Purchase Volume Research Articles

The Efficiency of Applying Preferential Regimes for Small-Sized Businesses in Public Procurement

This study examines the efficiency of preferential procurement regimes for small-sized businesses (SBs) in Russia, using the example of assessing the results of increased procurement standards. The results of statistical and econometric analysis show a rather moderate increase in SB participation in procurement after increasing the standard. At the same time, the overall volume of purchases from SBs remains significantly lower than the standard. It also turns out that savings on purchases from SBs are greater than on other purchases, and this effect persists after increasing the standard, benefiting the state. In this context, it is necessary to strengthen control over the implementation of procurement standards for SBs and to expand the use of best practices in procurement procedures.

Dynamic Supplier Selection and Its Optimal Strategy Considering Full Truck Load and Fuzzy Demand using Fuzzy Expected Value-Based Programming

This article proposes a linear integer optimization model incorporating fuzzy parameters to find the optimal solution for a dynamic supplier selection problem with uncertain demand. The uncertain demand value is represented using a fuzzy variable. A fuzzy expected value-based linear optimization solver is used to address the optimization problem, to minimize the total cost under fuzzy demand values. Several computational experiments were conducted to evaluate and analyze the model. The results show that the proposed model effectively identifies the optimal suppliers for each product. Additionally, the model determines the optimal purchase volumes for each product type from the selected suppliers, leading to the minimal total expected cost.

FAKTOR-FAKTOR YANG MEMPENGARUHI PERMINTAAN CABAI RAWIT (Capsicum Frutescens)

This research aims to determine the characteristics of consumers of Small chili and determine the factors that influence demand forrawit chili .This research method includes 45 samples taken using random sampling techniques (randomly). The data used in this research comes from primary and secondary data. Data collection was carried out by direct interviews with respondents using questionnaires. Data were analyzed using multiple linear regression analysis as results and processed using the SPSS 27 program. The research results show that most of the frequency of consumers buying small chili at the Kasih Naikoten market is for closer reasons, with a purchase volume of 1 kilogram to 5 kilograms for consumption and also for trading (stalls). Simultaneous test (F test) shows that all variables together, including price of small chili (X1), consumer income (X2), taste (X3), number of family members (X4), education (X5) and age (X6), have an influence on interest in small chili in Naikoten I Subdistrict. The results of this test are supported by an R2 value of 0.833 or 83,3%, which shows that most of the variation in interest in small chili can be explained by all the variables mentioned. Meanwhile, 17,7% was possibly influenced by additional variables not discussed in this study. The partial test (t test) shows that the variables price of small chili(X1), taste (X3) and number of family members (X4) have a significant effect on demand for small chili in Naikoten I Subdistrict. However, the variables consumer income (X2), education (X5 ) and age (X6) do not have a significant effect on demand for small chili in Naikoten I Village.

Совершенствование системы государственных закупок в целях обеспечения экономической безопасности в условиях внешнего экономического давления

The external impact of unfriendly countries on the Russian economy in order to destabilize it largely determines the strategies for ensuring the economic security of the Russian Federation in the long term. An effective tool for improving economic security can be the public procurement system, provided that the internal competition of Russian producers is maintained, as well as ensuring control over the procurement system by the state and society. The article studies the problem of the need to improve the mechanism of public procurement in order to enhance Russia’s economic security in the conditions of sanctions pressure. The relevance and novelty of the study are determined by the increasing volume of purchases made to meet state and municipal needs, the need to expand the domestic market and stimulate the development of entrepreneurship. The external impact of unfriendly countries on the Russian economy in order to destabilize it largely determines the strategies for ensuring economic security of the Russian Federation in the long term. The system of public procurement can be an effective tool to improve economic security, provided that the internal competition of Russian manufacturers is maintained and the procurement system is controlled by the state and society.

