Taiwan Retail Research Articles

The Influence of Relationship Quality between Manufacturer and Retailer on Future Collaboration—A Case Study of Customer Electronic Product Channel in Taiwan

This study explores the collaboration between upstream manufacturer brands and first-line retailers in Taiwan’s 3C product market, which is influenced by several factors. Both parties are motivated by profit and thus, strive for mutual cooperation in the business environment. Whether influencing factors exist between the retailer and manufacturer is a crucial issue. This study investigates 308 customer electronics retailers in Taiwan. Focusing on relationship quality, relational trust, and retailer satisfaction with the brand, we explore the possibility of future collaboration between retailers and manufacturer brands. The study results indicate the relationship quality between retailers and manufacturers has a significant impact on the relationship of trust. Both the relationship quality between retailers and manufacturers and the relational trust between the retailers and manufacturers have significant impacts on the retailer’s satisfaction with the manufacturer. Retailer satisfaction has a direct impact on the future collaboration between retailers and manufacturers. Compared with customers with high expectations, customers with low expectations have a higher effect on the relationship between retailer satisfaction with the brand manufacturer and the future collaboration between retailers and manufacturers.

Employee satisfaction with mobile payment systems: a case study of convenience stores in Taiwan

In recent years, with the rise of mobile payment systems, retailers in Taiwan have in succession developed their mobile wallets, which have significantly improved the convenience for people in shopping through a handy consumption model. This study identified store employee satisfaction with the operation of mobile payment systems as well as its correlation with personal influence based on the main framework of DeLone and McLean's information system success model and the case of the convenience stores where transactions are frequently conducted. The research results showed a significant positive relationship among system quality, information quality, service quality, satisfaction, and personal influence, and a significant positive relationship between satisfaction and personal information.

Employee satisfaction with mobile payment systems: a case study of convenience stores in Taiwan

In recent years, with the rise of mobile payment systems, retailers in Taiwan have in succession developed their mobile wallets, which have significantly improved the convenience for people in shopping through a handy consumption model. This study identified store employee satisfaction with the operation of mobile payment systems as well as its correlation with personal influence based on the main framework of DeLone and McLean's information system success model and the case of the convenience stores where transactions are frequently conducted. The research results showed a significant positive relationship among system quality, information quality, service quality, satisfaction, and personal influence, and a significant positive relationship between satisfaction and personal information.

Power advantage: antecedents and consequences in supplier–retailer relationships

PurposeThe research indicates that relatively powerful firms exploit their advantages to damage their weaker partners. However, how power can be abused by advantaged firms remains unclear. This study aims to examine the relationship between power advantage and abuse of power and whether the power advantage mediates the relationship between dependence and personal interests and between trust and company performance.Design/methodology/approachA total of 130 retailers in Taiwan were investigated. Partial least squares regression was performed to test the proposed hypotheses.FindingsThe results of this study show that power-advantaged firms are more likely to abuse their power; however, the purposes are more for their company performance than for personal interests. Power advantage has different mediating effects on the dependence–personal interests and trust–company performance relationships.Research limitations/implicationsConsidering both time and cost limitations, this study investigated one aspect of the retailer–supplier dyad in northern Taiwan. The samples collected may be influenced by the nature of the industry and sampling method, possibly limiting the generalizability of the research results.Practical implicationsThis study can help channel managers with a power advantage to have an improved understanding of their salespersons’ behavioral patterns, particularly gaining personal interests from customers.Originality/valueThis study expands the understanding of the antecedents and consequences of power advantages in supplier–retailer relationships. It also highlights in specific institutional arrangements, the weaker parties’ efforts to endure their counterparts’ use of their power advantage to serve their personal interests. Future research may analyze abuse of power by expanding research to other industries and different cultural contexts.

