Retail Perspective Research Articles

Exploring small retailers’ perspectives on selling tobacco after the tripling of Tasmania’s tobacco licence fee

BackgroundLicensing of tobacco retailers, including high retail licence fees, is one tobacco control measure that may reduce tobacco retail availability. Between 2015 and 2018, the tobacco licence fee in Tasmania,...

Product personalization and brand retailer performance: The critical role of brand retailer‐upstream supplier control

AbstractBrand retailers are increasingly offering product personalization to accommodate the requests of individual customers. While prior research has examined product personalization from a customer's or a manufacturer's perspective, this study focuses on product personalization from a brand retailer's perspective. Under product personalization, brand retailers that outsource production to upstream suppliers face two significant challenges: product returns from downstream customers, and personalization costs charged by upstream suppliers. Employing an analysis of transaction data from an online women's wedding dress firm, this study finds that as product requests increase (i.e., more product features must be modified), personalization costs increase, but the likelihood of product returns decreases. Additionally, as time requests increase (i.e., delivery is more urgent), the likelihood of product returns increases. Furthermore, relationship‐specific process control exacerbates (i) the effect of product requests on personalization costs, and (ii) the effect of time requests on the likelihood of product returns. Finally, relationship‐specific outcome control and transaction‐specific control alleviate the impact of time requests on the likelihood of product returns while exacerbating the effect of product requests on personalization costs. The findings suggest that retailers can realize greater benefits from product personalization by selecting control mechanisms tailored to personalization requests.

Supply chain visibility and integration in the age of the Internet of Things: a retail perspective

Purpose This study aims to assess the use of the Internet of Things (IoT) in retail stores to improve supply chain visibility and integration.Design/methodology/approachThis study employed a qualitative methodology with data collected using semi-structured interviews from a sample selected using purposive sampling. The population consists of 48 employees, of which 6 were selected for the sample as they worked directly with IoT and supply chain issues. Participants were from a SPAR franchise store (Samenwerken Profiteren Allen Regalmatig).Findings Thematic analysis was used to analyse the transcribed data from the interviews. The themes identified include supply chain visibility, supply chain integration and IoT. The findings indicate that the main IoT used is an organisational-wide system, the SIGMA (SPAR Integrated Goods Management Application) system. Other technologies that aid supply chain visibility and integration are geotags, the internet, WhatsApp social media applications, emails and scanners.Practical implications From the findings, this study recommends that IoT systems should be frequently updated to reflect current trends and that IoT systems should enable the integration of small and medium Enterprises (SMEs) suppliers.Originality/value The Fourth Industrial Revolution has ushered in new technologies that revolutionise business operations. Among these technologies is the IoT, which has ushered in a new connectivity area. However, there is little research on the use of IoT for supply chain visibility and integration in the South African retail sector. It provides sector-specific insights and recommendations for retailers, which might not be covered in general supply chain management literature.

Tricks of the trade: Understanding and utilizing influencer tactics to improve retailer performance

Despite their impact on contemporary purchase decisions, academic research has given little attention to how social media influencers are impacting the retail ecosystem. This paper sets out to change this by contributing a better understanding of the impact of influencers on retailing activities. Using an explanatory sequential mixed method, we first conduct a survey of consumers’ use of influencers in their purchase decisions. Specifically, we map and compare consumer perceptions of how influencers and retailers perform on different retailing activities. To better understand the differences found, we then conduct focus groups that explore how consumers use and derive value from influencers in their purchase decisions. Our findings highlight how influencers create retail value, and that, in many cases, they are doing so better than retailers themselves. We summarize our findings in terms of learnings for retailers and discuss how influencers may even challenge our notion of retail. We provide strategies that retailers can employ to both work with and mitigate the effect of influencers and call for more research on influencers from a retail perspective.

Examining the Influence of Marketing Mix on Retailer Brand Awareness: A Focus on Detergent Products

The research seeks to examine how the components of the marketing mix affect brand awareness within the detergent industry, with a specific focus on 233 retail outlets situated across Chennai, Sivakasi, and Tuticorin. Utilizing a structured questionnaire, data was collected on brand awareness of detergentsamong these retailers. The primary objective is to analyze brand awareness levels while identifying factors influencing detergent awareness. Factors such as product, price, promotion, service, and distribution channels are examined. Retailer perceptions towards various detergent brands, notably Surfexcel and Matic Liquid, were assessed. Matic Liquid emerged with the highest sales volume among detergent products. Statistical tools including Chi-square, weighted average, and Multiple Regression were employedfor analysis. The research underscores the significance of understanding retailer perspectives in the context of intensifying market competition and evolving technology. Theoretical frameworks and analytical methodologies are elucidated to provide a comprehensive understanding of the business environment. The study also delves into strategies for overcoming competitive challenges faced by Surfexcel in the dynamic detergent market. Statistical software SPSS facilitated data analysis, incorporating tests like Chi-square, weighted average, and Multiple Regressions. In summary, the research presents insights into brand awareness dynamics among retailers, delineating key factors influencing brand perception in the detergent industry. The findings inform strategic decisions aimed at enhancing market presence and mitigating competitive pressures.