An optimal raw material procurement strategy that minimizes enterprise price risks

This article is devoted to the problem of theoretical and information support for decision-making in strategic management of raw material procurement processes. The study is timely, because there is currently significant volatility in prices for raw materials. This poses very difficult challenges for managers. Finding solutions is one of the most important areas of business informatics. This article discusses a procurement strategy in two stages: at the beginning and middle of the month. The price of raw materials is known only at the beginning of the month. Price is a continuous random variable. You can predict only the interval of its change. Here the interval is directly used to determine the purchase volume at a known price. The authors derived a functional dependence of the maximum risk according to Savage on the amount of purchased raw materials at the beginning of the month. As a result, it was possible to establish the amount of raw materials to be purchased at the beginning of the month to reduce maximum risk to a minimum. Using the example of corn purchases, we carried out a comparative analysis of possible methods for determining these intervals based on an analysis of price time series. The findings are useful for managers of processing enterprises. This work is the first to solve the problem of minimizing the maximum risk when purchasing raw materials.

Technogenic and ecological hazards of using chemical plant protection products (on the example of copper-containing preparations)

Problems Statement and Purpose. The widespread use of pesticides in agriculture has led to significant environmental pollution and health risks, and it is important to consider the negative effects and explore potential solutions to reduce pesticide pollution and its impact on human health and ecosystems. The purpose of the research is to determine the technogenic and environmental hazards of the use of chemical plant protection products (on the example of copper-containing preparations). Materials and methods of research. To study the scale of use and storage of plant protection products in Ukraine and to identify their anthropogenic and environmental threat, the analysis of statistical data on the volume of purchases and use of pesticides, in particular in the Kharkiv region, was used, Experimental studies and chemical analysis of some types of agricultural products after pesticide treatment were carried out using atomic absorption. Results. The paper reveals the essence of the technogenic and environmental hazard of plant protection products for humans and the environment, analyses the scale of use and storage of plant protection products in Ukraine, in particular in the Kharkiv region; outlines ways to improve the technogenic and environmental safety of plant protection products; shows the hazard of using chemical plant protection products for vegetable products on the example of copper-containing preparations. The volume of accumulation and use of pesticides in Ukraine, including in warehouses in the Kharkiv region, is considered. The number of centralised warehouses has increased. There have been no banned or unusable plant protection chemicals since 2012. The research was conducted using vegetables, in particular green onions. In the green mass that came into direct contact with the preparation based on copper sulphate (CuSO4), the Cu content was found to exceed the MAC for vegetables. In the study of tomatoes and cucumbers, the content of copper in fruits was investigated. It was found that treatment with a preparation containing copper does not affect the Cu content in fruits throughout the experiment, including the day of treatment. The maximum Cu content in tomato fruits on the day of treatment does not exceed the MPC in the experimental and control samples. The increase in the concentration of Cu in the experimental samples compared to the control samples is not statistically significant, since all values were below the MAC for vegetables, which is 5.0 mg/kg. The study revealed a periodic increase in the content of this heavy metal in cucumber and tomato samples taken on the day of treatment compared to control samples. This may be due to the presence of the product on the surface of the treated crop that has not yet been washed off. Conclusions. 1) Vinnytsia, Ternopil, and Khmelnytskyi regions used the most pesticides, while Poltava, Cherkasy, and Sumy regions used less. Kharkiv region had 125 pesticide storage facilities, with 79 in good and 46 in satisfactory condition. 2) Copper-containing pesticides increase copper levels in greenhouse vegetables during growth, with significant peaks on the day of treatment. Green produce exceeded permissible copper levels by up to 6.9 times. 3) The results for early vegetable production in greenhouses can be applied to most agricultural practices in Ukraine.

