Retail Sites Research Articles

Graphic Heritage and the Making of Place

ABSTRACT This article centers on three retail sites within Walthamstow, East London in the UK – Walthamstow High Street and Hoe Street; Orford Road within Walthamstow Village; and the western end of the High St in the St James area. Each of these sites utilize everyday urban “graphic heritage” – shop front design, colors, typefaces and symbols – in the making of place. However, the graphic heritage contributes to the development of very different “designscapes” and experiences of place for different people. Drawing from a range of interdisciplinary sources the article focuses on graphic heritage as a little studied feature of the urban retail streetscape. It suggests that, in a retail context, graphic heritage is used strategically by different stakeholders in placemaking activities. In some cases, this unfolds as an organically developed designscape over time. In others, formal development creates a more planned makeover. The different approaches discussed raise questions as to how this type of everyday urban graphic heritage might contribute to processes of gentrification and experiences of inclusion and exclusion; how the power and politics inherent in these seemingly mundane design choices can impact on the making of place; and how the notion of “design literacy” can be further refined in relation to the diverse range of stakeholders within the urban retail environment.

Behind Closed Doors: The Human Remains Trade within Private Facebook Groups

The existence of a thriving trade in human remains online is facilitated by social media platforms. While much of this trade is conducted in fully public forums such as e-commerce platforms, the retail website of bricks-and-mortar stores, public personal and business pages on social media, etc., there also exist numerous private groups using the affordances of various social media platforms to buy, sell, and share photographs of human remains. This article describes a case study of four private Facebook groups featuring people who buy and sell human remains, to explore how the discourses of the trade may be different when not made in public. Using a close-reading approach on the text of posts and threaded conversations, and associated visual similarity analysis of the accompanying photographs, we observe, among other things, a strikingly 'more professional' approach, shibboleths and patterns of behaviour that serve to create group identities. We analyse posts made over a seven-week period across the selected private groups in the run-up to the 2023 holiday season. Given the issues of privacy raised by studying private groups, we also experiment with a locally hosted large language model to see if it could classify discourses meaningfully without the intervention of a researcher having to read the original posts. This case study might also serve as a model for other kinds of research investigating the reception of various archaeological topics that might be discussed and understood differently in private versus public venues.

Age-Gating and Marketing Differences Between Storefront and Non-Storefront Cannabis Retailers

Objective: The study investigated whether California storefront and non-storefront cannabis retailers are adhering to online age-gating requirements and whether differences in website marketing practices exist. Methods: Websites of 134 storefront and 115 non-storefront licensed retailers were randomly selected. Bivariate associations were tested between retailer type and website marketing, age-gating methods, and presence of age-gating at various purchase stages. Results: Among the 200 (80.3%) websites with age-gating when entering, 182 (91%) employed an ineffective method where users click either “Yes” or “No” to confirm their age. Moreover, 49 (19.68%) websites lacked age-gating when entering. Amongst those requiring photo identification during checkout (n = 100, 40.16%), 97% allowed users to proceed after uploading an irrelevant image. Significantly more storefront retailers employed combined age-gating at entry, mandatory account registration, and age-gating during checkout than non-storefront retailers (X2 (1, N = 249) = 7.69, p < .01). Retailer websites frequently displayed “clean” labels (n = 200, 80.32%), followed by positive state claims (n = 198, 79.52%), physical health claims (n = 166, 66.67%), and mental health claims (n = 146, 58.63%). Significantly more storefront retailers displayed physical health claims (X2 (1, N = 249) = 7.52, p < .01) and health warnings than non-storefront retailers (X2 (1, N = 249) = 4.13, p = .04). Conclusions: Most cannabis retailers comply with age-gating requirements; however, methods employed are easily circumvented. Youths’ easy and unrestricted access to cannabis retailer websites may increase positive attitudes about cannabis and encourage use.

A pharmacist's role in increasing access to menstrual products: an education and advocacy approach.