How Mom-and-Pop Stores Compete with Grocery Chains? A Perspective of Service Outputs on Self-Employed Retailers in Taiwan

How Mom-and-Pop Stores Compete with Grocery Chains? A Perspective of Service Outputs on Self-Employed Retailers in Taiwan

Are the foreign stores more valuable than the local? A regional survey on large-scale retailers in Taiwan

This paper examined the effects of consumer ethnocentrism on perceived service quality, perceived-value, and accordingly, loyalty in a context of large-scale retailstores. This research proposed that consumer ethnocentricity may have effects onperceived-value and loyalty in this particular service business. Consumers to the stores of three forms of ownership are surveyed and analyzed in this study. 340 female consumers were invited from stores of an international joint venture (IJV), aforeign direct investment (FDI) and a domestic to complete the questionnaire right after their shopping journey. Study results indicated that the effects of consumerethnocentricity on purchasing behaviour were more possible to stem from thepatriotism than the alien-phobia. Although a direct effect of consumer ethnocentricity on loyalty was not apparent, consumers who were low inethnocentricity were inclined to prefer shopping with foreign services than thedomestic. The research suggested that fostering the unique competitive advantages was necessary for the domestic business other than claiming for national patriotism. Key words: Consumer ethnocentricity, perceived value, consumer loyalty,International Joint Venture (IJV), Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

Development of retailers' own label products in Taiwan

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to establish an understanding of the development of retailers' views on own label in Taiwan. In particular, the study aims to investigate the extent to which the development of retailers' own label in the region resembles or differs from the historical development of that in the West as documented in the literature.Design/methodology/approachThis study is exploratory in nature and adopts a qualitative approach. Primary data were obtained from managers responsible for own label development strategy in eight key retailers in Taipei through the use of a structured questionnaire with both closed and open‐ended questions. Secondary data from various sources were also used.FindingsThe development of retail own label products in Taiwan does not follow the pattern witnessed in the West as described in the literature. Only some of the strategic motives of using own label as stated in existing literature are fully echoed in this study. Furthermore, the progress of most of the retailers studied in Taiwan does not mirror the typical stages of evolution as advocated by Laaksonen and Reynolds.Originality/valueMany retailers, especially the international ones, believe that use of own label in Taiwan is important. However, an understanding of the development and strategic use of own label by retailers in Taiwan is not yet well established. The current study serves as a first step to fill this gap and sheds some light on the implications for own label development strategies to grocery retailers in Taiwan.

Taiwanese Retailing: Market Analysis and Retail Branding Model Application

ABSTRACT The Taiwanese retail market is in a highly competitive stage. In the past three decades, the Taiwan retail grocery market has experienced many developments and changes, and recently, has started to realize the importance of developing its own retail brand. Although the idea of retail branding is still new in Taiwan, the major hypermarket players have tried to build up their own brand image and create new own label products which differ from other competitors. This paper explores retail branding in the Taiwan hypermarket industry through macro/micro environment analysis and applying retail branding models to the Taiwanese retail market. The macro/micro environment analysis is undertaken by the two STEPs model and the retail branding model is created from Dawson's three levels model combined with previous studies and theories. The approach in this study involves literature reviews and secondary research in the field of the Taiwanese retail market. The outcome of this study is to highlight key issues that deserve further research.

Effect of organic acids on the microbial quality of Taiwanese‐style sausages

ABSTRACTThe effects of organic acids on the microbial quality of Taiwanese‐style sausages were studied. Pork meat from a Taiwan retail market was decontaminated with various organic acids (citric, lactic and tartaric acid), then, the raw meat was used to make Taiwanese‐style sausages and stored from 0 to 40 days at 4°C. The total plate counts, lactic acid bacteria, Micrococcus, Listeria monocytogenes, Hunter‐L and Hunter‐a values were determined. The total plate counts of the control group were initially greater than those of the treated groups. Higher incidence rates of L. monocytogenes in the products were obtained from the control group, but were not detected in the treated groups during storage. Lactic acid bacteria counts following the lactic acid treatment were lower than those of the other groups. Micrococcus counts of the controls increased by 0.6–1.2 log10 colony‐forming unit (CFU)/g greater than those of treated groups throughout storage at 4°C. The light color (L‐value) of the control group gradually decreased during storage. Pork meat dipped in various organic acids was found to be suitable to extend the shelf‐life and improve the microbiological quality of Taiwanese‐style sausages.