Guarantees of electricity origin as a financial mechanism to increase investment attractiveness in the energy sector

In modern environment, ensuring the development of the renewable energy sector is significant for achieving the country’s sustainable development goals. The introduction of a mechanism for guaranteeing the origin of electricity is one of the most effective ways to develop renewable energy, and therefore its study is relevant. The purpose of this study was to analyse the approaches to the functioning of the market of guarantees of electricity origin in the EU countries and compare them with the situation in Ukraine. The principal methods of the study were forecasting (prospects for the implementation of energy origin guarantees in Ukraine) and comparison (approaches to the formation of the mechanism of energy origin guarantees in Ukraine and the EU). The study noted the overall role of renewable energy for the development of any country and Ukraine specifically. All the main positive components that arise in countries in the development of this area were described in detail. The instrument of guarantees of energy origin stays effective for achieving the goals of renewable energy development in Ukraine. Considering the specific features of the rules for selling renewable energy guarantees, the study concluded that they are useful both for stimulating the development of the sector and for disseminating information about the need to improve the state of the renewable energy sector in Ukraine and globally. The study assessed what steps has Ukraine taken to adopt and implement this mechanism. Information on EU countries was also examined. The gradual increase in demand for such instruments every year since 2019 indicates not only the popularity of this practice, but also its need among all market players. It was shown that, after the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, the foreign trade balance turned negative, i.e., the volume of electricity purchases exceeded the volume of sales. The findings of this study can be used to formulate a long-term strategy for the development of a mechanism for guaranteeing the origin of electricity in Ukraine by public authorities

Balancing economic and environmental goals: A novel strategy for growing items acquisition in livestock farming under an incremental discount and a power demand pattern

The human food supply chain is significantly influenced by growing items (GIs) like beef, sheep, hog, chicken, turkey, and other species, as these provide major contributions to food security worldwide. Industrial farming businesses carry out their operations by purchasing a certain species of baby GIs from a supplier, feeding and caring for them until they reach an acceptable living weight, and then selling them after they have been slaughtered and processed. In addition, the production of livestock worldwide accounts for 14.5% of all anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), making it a substantial contributor to GHG emissions. Thereby, to regulate emissions, governments from several countries have imposed a tax scheme on the farm’s emission volume. Due to the discrete nature of purchase numbers, using a differentiation-based optimization approach is not appropriate for determining the optimal GI procurement for an industrial farm, making the decision significantly more challenging. The primary goal of this study is to identify the optimal number of GIs for a farm to enhance financial and environmental performance when the cost per weight unit of procurement depends on the volume of purchases and the consumption of processed commodities follows a power demand pattern. A comparison tactic is employed only for the discrete decision variable, while the classical optimization tactic, based on differentiation, is adopted for the remaining continuous decision variable of the derived problem. Our method, which is quite straightforward in its operation, enables the creation of a rule to distinguish between instances in which there is only one optimum solution and those in which there are two. The results from the execution of the novel solution technique reveal that the farm reduces the overall cost of the order while keeping the integrality of the purchased GIs by taking into account the regulation for carbon emissions, the discount, and the power demand pattern.

Consumption of Material Goods and Services: Regional Characteristics and Trends

Consumption of material goods and services is a sphere of economic relations that is aimed at satisfying the material, spiritual and intellectual needs of people. Consumption is the most important stage of the reproduction process. characterizes the level and quality of life of the population, reflects the effectiveness of the state’s socio-economic policy. In recent years, against the backdrop of changing socio-economic conditions, the study of patterns, features and trends in the consumption of material goods and services is a fairly relevant and sought-after area of research. This article analyzes the level and dynamics of consumption of goods and services by residents of the Vologda region, examines the features of the structure of consumer expenditures of households in the region, and identifies income and territorial differentiation in the consumer market. The information and empirical basis of the study are the results of monitoring of the Vologda Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences, carried out in the Vologda region. The results of the study showed that, against the backdrop of an increase in the quantity (volume) of purchases of goods and services, a low level of material consumption opportunities for residents of the region remains, which is due to a fall in real incomes, rising inflation, and negative structural changes in family budget expenditures. Risk categories include representatives of the 20% least affluent group, as well as residents of rural areas, whose consumption level is noticeably lower than the regional average. Improving the situation in the area of consumption of material goods and services by residents of the region will depend on the degree of effectiveness of the measures taken by the federal and regional authorities to bring the economy onto a sustainable development trajectory, increase the income of the population, and overcome excessive income differentiation and property stratification of the population.