Einflussfaktoren auf die gesellschaftliche Wahrnehmung und Akzeptanz der landwirtschaftlichen Nutztierhaltung aus Sicht des Lebensmitteleinzelhandels

ZusammenfassungDie Transformation zu einer nachhaltigen landwirtschaftlichen Nutztierhaltung erfordert grundlegende gesellschaftspolitische Veränderungen, die von allen Interessensgruppen mitgetragen werden müssen. Da der Lebensmittelhandel eine Schlüsselposition in der Nachhaltigkeitstransformation einnimmt, ist eine Integration seiner Perspektive unabdingbar. Diese qualitative Studie präsentiert die Ergebnisse einer Befragung von Vertreterinnen und Vertretern des Lebensmitteleinzelhandels. Sie beleuchtet die verschiedenen Herausforderungen, denen dieser Sektor gegenübersteht und die sein Verhalten und Management beeinflussen. Diese Herausforderungen umfassen hauptsächlich sich verändernde Konsummuster der Verbraucherinnen und Verbraucher, die Digitalisierung sowie politische und rechtliche Entwicklungen. In methodischer Hinsicht verdeutlicht die Breite der gefundenen Ergebnisse, dass branchenspezifische Interviews eine gute Möglichkeit darstellen, um die Handelsperspektive differenziert zu erfassen und dieser zentralen Stakeholdergruppe Ausdruck zu verleihen.

Retail operations strategy for improved customer experience: a better response to crises such as COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose Discount grocery stores (DGSs) are attractive food supply chain (FSC) channels because many cost-conscious Indians use them for monthly needs. Despite capacity, DGSs must address customer concerns about store crowd densities and improve their COVID-19 preparedness. The purpose of this study is to learn how retail operations strategies can improve customer experience and how stores can benefit. Design/methodology/approach The study looked at a case study where retail operations are run more efficiently, and the customer experience is enhanced by standardizing and customizing customer transactions. The potential benefits that customers and retailers might anticipate are then statistically verified. Next, the potential benefits were examined to determine which ones from customers’ and retailers’ views should be prioritized to increase satisfaction. Findings The case situation analysis in the study demonstrates how DGSs can improve their retail operations to reduce customer wait times and provide greater convenience. The study also provides practitioners with potential benefits to pursue from the perspectives of retailers, customers and both retailers and customers. Research limitations/implications This study requires many past transactions and can be considered an extension of the current study, so it does not capture floor space and capacity improvements. Practical implications This research can help FSC retailers compete with upstream supply chain partners and customers in omnichannel retailing. By improving DGS retailer capacity and customer experience, this study can benefit all FSC stakeholders. Originality/value Although there are numerous potential benefits that practitioners can pursue, the current study suggests that practitioners focus on those that can improve retailer and customer satisfaction.

Evaluating Barriers to the Adoption of Delivery Drones in Rural Healthcare Supply Chains: Preparing the Healthcare System for the Future

Emerging technologies, such as delivery drones have enormous potential to revolutionize the rural healthcare supply chain (RHSC) and assist the countries in achieving sustainable development goal 3: good health and well-being. The advantages of delivery drones include faster delivery, high responsiveness, and a lack of dependence on road infrastructure. Given these advantages, prior literature on drone delivery has extensively explored their applicability in last-mile delivery from the e-commerce or retailer's perspective. However, their applicability in RHSC from an academic as well as practical perspective is still at a nascent stage. The present study fills this gap by examining the barriers inhibiting the adoption of delivery drones in RHSC using the Grey Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory technique. The results suggest that “lack of government regulations” is the most critical barrier. The study findings indicate that seven barriers are causal, and six are the effect barriers. “Limited load carrying capacity,” “low flight range,” and “difficulty in flying in adverse weather conditions” are the most prominent cause barriers. Moreover, “lack of skilled manpower,” “limited accuracy of navigation system,” and “lack of leadership commitment” are the most prominent effect barriers. We also perform sensitivity analysis to prove the robustness of the study output. The study results provide an in-depth understanding to the decision-makers and policymakers to help pave the way for the successful adoption of delivery drones in RHSC.