Individuals who menstruate grapple with diverse challenges in menstrual and reproductive health. This includes financial burdens, societal stigmas, and negative mental and physical health implications. Period poverty, marked by insufficient access to menstrual products, education, and sanitation, remains a prevalent and poorly addressed issue. Alarming statistics highlight the extent of this problem and shed light on the staggering number of individuals lacking access to essential menstrual products. The discourse extends to the safety and accessibility of a diverse array of menstrual products. A comprehensive comparison of the cost of available period products was conducted using data obtained from various retail websites. The often-overlooked potential indirect expenses and profound impacts on quality of life were also discussed. Amidst other public health initiatives, pharmacists have emerged as pivotal advocates and educators. Pharmacists are poised to drive initiatives that increase access to menstrual products through public health education and advocacy. By providing education on different menstrual product options, pharmacists can empower individuals to make informed decisions based on their needs. This perspective illuminates the complex impacts of menstruation on individuals and proposes that pharmacists can play a role in overcoming barriers to access. The proposed strategies, rooted in education, research, and advocacy, pave the way for enhancing access, reducing stigma, and elevating the quality of life for those navigating the intricate complexities of menstruation.

Measuring Chinese mobility behaviour during COVID-19 using geotagged social media data

COVID-19 caused widespread disruption to normal lives and human activities. In China, the mobility behaviour response to the COVID-19 pandemic at the intra-city and population group levels is largely unknown, mainly due to a lack of individual-level publicly available mobility data. Using 210 million geotagged posts from 10 million social media users, the study quantified the changes in stay-at-home and outings across amenities and groups in China during the pandemic. The users were compared to national census data to examine their representativeness. To validate the results externally, the geotagged data was performed post-stratified correction and further comparison with commonly used data sources. The findings reveal that (i) there was between 16.8% and 57.7% decrease in visits to places of work, retail and recreation sites, parks, transit stations, grocery stores, and pharmacies within one month of the outbreak; (ii) those who are young, have a bachelor’s degree or higher, and are unmarried experienced a greater decline in outings; (iii) people preferred to visit nearby locations, resulting in a 4.3% increase in visits to retail and recreational sites within a 3-kilometer radius of their homes. The data and findings could gain insight into the asymmetric impact of the pandemic on public infrastructure use and socio-demographic groups, helping design targeted policies to promote outdoor activities, stimulate economic recovery, and alleviate social inequality in vulnerable groups.

Times They Are A-Changin’? Evolving Representations of Women in the Assassin's Creed Franchise

This study analyzes representations of women—protagonists and NPCs—in Assassińs Creed games between 2007 and 2024, to explore the impact of the last decades’ work for gender rights on the English language AAA game industry. Through close playing, we explore game bodies with attention to the surface level of narrative, graphics, sound, and underlying mechanics of actions and reactions. Through netnography, we add promotional material, retail sites, and social movements of importance to the analysis. Results show four eras for female protagonists: nonexistent, protagonists in side games, defined by their male coprotagonists, and choose your gender. Over the 17 years studied, women are more present, and NPCs are more complex. Though female protagonists remain sidelined or shallow representations as female skins on male characters. We discuss how discrepancies and conflicts between artistic visions, marketing, and brand choices impact how women are represented, and the impact on representation by external cultural events, for example Gamergate/Metoo, during this period.

Online Review Analysis from a Customer Behavior Observation Perspective for Product Development

Observing customers is one of the methods to uncover their needs. By closely observing how customers use products, we can indirectly experience their interactions and gain a deep understanding of their feelings and preferences. Through this process, companies can design new products that have the potential to succeed on the market. However, traditional methods of customer observation are time-consuming and labor-intensive. In this study, we propose a method that leverages the analysis of online customer reviews as a substitute for direct customer observations. By correlating a customer journey map (CJM) with online reviews, this research establishes a verb-centric analysis that produces a CJM based on online review data. Various text analysis techniques were utilized in this process. When applying online retail site review data, our method of customer observation required one week. This proved to be more efficient in comparison with traditional customer observation methods, which typically need at least one month to complete. Additionally, we observed that the customer behavior-based VOC (voice of customer) identified during the CJM mapping process offers broad insights that are distinct from traditional product feature-centric review analyses. This behavior VOC can be effectively utilized for product improvement, new product development, and product marketing. To verify the usefulness of the behavior VOC, we asked product development experts to evaluate the quantitative analysis results of the same reviews. The experts evaluated the CJM as useful for product conceptualization and selecting technology priorities.