Tax Evasion Detection: A Fusion of AdaBoost Classifiers and Deep Learning Models

Abstract: Income Tax plays an important role in the developmental activities of a nation. However some companies try to avoid or minimize their tax by showing reduced profits. Such companies can be identified by studying and analyzing the balance sheet indicators like: Sale Volume Vs. Purchase Volume, Employee Growth Vs. Taxpaid, Total Sales Vs. Taxpaid, Claims Crediting, Net Income Vs. Tax Increase, Gross Loss Vs. Tax, Inventories Vs. Direct Income, Gross Revenue Vs. Taxpaid, Raw Material Purchase Cost (RMPC) Vs. Final Product Sales (FPS) and Fixed Assets Vs. Taxpaid. This project aims at Tax Evaders detection by using a dataset, containing the above mentioned identification factors in the balance sheet. The analysis is carried out by using AdaBoost classifier and also by using a Deep learning model

THE EFFECTIVENESS OF PROMOTING HYDROPONIC VEGETABLES AND PRODUCTS THROUGH INSTAGRAM WITH BRAND AWARENESS AS A MODERATING VARIABLE AT PT. KEBUN SAYUR

PT. Kebunsayur Surabaya promotes hydroponic vegetables and processed products on Instagram but has yet to achieve widespread reach. Popular posts based on monthly reports only get 29 likes; this figure is relatively low for a business account. This research aims to analyze the effectiveness of social media Instagram @kebunsayursurabaya using the EPIC Model and analyze the influence of promotional effectiveness on the volume of consumer purchases of vegetables and hydroponic preparations moderated by brand awareness. The research method used is Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) based on Partial Least Square (PLS), especially with the WarpPLS 8.0 program. Primary data was collected through a questionnaire with a sample of 55 respondents taken using techniques non-probability sampling, namely purposive sampling. The research results show that the promotion of Kebunsayur Surabaya via Instagram is very effective, with a value of 4.39. The effectiveness of the promotion has a positive and significant effect on purchase volume with a path coefficient value of 0,454 and brand awareness moderates the effectiveness of promotion on purchase volume positively and significantly with a path coefficient value of 0,223

The Fed takes on corporate credit risk: An analysis of the efficacy of the SMCCF

This paper evaluates the efficacy of the Secondary Market Corporate Credit Facility, a program designed to stabilize the U.S. corporate bond market during the COVID-19 pandemic. The program announcements on March 23 and April 9, 2020, significantly reduced investment-grade credit spreads across the maturity spectrum – irrespective of the program’s maturity-eligibility criterion – and ultimately restored the normal upward-sloping term structure of credit spreads. The Federal Reserve’s actual purchases reduced credit spreads of eligible bonds 3 basis points more than those of ineligible bonds, a sizable effect given the modest volume of purchases. A calibrated variant of the preferred habit model shows that a “dash for cash” – a selloff of shorter-term lowest-risk investment-grade bonds – combined with a spike in the arbitrageurs’ risk aversion, can account for the inversion of the investment-grade credit curve during the height of turmoil in the market. Consistent with the empirical findings, the Fed’s announcements, by reducing risk aversion and alleviating market segmentation, helped restore the upward-sloping credit curve in the investment-grade segment of the market.