Retailer perspectives reveal knowledge gaps in the traceability of the scleractinian coral trade in Singapore

Scleractinian corals are key reef-builders in tropical marine ecosystems. Harvests of wild stocks for the global marine aquarium trade have raised concerns about unsustainable exploitation. While it is important to ensure that marine ornamental species are used legally and sustainably, it is challenging to trace them through the trade due to the fragmented and complex supply chain. Retailers can provide unique perspectives to narrow knowledge gaps as they interact closely with both suppliers and consumers. Through semi-structured interviews of retailers based in Singapore, we investigated their knowledge of the supply chain, trade practices, and consumer preferences. We also surveyed taxa available for sale at these brick-and-mortar aquarium shops. Our study revealed at least 42 genera from 14 families of scleractinian corals present across 20 shops in Singapore. Retailers displayed a lack of familiarity in coral provenance and trade regulations, suggesting that they have limited awareness of traceability along the supply chain. Import decisions were not guided by traceability and environmental sustainability, but instead were driven by demand and supply factors such as aesthetics, rarity, and availability. This underscores the need for more outreach and engagement efforts to raise awareness among commercial stakeholders towards improving traceability and sustainable management in the marine aquarium industry.

Role of Omni Channel Attributes and Perceived Behavioral Control in Omni Channel Selection

The retailing industry worldwide is transitioning from multi-channel retailing to omni channel retailing. In contrast to multi-channel retailing which provides offerings through different and separate channels, all channels are essentially well integrated in omni channel retailing. In the middle eastern region, the transition from multi-channel to omni channel retailing is rapidly taking place in Saudi Arabia. However, managing channels synergistically for providing seamless customer experience is proving out to be challenging task for omni channel retailers. What omni channel attributes are valued necessary by consumers in making them seamlessly choose omni channels for shopping are not explicit in the literature especially in Saudi Arabian context. In order to better integrate and coordinate channels it is very important for omni channel retailers to first understand the behavior of omni channel shoppers. The omni channel retailers need to know what omni channel attributes influence consumer’s perception of ease and ability in selecting omni channels for shopping. This study examines how omni channel attributes namely omni channel transparency, omni channel convenience and omni channel uniformity help in influencing consumer’s perception in selecting omni channels. The study employed snowball sampling method for collecting the sample of omni shoppers from different regions of Saudi Arabia. The study sample comprised of 551 respondents who actively shopped through various omni channel retailers of Saudi Arabia. All hypothesized relationships of the study were tested simultaneously using structural equation modelling technique. The study reported that omni channel transparency, omni channel convenience and omni channel uniformity positively influence consumer’s perception in selecting omni channels in Saudi Arabia. This study tries to combine consumer and omni channel retailer perspectives for the better understanding of shopping behaviors across omni channels. With the better understanding of consumer shopping behaviors, omni channel retailers would be thus able to better integrate their channels and coordinate their supply chains to the best satisfaction of their consumers.

Recycled or reusable: A multi‐method assessment of eco‐friendly packaging in online retail

AbstractThe rapid growth of online retail increases the demand for packaging. Although packaging is necessary to fulfill logistic and marketing functions, it fosters the depletion of resources, is often used carelessly, and thus negatively impacts the environment. Eco‐friendly packaging variants could provide a solution to this problem. Since many stakeholders must be involved to promote their use, this study develops a conceptual framework that reconciles their different perspectives and combines these with an environmental assessment to facilitate the transition to more sustainable online retail. We apply a multi‐method research approach to investigate the different views. We use qualitative interviews and website analyses to capture the perspective of online retailers, conduct an online survey (n = 1491) to investigate consumers’ perceptions of various product and transport packaging alternatives, and perform a life cycle assessment (LCA) of these options. The findings reveal that online retailers lack knowledge regarding consumer preferences and the environmental impact of packaging. The consumer survey shows a strong preference for packaging made from recycled paper and general avoidance of plastic packaging. The LCA results reveal that recycled and reusable variants are environmentally beneficial. The findings are interpreted in light of the relationships assumed in the conceptual framework. From a theoretical perspective, our results indicate that online retailers are concerned about the signaling role of packaging and that consumers refer to heuristic cues when deciding between packaging variants. We reconcile the different perspectives to propose strategies that contribute to a broader distribution of eco‐friendly packaging in online retail.