Analysis of Candy Tobacco Imitation Products Available Online in the United States.

Youth tobacco use remains a critical public health concern, and childhood use of candy tobacco imitation products (CTIP) is associated with cigarette use among youth. However, no research has examined the full extent of CTIP available for purchase in the United States. We conducted a content analysis of CTIP available on English-language, US-based websites. We identified sites that marketed CTIP utilizing Google and candy retail websites, examining each product for product names, the tobacco product being replicated (eg, cigar and cigarette), manufacturer, candy flavor, images, product rating, pack color, and if the product had packaging that may appeal to youth. We found 66 CTIP available. The most popular CTIP were cigars, with 39 separate products (59%), followed by candy cigarettes-14 products (21%), candy pipes-8 products (12%), and chewing tobacco-5 products (8%). In the 52 products where packaging design was available, 39 (75%) had packaging that may appeal to youth. CTIP, many of which contain packaging appealing to youth, are widely available for purchase online across the United States. These findings could stimulate policy actions, such as removal of CTIP from popular retail websites, labeling of CTIP as potentially dangerous to youth, or age verification requirements for purchasing CTIP. CTIP continues to be sold on the internet despite research indicating candy cigarette product use by youth increases their likelihood of smoking. We conducted research to understand the extent to which CTIP are sold on the internet and whether these products are being marketed to youth. The results provide evidence that some of the largest retail companies in the world continue to sell CTIP, and the majority are sold in packaging that likelyappeals to youth. The results suggest that further research into the market for these products is needed, and regulatory measures should be considered to prevent CTIP from leading to youth tobacco use.

Illegal products containing selective androgen receptor modulators purchased online from Italy: health risks for consumers.

Selective androgen receptor modulators (SARMs) are small synthetic drug molecules that are still not approved as medicine in Europe or the United States but are sold on illegal websites to improve sport performance, particularly bodybuilding. To address the quality issues of illegal SARM products and their increasing diffusion in Italy with their potential health risks for consumers. Web-based tools were used to investigate retail websites, trending searches, and information exchange via social media. Thirteen SARM products, purchased on retail websites accessible from Italy, were subject to visual inspection and chemical analysis by mass spectrometry and quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance. The primary outcome was demonstration of additional health risks due to the illicit presence of other active ingredients, contamination, and misdosage in SARM products sold on the internet. The secondary outcome was to show the increasing trend of interest in Italy for these products. Most websites reported misleading information; specifically, the statement "for research only" was reported notwithstanding indications on dosage and training phases. The trending search showed that interest toward SARMs increased in Italy in the last years. The use of these products is clearly encouraged by the emerging phenomenon of "broscience" as revealed in socials. Visual inspection evidenced nonconform labeling. Qualitative analysis confirmed the presence of the stated SARM in about 70% of samples. In 23% of samples, the expected SARM was not detected but a different one instead, and in 1 sample, no SARMs were detected. Other undeclared pharmaceutical substances (tamoxifen, clomifene, testosterone, epimethandienone, tadalafil) were measured in 30% of samples. The copresence of >1 active substance was observed in >60% of samples. Quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance data showed nonuniform content ranging from 30% to 90% of the label claim. The use of SARMs, in the presence of unexpected life-threatening reactions in persons using the products to increase sport performance, should be assessed. This investigation involved an integrated approach to study SARM products and related sociologic aspects. The main shortcomings are the limited number of samples and retail websites in the clear web investigated. SARMs sold online as food supplement-like products represent a health hazard due to the presence of unapproved and undeclared active substances. The presence of contaminants clearly indicates the absence of good manufacturing practices in the production, which increases the health risks.