The dynamics in food selection stemming from price awareness and perceived income adequacy: a cross-sectional study using 1-year loyalty card data

BackgroundHigher cost of healthy foods may explain unhealthy dietary patterns in lower-income households. Unfortunately, combining food selection and nutrient intake data to price and expenditure is challenging. Food retailer’s customer loyalty card data, linked to nutrient composition database, is a novel method for simultaneous exploration of food purchases, price, and nutrition. ObjectivesWe studied the associations between perceived income adequacy (PIA) as a grouping variable with price (per kilogram or megajoule) and the volume of purchases (percentage of expenditure or energy) simultaneously as outcome variables for 17 most purchased food groups. MethodsWe used 1-year (2018) loyalty card data from the largest grocery chain in Finland. Participants were 28,783 loyalty cardholders who made ≥41% of food purchases from the retailer and answered an online questionnaire at the midpoint of data collection. The 5-level PIA described the perceived financial situation in the household. Energy and nutrient content of foods purchased were from the Finnish Food Composition Database Fineli. We calculated the Nutrient Rich Food Index per 100 g food using 11 nutrients. Trends in prices and expenditures between PIA levels were analyzed using 2-sided Jonckheere–Terpstra tests, with false discovery rate control (Benjamini–Hochberg method) and confounder adjustments (inverse probability weighting). ResultsLower PIA participants selected cheaper foods per kilogram and megajoule within most food groups. They also favored unhealthy food groups cheap in energy [<1 € (USD 1.18)/MJ]. Despite lower purchase price, the expenditure (%) among lower PIA was higher on alcohol, snacks, sugar-sweetened beverages, and sweets and chocolates. ConclusionsParticipants with lower PIA showed stronger price awareness. It is crucial to consider the pricing of competing alternative food groups, when steering toward environmentally sustainable and healthier food purchases. Package labeling might also direct the selection of healthier choices among the less expensive items within a food group.

Optimization of enterprises' costs for the purchase of energy resources and assessment of the economic feasibility of purchasing forwards for natural gas

The article is devoted to analyzing the energy market of Ukraine to introduce innovative approaches to reduce the costs of non-household consumers. The main problems of the functioning of the natural gas market of Ukraine, related to the organizational mechanism of trade in short-term and long-term standardized products under defined conditions, are considered. It is noted that the active development of gas exchange trade in Ukraine, which was taking place, is complicated by the problems of supply and gas in war conditions and the generalized advantages and disadvantages of options for purchasing natural gas for non-household consumers. The work states that natural gas consumers, regardless of the gas purchase scheme, are faced with the problem of a local rapid increase in the price of energy carriers. This leads to a decrease in business margins and a threat to the sustainable development of the enterprise. Based on the existing legislation in Ukraine and the organizational mechanism for regulating energy markets, a mechanism for fixing the price of natural gas in Ukraine for enterprises is proposed by purchasing volumes of natural gas in the period of lowest consumption and selecting it in the required period. An economic evaluation of the expediency of fixing the price of natural gas in order to reduce the costs of energy resources was carried out. A decrease in natural gas costs to non-domestic consumers when the price is fixed in the period of the lowest consumption has been demonstrated. The assessment showed that the volume of purchases significantly affects the overall efficiency. It is noted that the following points require further research: determination of periods of stable low prices and their duration, as well as the impact of the cost of using the funds involved in the purchase of natural gas. A proposed strategy for purchasing natural gas using forward and futures contracts, when enterprises can ensure stable and predictable gas supply conditions, contributes to effective cost management and business planning. Keywords: natural gas, optimal strategy, markets of exhaustible resources, energy market, demand for resources, supply of resources.

Automated Vegetable Pricing and Replenishment Decisions based on PSO

The main aspects that supermarkets need to consider are the purchase volume and pricing, especially the freshness of vegetable products, so it is more important to determine the daily replenishment volume. This paper divides 251 typical vegetables into 6 categories for the market, collects the daily sales volume, daily sales unit price and cost price and loss rate of each vegetable in a typical supermarket within three years, and formulates replenishment and pricing strategies for the coming week to maximize the operating profit of the supermarket. This article constructs a "cost-plus pricing" model. First, the regression model is used to analyze the relationship between total sales and cost-plus pricing for different vegetable categories. Secondly, using the single-objective optimization model, taking revenue as the objective function, sales volume and cost markup as the decision variables, considering the constraints such as the relationship between total sales and pricing, and solving with particle swarm optimization to find appropriate replenishment and pricing strategies, so as to maximize the revenue of supermarkets in the coming week. Finally, using time series forecasting, the sales volume of each vegetable category in the next week is predicted by using the sales flow of the previous three years, and the replenishment volume obtained by the above optimization model is compared to detect the reliability of the model, and the results show that the reliability of the model results is high.