The Relational Behavior Between Wholesaler and Retailer Travel Agencies: Evidence From Taiwan

This study examined the relational behavior model between wholesale and retail travel agencies. The conceptual model of the study is based on the relational behavior model and relationship marketing literature. The study surveyed 201 retailers in Taiwan. The results indicated that wholesalers' relational behaviors (initiating, signaling, and disclosing behaviors), offering support, and end-users' satisfaction positively influence the relationship quality between travel wholesalers and retailers. In turn, relationship quality positively influences retailers' loyalty and wholesalers' market share. The study highlights the moderators of relationship age and product importance and suggests that they have salient influences on the antecedents and consequences of the relational behavior models. Specifically, retailers' loyalty is reduced when relationship age is short and products become less important. This study supports the theoretical model of relational behavior between travel wholesalers and retailers and provides suggestions for relationship marketing in the travel industries.

Determinants of supplier‐retailer collaboration: evidence from an international study

PurposeThis paper aims to increase the understanding of social and technical factors contributing to successful supplier‐retailer collaboration. The objective is to identify the necessary supply chain architecture for supplier‐retailer collaboration, and demonstrate how it influences supply chain performance.Design/methodology/approachFive pairs of suppliers and retailers in Taiwan were studied with each pair serving as a unit of analysis. In each case, data pertaining to eight relationship variables critical to collaboration between supplier and retailer were collected and analyzed. A comprehensive supplier‐retailer relationship model is developed with five specific research positions: supplier‐retailer business relationship (interdependence, intensity, trust) affects long‐term orientation; supplier‐retailer business relationship affects supply chain architecture (information sharing, inventory system, information technology capabilities, coordination structure); long‐term orientation affects supply chain architecture; supply chain architecture affects the level of supplier‐retailer collaboration; and supplier‐retailer collaboration enhances supplier‐retailer performance.FindingsOverall, with the exception of duration, all variables are found to be critical to supplier‐retailer collaboration. It is the intensity, as opposed to the duration, of the relationship that influences the retailer‐supplier relationship.Originality/valueThe proposed model demonstrates how eight critical social and technical variables are directly and/or indirectly related. This knowledge will enable the management of supplier‐retailer networks to produce better supply chain collaboration and performance.

Key factors in forming an e-marketplace: An empirical analysis

Currently, the major marketing channel for flower suppliers and retailers in Taiwan is the flower wholesale market. However, when the retailers make purchases in the wholesale market, the dominant suppliers offer poor service, and the retailers find it inconvenient to collect information on the price of flowers. Our study shows that the E-Commerce mechanism of the e-marketplace can improve trading efficiency and lower the cost of collecting information as well as the purchase price. According to our analysis, the e-marketplace can use “a combination of pictures, literal description, and regulated classification” to introduce the quality of flower products. By Fuzzy Delphi, the key factors which affect the operation modes between the retailer and the e-marketplace are “cooperation on urgent orders”, “accuracy of order processing”, and “order processing efficiency”. Then, based on the three key factors, we use Fuzzy Multiple Criteria Decision Making to find what operation modes the e-marketplace should take to cooperate with the retailer. Retailers find the three operation modes “actively placing orders”, “jointly negotiating prices”, and “free bidding” equally compatible, so we suggest that the e-marketplace should provide these modes at the same time for retailer use and later the retailers can adjust the modes according to their business performance.

An analysis of the Taiwan retail market using Leites’ method

Links and analyzes qualitative and quantitative sources of information about the Taiwan retail market using an adaptation of Leites’ method. Qualitative interviews are abstracted and integrated with quantitative secondary source data and survey data. Outlines, categorizes, and summarizes information useful for making management decisions about consumers, retail formats, products and services, retail development projects, market strategies, and commercial laws and regulations. Demonstrates an efficient means to survey general trends in newly developed retail and consumer markets and shows promise for implementation as a soft OR method to derive management strategies.