Influence of website quality on online impulse buying behaviour: a systematic review of literature

PurposeOnline impulsive purchasing is growing exponentially, and website-related factors play a substantial role in this phenomenon. This study provides a comprehensive and integrative framework encompassing a variety of website-related factors influencing impulsive purchase behaviour.Design/methodology/approachThe study is a systematic literature review, which includes literature search from two prominent databases. This article consolidates the results of 60 relevant research papers, and thematic analysis is performed on various website-related aspects classified into five research topics.FindingsThe different website qualities have been classified into broad themes and their role in online impulse buying has been explored. The antecedents, moderators, mediators, and outcomes are portrayed in an integrated research framework. Possible research gaps have been identified, and a future research agenda has been proposed, representing potential research areas.Research limitations/implicationsAs we have included only studies published in the English language, this review may be limited by language bias. Relevant research published in other languages might have been excluded.Practical implicationsThis literature review may provide management insights to marketers and practitioners managing online retail websites. To sustain an online business in the long term, it is critical for online retailers to have a thorough understanding of all conceivable website stimuli and develop them in a way that compels consumers to make impulsive purchases.Originality/valueThis study represents an original contribution to the realm of systematic literature reviews. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first SLR that elaborately delineates the influence of website-related factors on online impulse buying behaviour.

E-commerce Elegance: Examining the Role of Digital Marketing in Shaping Women's Cosmetic Preferences

Online advertisements have had a significant influence on the purchasing habits of the general public. In India, the most of the businesses are ditching the brick-and-mortar retail model in favour of online shopping. A slew of aspects in online advertising affect consumers' purchasing decisions. With the rise of new companies and online shopping sites, internet retailing in India is experiencing a surge in popularity. Women shoppers play a significant role in the growth of online shopping across an extensive array of of platforms and apps. As a result of social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube as well as shopping apps like Mantra, Sephora, and Amazon and Myntra, women have access to a plethora of national and international cosmetic businesses through online advertising. It was an online advertising campaign that drove women in Haryana to emerge from their shells. The most pressing issue is how to use internet advertising to attract female customers to online and social media platforms. Researchers conducted this study to learn what factors influence women's preferences for different cosmetic goods, with a focus on how online marketing affect Haryana's women and the consequent shifts in their shopping behaviours. Findings from this study reveal a clear link between online advertising and how women chose cosmetic products while shopping online. Analytical surveying was the method used in this investigation. The goal of this research is in order to assess the effects of online marketing on Haryana women's purchasing habits for cosmetics. Explanatory inferences can be drawn from the findings of this study, which investigates variable-variable relationships. Research shows that women in Haryana are open to online advertisements for cosmetics on social media platforms, smartphone applications and retail websites.

Marketing plant‐based versus animal‐sourced foods in online grocery stores: A comparative content analysis of sustainability and other product claims in the United States

AbstractThe market share of e‐commerce grocery is swiftly rising, but online product listings may present different environmental sustainability and public health information. We analyzed product marketing content available on retailer websites and product images, comparing plant‐based (PBFs) and animal‐sourced foods (ASFs). Over sixteen thousand marketing and labeling content observations were gathered from seven leading U.S. e‐commerce grocery retailers for top‐selling ASFs and closely‐matched PBFs (N = 134; n = 68 PBFs, n = 66 ASFs), including sustainability, mandatory information, health, sourcing, and hedonic/emotional claims. PBFs averaged 47 total claims, ASFs 28. On‐web claims were substantially higher than on‐pack (PBFs 34 on‐web, 12 on‐pack; ASFs 19 and nine, respectively). On‐web information for the same products varied considerably across retailers, especially for sustainability and mandatory information. PBFs presented mostly sustainability claims on‐pack and health claims on‐web. ASFs led emotional claims and made almost no sustainability claims across settings. Across settings, mandatory information compliance was greater among PBFs whereas ASFs notably lacked disclosures for foods with major allergens. Online grocery lacks standardization—businesses should regard differences as opportunities for marketing sustainable foods.