Impulsive Behaviour of Customers in Large-Format Grocery Shops in Poland – a Case Study

The growing wealth of the Polish population noted in the recent years has led to a significant change in the behaviour of Poles as consumers. Increasingly often, the type and volume of purchases are dictated not only by real and objective reasons but also by impulse buying. In consequence, any retail outlet frequented by consumers to make purchases is no longer a place where thoroughly planned purchases are made, but a site where consumer needs are created by marketing activities. They are therefore a significant instrument of creating some influence on the consumer at the point of sale and multiplying the entrepreneur’s revenue, which is particularly important in large retail grocery shops, where an average Pole buys most groceries. The study showed that the most significant determinants of impulse buying are the age and sex of consumers. Young people display quite a high level of impulse consumption. Because of their age, they do not attach much importance to planning expenses, which frequently leads to irrational spending. Impulse purchases are more often made by women, who most often do grocery shopping. Women also spend more time in shops than men do. As a result, they are more exposed to merchandising activities carried out in retail outlets. It has been noticed that the atmosphere in a shop and the consumer’s mood while shopping have a significant impact on how much the consumer will buy. The amounts of products bought tend to increase when the consumer’s mood is extreme (very good / very bad). It was alsoobserved that a higher level of unplanned and impulse purchases is achieved by households with higher income, which in general allows them to buy more. The volume of unplanned and impulse purchases is distinctly higher in supermarkets and hypermarkets, which implicates much greater opportunities to use marketing strategies stimulating this type of purchases in such large shops than in small local shops.

THE EFFECT OF MARKET PRICING ON CONSUMER BEHAVIOR IN CONDITIONS OF UNCERTAINTY

Objective. Purpose of the article is to highlight and find ways to solve the problem of assessing the impact of marketing pricing on consumer behavior in conditions of uncertainty. Methods. he theoretical and methodological basis of the research is inductive and deductive research methods for the systematization of marketing pricing concepts; scientific works of domestic scientists regarding the impact of marketing pricing on consumer behavior in conditions of uncertainty. The research used methods that provide the method of scientific knowledge, the method of system-structural analysis. The results. The article examines the impact of marketing pricing on consumer behavior in conditions of uncertainty. It has been proven that the consumer is the main reference point of marketing pricing. Changes in consumer behavior require extensive research in Ukraine in conditions of uncertainty. Certain changes in consumer behavior, formed in conditions of uncertainty for the period 2022-2023, were studied, namely: active purchase of promotional goods, during discounts; reduction of purchase volumes of certain groups of goods; purchase of the company's own brand products; search for cheap substitute goods; purchase of products of Ukrainian trademarks of companies; purchase of goods in online stores. It was determined that it is relevant to take into account the needs and preferences of consumers according to psychological types, which will allow enterprises to implement an effective marketing price strategy and become more successful than their competitors on the market. It is proposed to use psychological methods in the formation of marketing pricing for products in conditions of uncertainty: seasonal, holiday discounts; "rule 100"; unrounded prices; decreasing the number on the left; "price environment". The use of discounts will improve the quality of development of the marketing price policy of enterprises, save business and meet the demands of the Ukrainian consumer in conditions of uncertainty.