Live streaming shopping as a new retail format: insights from a qualitative study of consumers and retailers

PurposeConsidering the emergence of Live Streaming Shopping (LSS) in Europe and the scant academic coverage it has attracted in terms of characterization, this study's aim is twofold: (1) explore how both consumers and retailers assess the distinctive attributes of LSS in order to identify its characteristics as a new form of commerce, or even retail format, and (2) analyze the motivations of both consumers and retailers for choosing it.Design/methodology/approachA hybrid literature review – bibliometric and structured – summarizes the body of research available on LSS. Considering the research gap and the authors' two research questions, a qualitative methodology was adopted. This incorporates three primary data sets, collected in France from LSS experts, retail managers and consumers over 18 months.FindingsLSS is a new online retail format, to be added to the range of existing options as it exhibits a typical retailing mix that is substantially different from other formats. From the retailer's perspective, three main motivations are identified while for the consumer, a total of seven motivations to participate in LSS sessions emerged. This new online format appears to be part of the continuum reflecting omnichannel integration.Research limitations/implicationsOnce the LSS literature has been further developed, the bibliometric review could be repeated to better map the field within contemporary research.Practical implicationsToday's retailers cannot ignore LSS: it is a multifaceted hybrid format and touchpoint that is part of an omnichannel strategy and through which both quantitative and qualitative objectives can be achieved.Originality/valueThis paper (1) structures the emerging literature on LSS by developing the first hybrid literature review on the topic; (2) substantiates what characterizes LSS as a retail format from the consumer and retailer perspectives and a retail touchpoint in the consumer's omnichannel journey; and (3) proposes a definition of LSS and a research agenda.

Exploring success factors in food waste prevention initiatives of retailers: the critical role of digital technologies

PurposeFood waste is a severe problem affecting the supply chain due to its significant adverse social and environmental effects. Even if the topic is hotly debated in the literature, there is a lack of research about the success factors influencing food waste prevention initiatives retailers undertake.Design/methodology/approachThe research analyzes how several variables (i.e. product-related variables and technology-enabling variables) might impact the success of the sales of products close to the expiration date that is sold at a discounted price. Data from 390.000 products sold at a discounted price in 2020 and 2021 by a large Italian food retailer were examined with a regression analysis.FindingsThe results highlight that both product-related and technology-enabling variables influence the success of food prevention initiatives aimed at selling products close to the expiration date at a discounted price. In particular, the authors stress the importance of digital technologies in supporting food waste prevention initiatives.Practical implicationsThe study offers several practical implications for managers in structuring a waste prevention initiative. The introduction of digital technologies, the monitoring of specific variables or the ability to find synergies with other food waste prevention initiatives are discussed to support retailers in reducing food losses.Originality/valueThe paper is focused on the retailer perspective, which is barely investigated due to the difficulty in finding data.

Customized Pricing Strategy for Households Based on Occupancy-Aided Load Disaggregation

Pricing strategies can be utilized to manage energy demand-supply imbalance and power distribution network congestion. With the application of smart meter technologies, the real-time consumption behavior of individual households can be studied to enhance the effectiveness of the formulated pricing strategy. Hence, in this paper, a customized pricing strategy based on non-intrusive load monitoring (NILM) techniques is proposed from the perspective of the energy retailer, aiming to incentivize households to change their load consumption patterns. First, the real-time occupancy state of each household is detected to identify the ability of the household to respond to the retail price. Second, the occupancy-aided factorial hidden Markov model (FHMM) is developed to facilitate the retailer to incorporate the real-time consumption behavior of households into pricing strategy formulation. Third, the real-time price elasticity of the consumption of each appliance within each household is mathematically modeled based on the real-time hidden state of each appliance. Numerical results indicate that the proposed pricing strategy is effective in managing the load consumption of households and assisting the retailer in increasing profitability.

The Information-Seeking Behavior and Unmet Knowledge Needs of Older Medicinal Cannabis Consumers in Canada: A Qualitative Descriptive Study.

Older Canadians (age 60+) are increasingly using cannabis to treat their health problems, but little is known regarding how they learn about medicinal cannabis. This study explored the perspectives of older cannabis consumers, prospective consumers, healthcare professionals, and cannabis retailers on older adults' information-seeking behavior and unmet knowledge needs. A qualitative descriptive design was used. Semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of 36 older cannabis consumers and prospective consumers, as well as 4 healthcare professionals and 5 cannabis retailers from across Canada, for a total sample of 45 participants. Data were thematically analyzed. Three main themes characterizing older cannabis consumers' information-seeking were identified: (1) knowledge sources, (2) types of information sought, and (3) unmet knowledge needs. Participants accessed a variety of knowledge sources to inform themselves about medicinal cannabis. Cannabis retailers were identified as providing medical information to many older adults, despite regulations to the contrary. Cannabis-specialized healthcare professionals were also viewed as key knowledge sources, while primary care providers were perceived as both knowledge sources and gatekeepers limiting access to information. The types of information participants sought included the effects and potential benefits of medicinal cannabis, the side effects and risks involved, and guidance regarding suitable cannabis products. Participants' most salient unmet knowledge needs focused on dosing and use of cannabis to treat specific health conditions. Findings suggest that barriers to learning about medical cannabis among older consumers identified in prior research remain pervasive and cut across jurisdictions. To address these barriers, there is a need for better knowledge products tailored to older cannabis consumers and their information needs, and further education for primary healthcare providers on medicinal cannabis and its therapeutic applications with older patients.