The role of online retail website experience on brand happiness and willingness to share personal information: an SOR perspective

PurposeThe study aims to determine the role of online retail website experience on brand happiness and willingness to share personal information using the theoretical lens of the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) framework. Further, it explores the role of brand intimacy and brand partner quality in mediating the path between brand happiness and willingness to share personal information.Design/methodology/approachThis study used a cross-sectional survey design to collect data from 439 online retail consumers in India, using an online questionnaire. The data were analysed using Structural Equation Modelling in IBM Amos.FindingsThe present study found that online retail website experience is significantly related to brand happiness. The finding also supports that brand happiness was positively and significantly related to ‘consumers' willingness to share personal information. This relationship was fully mediated by brand intimacy. Brand happiness also mediated the relationship between website experience and the willingness to share personal information.Research limitations/implicationsThis study contributes to the emerging literature on brand happiness and willingness to share personal information. It establishes a central role of brand happiness as a driver and a mediator of consumers' willingness to share personal information with e-commerce retailers, extending the stimulus-organism-response framework in the context of brand happiness and willingness to share personal information. Further, the study establishes the role of website experience as a marketer (and brand) led driver of brand happiness.Practical implicationsThe results have implications for the role of the website in enhancing the consumer experience, which in turn is a driver of brand happiness. Further, managers need to promote brand happiness with the help of website experience to enable consumers’ willingness to share personal information and help organizations customize their marketing campaigns.Originality/valueThis is among the first studies to evaluate brand happiness from the perspective of an online retail website experience and consider consumers’ willingness to share personal information from a branding rather than a technological perspective. Additionally, the study introduces the SOR framework in the context of brand happiness, with website experience acting as a stimulus for consumers, resulting in brand happiness, which is mediated by brand partner quality and brand intimacy (organism), leads to consumers' willingness to share personal information with online retail brands (response).

An Assessment of Individual Preference for a Novel Capillary Blood Collection System.

Typical barriers to venous blood collection for wellness testing include discomfort, time spent, and collection site accessibility. This study assessed individuals' experience, satisfaction, and preference associated with a FDA-cleared blood-collection device, the BD MiniDraw™ Capillary Blood Collection System (BD MiniDraw), in retail locations. A total of 113 individuals (≥18 years) with venous blood collection experience were enrolled; 107 completed the study. A pre-collection survey gathered information on demographics and past experiences with healthcare and venous blood collection settings. BD MiniDraw collection was conducted at three retail sites (two pharmacies and one grocery store) by trained healthcare workers using the Babson BetterWay blood testing service model. A follow up survey was performed two weeks later to determine experience with, and preference for, BD MiniDraw in terms of staff professionalism, blood collection location, blood collection time, and staff trustworthiness. Among the 107 participants, 74 (69%) were female and 33 (31%) were male; the mean age was 49 years (range=18-71 years). Sixty-six (62%) participants viewed their prior venipuncture experience as "somewhat" or "very" positive. Following capillary collection, 96 (90%) participants expressed a "somewhat" or "very" positive experience with BD MiniDraw at a retail location. In particular, "very satisfied" responses were given for location (87/107; 81%) and collection time (78/1407; 73%). In a subset of respondents (n=89), those reasons (location and time savings) were most frequent for likelihood of future use. Ninety-nine participants (92%) rated the retail blood collection team as "very" or "extremely" trustworthy. Overall, 90 participants (84%) "strongly preferred" (56/107; 52%), "somewhat preferred" (14/107; 13%), or had "no preference" (20/107; 19%) for BD MiniDraw, compared to traditional venous blood collection. Most participants conveyed a preference for BD MiniDraw, primarily based on the blood collection retail location, perceived time savings, and professionalism and trustworthiness of the staff.

