi zicibunjalo
ezikhuthazayo futhi ezihehayo ezine ezishiwo ngenhla. Imiphumela yendlela
yocwaningo ebheka izimpawu zemizwa yamakhasimende ezibonakala esikhumbeni
semizimba yawo yabonisa ukuthi amakhasimende ahehelekela ikakhulukazi
kwabakwa-Spar, Shoprite/Checkers kanye nabakwa-Pick n Pay, kanti ngakolunye
uhlangothi imiphumela yendlela yocwaningo ebheka futhi ilandele umkhondo
wamehlo amakhasimende yabonisa ukuheheka kwamehlo okuphakeme ezitolo
zabakwa-Shoprite/Checkers, Pick n Pay kanye nabakwa-Spar. Umphumela omkhulu futhi osemqoka otholakale kulolu cwaningo yindima ebaluleke
kakhulu edlalwa yimizwa ekukhuthazeni ukwethembeka kwamakhasimende. Izitolo
zilahlekelwa yiwozawoza yazo kumakhasimende uma zihluleka ukuxhumana
namakhasimende ngokwemizwa, futhi ngaphandle kwalokho kuxhumana
ngokwemizwa nokuzwana, izitolo zingazithola kalula zisesimweni lapho indawo yazo
isithathwe yizitolo-mbumbulu ezingosandanezwe. Ukuqondakala okuphelele
kwendlela aziphatha ngayo amakhasimende futhi enza ngayo izinto kusalokhu
kuyinkinga nesithiyo esikhulu kwizazi nezisebenzi ezenza umsebenzi wokukhangisa
nokuqhuba ibhizinisi. Njengomzamo wokubhekana nalesi sithiyo, lolu cwaningo
lusebenzise ulwazi nokuqonda okujulile okutholakale kwizikali zendlela-kubuka
yamakhasimende kanye nezikali zesimo sengqondo nesomzimba samakhasimende
ukuze kutholakale ukuqonda okuphelele futhi okujulile okuphathelene nokuziphatha
kwamakhasimende athenga ezitolo kanye nendlela enza ngayo izinto. / Ondanks sy stewige groei en aansienlike bydrae tot die landsekonomie, het die
Suid-Afrikaanse kleinhandelsbedryf met verskeie uitdagings te kampe. Veranderinge
in kliënte se koopgewoontes en verwagtings, groeiende e-handel,
reusekleinhandelaars wat die kleinhandelsmark betree, die toenemende invloed van
die verstedelikte middelklas en sy potensiële koopkrag is enkele hiervan.
Dit gee aanleiding tot risiko’s wat grotendeels buite die beheer van kleinhandelaars
is. As gevolg van die hedendaagse dinamiek in die bedryf, poog kleinhandelsmerke
om kliëntlojaliteit te verstewig en hulle eie volhoubaarheid te verseker. Dit blyk uit die
literatuur dat die kleinhandelsektor se siening van kliëntgedrag in Suid-Afrika op die
meting van rasionele gedrag berus, en dat die onbewuste gedrag van kliënte
verontagsaam word. Hierdie tesis doen verslag van ʼn studie om hierdie leemte in die huidige kennis te
probeer aanvul. Dit lewer ʼn bydrae deur aanvullende tradisionele en
neurobemarkingsinstrumente in ʼn opeenvolgende gemengde metode as
navorsingsbenadering te gebruik. Verbale, nieverbale en fisiologiese emosies is
gemeet aangesien hulle die kognitiewe en emotiewe faktore is wat inkopiebesluite
bepaal. Hierdie studie het hoofsaaklik die emosionele antesedente van kliëntlojaliteit in die
Suid-Afrikaanse formele kleinhandelsbedryf verken om ʼn grondige begrip van
kliëntgedrag te kry. Ten einde kleinhandelsmerke en kliënte se ervarings van die
drywers van kleinhandelsmerklojaliteit te beskryf en te verken, is ʼn opeenvolgende
gemengdemetode-navorsingsontwerp gevolg. Dit het uit agt halfgestruktureerde,
private onderhoude bestaan. Hierin is gekonsentreer op die grondslae van gedragsen
houdingslojaliteit teen die agtergrond van ʼn kliënteverhoudingsbestuurstrategie. Op grond van die bevindings van ʼn kwantitatiewe winkelsentrumopname onder 300
kleinhandelskliënte, is die motiveringsfaktore met die grootste waarskynlikheid
aangetoon. Hulle is produkgehalte, ʼn gerieflike ligging, kliëntesorg,
produkverskeidenheid, beskikbaarheid en billike pryse, en bied die aanneemlikste
verklaring vir kleinhandelsmerklojaliteit. Volgens die bevindings van die inferensiële
ontleding (struktuurvergelykingmodellering, tweestaptrosontleding, optimale
skalering en meerveranderlike binêre regressieanalise) is merkvertroue, merkaffek
en houdingslojaliteit betroubare aanwysers van bedragslojaliteit. Afgesien hiervan
verskil kliëntlojaliteit na gelang van kliëntpredisposisie jeens kleinhandelsmerke wat
getoets is. Kliënte was vir vier stimuli (naamlik gehalte, kliëntbelonings, kliëntesorg
en merklogo’s) die ontvanklikste vir Pick n Pay, Massmart en Shoprite/Checkers. Aanvullend tot die kwalitatiewe navorsingsfase van hierdie studie is ʼn
selfasseringsmodelhoudingmeting op ʼn steekproef van 120 kliënte toegepas. Hierdie
fase het die aandag gevestig op pertinente emosionele elemente as
sleuteltussengangers in die opwekking van volhoubare kleinhandelsmerklojaliteit. Vir
die vier stimuli (naamlik gehalte, kliëntbelonings, kliëntesorg en merklogo’s) was
kliënte se persepsies van Woolworths en Pick n Pay die gunstigste. Hierbenewens is oogvolg- en galvaniese velreaksietegnieke op ʼn steekproef van 10
deelnemers toegepas om hulle psigofisiologiese reaksie op die vier stimuli te bepaal.
Die galvaniese velreaksietoetse het aangedui dat kliënte besonder ontvanklik was vir
Spar, Shoprite/Checkers en Pick n Pay, en volgens die oogvolgtoetse visueel meer
aangetrokke tot Spar, Shoprite/Checkers en Pick n Pay was.
Hierdie studie het bevind dat emosies in die algemeen ʼn deurslaggewende rol in
kliëntlojaliteit speel. Kleinhandelsmerke raak irrelevant as hulle nie ʼn emosionele
band met kliënte smee nie. Sonder hierdie emosionele verbintenis kan generiese
bedrieërs maklik die plek van kleinhandelsmerke inneem. Bemarkings- en
sakepraktisyns het nie ʼn deeglike begrip van kliëntgedrag nie. Om dit reg te stel, het
hierdie studie nieverbale houdings- en psigofisiologiese toetse toegepas om die
gedrag van kleinhandelskliënte beter te begryp. / Business Management / D. Com. (Business Management)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:unisa/oai:uir.unisa.ac.za:10500/25938 |
| Date | 05 1900 |
| Creators | Yao, Valery Yao |
| Contributors | Tustin, D. H., Joubert, Johan Pierre Retief |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 1 online resource (xxviii, 420 leaves), application/pdf |
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