Exploring the Role of Omnichannel Retailing Technologies: Future Research Directions

Technological advances allow the development of an omnichannel strategy to create a seamless experience for customers. This study has adopted a systematic literature review approach to examine, synthesise and extend a body of literature in the area of omnichannel retailing and the role of technology, taking into account both retailers’ and customers’ perspectives. We review 499 research papers to highlight the evolution of omnichannel research with a special focus on technology usage. After extracting the key theoretical foundations underpinning technology-empowered omnichannel retailing, we synthesise the empirical findings and identify emerging topics from the customer perspective including customer value, customer experience, showrooming and web rooming and customer privacy concerns as well as the key themes from the retailer perspective consisting of channel integration, personalisation and resource challenges. Based on the knowledge from the theoretical and empirical insights, we develop three important future research areas to inspire further studies in this domain.

What do we need to do to deliver consumer demand?: A retail perspective

What do we need to do to deliver consumer demand?: A retail perspective

Retailers’ Perceptions of Consumer Choice of Retail Outlets: A Test of Three Attributes

Most retail businesses in Nigeria do not continue to live or exist for a long time as a result of the fact that apart from other challenges, some retailers are not conversant with what makes consumers patronize the various retail outlets. Accordingly, this study sought to examine the factors influencing consumer choice of retail outlets from a retailer perspective. To be more precise, the study investigated the influence of customer service, product quality and store location on consumer choice of retail outlets. A convenience sample of 138 retailers was pooled up in Awka metropolis, South-East, Nigeria while multiple regression analysis was used to test the formulated hypotheses with the aid of SPSS Version 20.0 software at 5% level of significance. Results indicate that the three attributes investigated namely customer service, product quality and store location influence consumer choice of retail outlets. More importantly, customer service has the most influence on consumer choice of retail outlets followed by store location and product quality in that order. Overall, the study concludes that the success of any retailing business depends on consumer patronage. In consequence, this piece of research recommends that retailers should invest in technology to enable customers use the necessary tools to purchase products and services as well as receive help from customer service personnel.

RETAILERS’ PERSPECTIVE ON CUSTOMER OPINION TOWARDS BRANDED NURSING BOTTLES

The main objective of this research is to identify the factors that influence the attitude of customers towards baby care products (BCP), especially nursing bottle in retailer perspective. The method of data collection used in this study is survey method. The retailers are surveyed and primary data is collected from them. Convenience sampling method is used for data collection. The population was unknown and the sample size is taken 201. Structured questionnaire has been designed and used to collect the needed primary data. Data collected through questionnaire are analyzed using weighted average and simple linear regression. From the analysis it is found that retailers tend to stock BCPs from manufacturers or stockists who offer timely delivery of products, resolve complaints in timely fashion and offer the best credit policy. This study shows the willingness level of the retailers to deal with branded BCP apart from currently they are dealing. For customers, product attributes and personal factor influence the attitude of customer towards nursing bottle in retailer perception. Rural and urban customers have the same preference for baby care products.

Comparing Transport Corridors Based on Total Economic Cost

This paper compares the performance of three competing corridors serving landlocked SADC countries (Beira, Dar es Salaam, and Durban) based on total economic cost from the perspective of transporters, retailers, and manufacturers. The motivation for the research is the paradox that, while Beira is closest to the hinterland served by these corridors, it attracts the least cargo. Historical research compares corridors in terms of both direct costs and time delays, but without translating time delays and variability in time delays into the economic costs experienced by corridor users. Unpredictable time delays reduce the competitiveness of cargo owners forming part of global just-in-time value chains. Our novel TEC model includes direct costs and the cost impact of delays and variability in delays and quantifies the relative contributions of ports, border posts, and road travel. The Port’s efficiency proved to be the biggest differentiator between these corridors, followed by border posts and road links. We found that while the Beira corridor has the lowest cost if only average travel time is considered, the Durban corridor proves to be the most competitive when variability in time delays is also considered, explaining why Durban enjoys the largest share of cargo transported to the landlocked hinterland.