The Role of ‘About Us’ Pages in Online Food Stores

Abstract The primary objective of the article was to delineate the role and diversity of the ‘About Us’ pages on the websites of online food retailers. The research employed the content analysis method, allowing for identification of the content variables on the studied pages, along with an analysis of their frequency and occurrence. The findings revealed that the utilisation of ‘About Us’ pages is prevalent in organic food online stores. These pages exhibit a diverse range of content, primarily centred around promoting the offered products and conveying the values associated with a healthy lifestyle and nutrition.

Contamination of Kazakhstan cheeses originating from Escherichia coli and its resistance to antimicrobial drugs

Background and Aim: Escherichia coli, a commensal intestine bacterium of vertebrates, is widely distributed in the environment and indicates the microbiological quality of food products in relation to coliforms. In addition, virulent strains, particularly E. coli O157:H7, cause outbreaks of toxic infections caused by consuming dairy products. Because food safety studies regarding E. coli have not been conducted in Central Asia, this research aimed to study the characteristics of contamination, microbiological and genotypic properties, and resistance to antimicrobial agents of E. coli strains that contaminate various types of commercialized cheeses originating from Kazakhstan. Materials and Methods: In retail outlets, 207 samples of three types of cheese produced by 22 industrial and eight small enterprises in the central, eastern, southern, and northern regions of Kazakhstan were selected in 2020–2023. E. coli contamination was examined using standard microbiological, mass spectrometric, and molecular genetic methods. The discodiffuse European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing method was used to test the resistance of the identified E. coli isolates (65/207; 31.4%) to 20 antibacterial drugs. The Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (VT1 and VT2) and E. coli O157:H7 (eae) genes were investigated in all E. coli isolates using multiplex polymerase chain reaction. Results: An average of 31.4% samples of commercial Kazakhstani cheeses of various types were found to be contaminated with E. coli in almost all geographical regions of Kazakhstan, regardless of the productivity of the dairy enterprises. Soft cheeses produced by small farms (80% of samples) packaged at the retail site (100%) were the most contaminated with E. coli. The microbiological index (colony-forming unit/g) was unsatisfactory and unsuitable in 6.2% of such cheese samples. For the first time in Central Asia, the enteropathogenic strain E. coli O157:H7 was detected in 0.5% of cheese samples. E. coli isolates from cheese samples were resistant to 65% of antibacterial drugs and contained resistance genes to β-lactams, sulfonamides, and quinolones groups. At the same time, 25% of the E. coli isolates were multi-resistant to three or more antimicrobial agents. Conclusion: The high level of contamination caused by multi-antibiotic resistant E. coli strains, including pathogenic pathogens, poses a risk to public health and highlights the need for further research on the monitoring and control of coliform enteropathogens in food products. Keywords: antibiotic resistance, Escherichia coli O157:H7, Kazakhstan cheese, microbial contamination.

Marketing claims, promotional strategies, and product information on Malaysian e-cigarette retailer websites-a content analysis

BackgroundMarketing and sales of e-cigarettes are unregulated in Malaysia. We analyzed content displayed on e-cigarette retailer websites to identify marketing claims, promotional strategies, and product details in the year 2022.MethodsWe analyzed 30 Malaysia-based retailer websites using a mixed methods approach. Data were extracted as the frequency of occurrences of marketing claims, presence of regulatory information, product types, and flavors of e-juice as per a predefined codebook based on published literature. We also extracted textual details published on the websites about marketing claims, and slogans.ResultsMost retailer websites provided contact information and physical store addresses (83%) but only half had ‘click through’ age verification (57%) that seldom needed any identification proof for age (3%). Marketing claims were related to health (47%), smoking cessation (37%), and modernity/trend (37%) and none had health warnings. Promotional strategies were discounts (80%). starter kits (57%) and email subscriptions (53%). Product types displayed were rechargeable (97%) and disposable (87%) devices and e-liquids (90%) of an array of flavors (> 100). Nicotine presence, its concentration, and “nicotine is an addictive chemical” were displayed in 93%, 53%, and 23% of websites respectively.ConclusionSurveillance of content displayed online on e-cigarette retailer websites and regulation of online marketing and sales should be implemented by the Ministry of Health, Malaysia. Such measures are needed to prevent access to, and initiation of e-cigarette use among the youth and adults who do not smoke.