부산 A공동주택 내 택배물류 공동화센터(LDC)의 운영실태 분석

The logistics environment has experienced rapid growth and diversification, and the areas of city logistics and life logistics have grown significantly compared to the past. After COVID-19, the volume of online purchases and courier deliveries has increased significantly due to the continuation of the non-face-to-face environment and digitalization. In addition, as the importance of safety and security in the place where I live is increasing, small and large conflicts in last-mile delivery are becoming a social issue, and one of the ways to resolve them is the LDC (Last-mile Delivery Center). Compared to its importance, the actual status of existing operating facilities is insufficient, so it can be said that it is of primary importance to examine the operation status and identify problems focusing on specific centers that are actually in operation. It is expected that it can be greatly utilized as basic data for step-by-step application of smart substantiation projects that are considered through convergence with the 4th Industrial Revolution technology. The case area, Busan A apartment house, is an apartment complex with approximately 1,150 households and 9 buildings, completed in 2007. It is an area with more than 10,000 apartment complexes and officetels nearby. Above all, it has been in operation for 8 years from 2015 to 2023. It can be said that the fact that this is the area where the above center is operated is consistent with this study. As a result of the analysis of the operation status, it was figured out that the LDC operation in the case area has developed to a stable level. However, only three of the initial large number of delivery companies are currently participating, so there is a limit to creating additional logistics demand, and most of the work is done by hand. These areas were identified as major limitations. LDC not only improves the efficiency of life logistics-scale delivery and enhances the safety of the complex, but also has the advantage of reducing unnecessary vehicles in the city and thereby reducing adverse environmental impacts. Related policies are also being promoted at the public level. This is being actively explored. The results of this study are expected to be a great reference in promoting related policies, so they can be said to have a different significance from existing studies that only argued for facility expansion.

Modeling the significance of advertising values on online impulse buying behavior

Growth in online impulsive buying and digital advertising have drawn the attention of researchers in developed countries, but it is still in its early stages, especially in China. China is positioned to overtake the world as the nation with the highest volume of online purchases owing to a variety of growth-related variables, including impulsive purchases. Surprisingly, there is a deficiency in the holistic understanding of Chinese customers in different age groups regarding the links between advertising value and online impulsive buying behavior. Thus, to advance the line of research, this study intends to determine the connection between advertising value and online impulse buying behavior along with the indirect connection between the urge to buy impulsively and moderation of anxiety. To achieve this objective, data were obtained from 1422 online consumers. Data analysis was performed using structural equation modeling. The results confirm that informativeness, credibility, creativity, entertainment, integration, and the urge to buy online significantly and consequently urge to buy online positively influence online impulsive buying among Chinese consumers. Surprisingly, this interaction was statistically insignificant. Furthermore, the proposed moderator, customer anxiety, also showed no moderating impact on the urge to buy online impulsively and online impulsive buying behavior. The mediation result suggests that urge to buy impulsively significantly mediates the relationship between informativeness, credibility, creativity, entertainment, and integration with online impulse buying behavior, except for interaction and online impulse buying behavior. These findings contribute theoretically by adding new information about Chinese motivational factors for impulsive buying. Empirically, it adds value to marketers, advertisers, and online retailers by considering informativeness, creativity, entertainment, integration, and the urge to buy online while communicating with Chinese consumers at all customer touch points.

An Exploration of Clustering Algorithms for Customer Segmentation in the UK Retail Market

Recently, peoples’ awareness of online purchases has significantly risen. This has given rise to online retail platforms and the need for a better understanding of customer purchasing behaviour. Retail companies are pressed with the need to deal with a high volume of customer purchases, which requires sophisticated approaches to perform more accurate and efficient customer segmentation. Customer segmentation is a marketing analytical tool that aids customer-centric service and thus enhances profitability. In this paper, we aim to develop a customer segmentation model to improve decision-making processes in the retail market industry. To achieve this, we employed a UK-based online retail dataset obtained from the UCI machine learning repository. The retail dataset consists of 541,909 customer records and eight features. Our study adopted the RFM (recency, frequency, and monetary) framework to quantify customer values. Thereafter, we compared several state-of-the-art (SOTA) clustering algorithms, namely, K-means clustering, the Gaussian mixture model (GMM), density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN), agglomerative clustering, and balanced iterative reducing and clustering using hierarchies (BIRCH). The results showed the GMM outperformed other approaches, with a Silhouette Score of 0.80.