Types and Brands of Derived Psychoactive Cannabis Products: An Online Retail Assessment, 2023.

Background: The 2018 Farm Bill led to new types of derived psychoactive cannabis products (DPCPs) being sold throughout the United States. This study describes the new types and brands of DPCPs sold online. Materials and Methods: In May 2023, data were recorded from three top-trafficked U.S.-based DPCP retail websites, including information about each product (N=804). Results: DPCP modalities included disposable vapes (43%), edibles (29%), vape carts (18%), pre-rolls (7%), flower (2%), dabs (1%), and vape pods (<1%). Among the 118 brands, the most common were Exhale, Delta Extrax, Cake, URB, Looper, and TRE House. There were 26 different intoxicating compounds overall, the most prevalent being: Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), THC-P, Delta-9 THC, HHC, THC-A, Delta-10 THC, THC-H, THC-B, THC-JD, THC-X, HHC-P, and Delta-11 THC. Overall, 54% of products were blends, containing two to eight different intoxicating compounds in a single product. Discussion: This is the first study to systematically assess DPCPs sold online. Most of the DPCP market is comprised of vapes and edibles, but these products contain a wide array of compounds and blends. Data from this diverse, rapidly evolving market are needed to examine its consumer impact and inform public health policies and programs.

Spatial Analysis for Better Marketing Decisions with Special Focus on Consumer Behaviour Patterns

The study explores the pivotal role of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in shaping marketing decisions, with a special emphasis on consumer behaviour patterns. Distinct studies are scrutinized, spanning diverse applications of GIS in marketing, from spatial consumer behaviour in small towns to the visualization of consumer sales promotions. The analysis encompasses the integration of GIS with methodologies such as spatial point pattern analysis, kernel density estimation, and RFID systems, offering insights into optimal retail site locations, consumer preferences in shopping centers, and the spatial distribution of data. The findings underscore GIS's capacity to enhance decision-making processes, offering a valuable resource for marketers seeking to leverage spatial intelligence for strategic advantage.

Building a “reservoir of social resilience:” A strategy for social infrastructure regeneration in shrinking cities based on social network analysis

Northeast China is generally experiencing a shrinkage phenomenon similar to that in other old industrial regions worldwide. Large-scale growth-oriented regeneration programs by the government over the long term have led to the decline of social infrastructure in inner cities, thereby causing a structural crisis at the social level, and exacerbating the negative effects of shrinkage. This study investigated Hegang as a typical shrinking city in northeastern China. Coupling analysis was conducted based on network indexes and two categories of social resilience indexes to identify the key social infrastructure that provides residents with resilience to help cope with shrinkage. Our results demonstrate the centralizing effect of large-scale retail sites, and large green spaces and squares on social resilience. We also found that these categories of social infrastructure had effects across different areas of the city, which then provided social resilience to a wider range of residents. Our results also provide evidence for inequalities in the ability of residents to cope with shrinkage. Based on these findings, we characterize China's urban shrinkage and future development trends, and discuss the limitations of the regeneration model that has long been adopted by local governments. We suggest that local governments should consider incorporating investment in resilience to shrinkage into regeneration policies. They should also consider regenerating social infrastructure and deploying funds to a holistic network to build “reservoirs” of social resilience in shrinking cities. In addition, we highlight our methodological contributions and argue that social resilience monitoring should be integrated into China's urban physical examination framework to enhance dynamic planning and the sustainable regeneration capacity of shrinking urban local governments.