Dirk Morschett

Perception of store attributes and overall attitude towards grocery retailers: The role of shopping motives

Abstract Motivational forces are commonly accepted to have a key influencing role in the explanation of shopping behaviour. In retailing research, shopping motives are a field of research that has received considerable attention, often in combination with motivation-based shopper taxonomies. While personal shopping motives and perceived shopping alternatives are often considered independent inputs into a choice model, we argue that shopping motives influence the perception of retail store attributes as well as the attitude towards retail stores. An empirical study, which was carried out in Germany with 560 grocery shoppers as respondents to test these assumptions, showed that the influence of shopping motives is much more profound on the attitude towards retail stores than towards the perception of store attributes, which might be explained by different levels of abstraction and, consequently, subjectivity in the interpretation of these stimuli.

Brand personality of retailers – an analysis of its applicability and its effect on store loyalty

In recent years, marketing research has paid considerable attention to the symbolic meaning consumers attribute to brands. One important symbolic brand association is brand personality. While the brand personality scale that Aaker has proposed in her well-known article has been applied to different products and product groups in different countries, an application to retailing is rare. Based on the data of an empirical study in Germany (n = 1337), we demonstrate that the scale is applicable for retail brands in Germany, that it serves well to clearly differentiate between retailers and that the dimensions of the brand personality directly influence the store loyalty of consumers.

The impact of culture on brand perceptions: a six‐nation study

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how cultural differences affect the perception of a brand.Design/methodology/approach – A study was carried out in six countries among different involvement groups. The study uses Hofstedes cultural dimensions and Aakers brand personality dimensions to see if brand perceptions of a product are similar among all six countries.Findings – This study provides clear evidence that a same brand is perceived differently in different cultures in spite of its identical positioning. This means that if a firm wishes to achieve the same brand perception in different countries, the firm needs to create brand positioning strategies that emphasize the characteristics that enable consumers to perceive the product in a similar way.Originality/value – This paper examines the perception of a single brand in the context of cultural dimensions in a global setting – in particular in six countries on three continents.

Strategic Retail Management

This chapter explains the tasks of retailers within the distribution channel and recent trends surrounding these functions. This serves to demonstrate the complexity of retailers’ activities and explain their general role as intermediaries between suppliers and final customers.

The Relationship between marketing performance, logistics performance and company performance for retail companies

Abstract The objective of this research is to demonstrate the importance of logistics and marketing to overall company performance. The focus is on the relationship between logistics and marketing, because, in the intra-organisational context, the different perspectives of these two functions can lead to conflict between short-term objectives. Consequently, effective coordination between these two organisational units, not only at an intra-organisational, but also at an inter-organisational level, is extremely important. The theoretical assumptions are tested empirically through an investigation of the retailing industry.

An intersector analysis of the relevance of service in building a strong retail brand

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to try to show the relevance of service quality in building a strong retail brand. It addresses how retailer attributes affect customer‐based retail brand equity, when considering retailers as brands. These attributes are compared with one another, and the importance of service is set in proportion to the other retailer attributes, both intersectorally and sector‐specifically. An integrated model is used here.Design/methodology/approach – This is an empirical study across five retail sectors (grocery, textiles, DIY, consumer electronics and furniture retailing) based on a survey with 2,000 face‐to‐face interviews. Structural equation modelling is used to illustrate the impact of central dimensions of the perception of retailer service and of the other retailer attributes on customer‐based retail brand equity.Findings – In retailing, service quality appears to be the most important retailer attribute in building a strong retail brand – as demonstrated in four out o...

Multi-Channel-Retailing

Im Kontext der E-Commerce-Diskussion wurde die Thematik des Multi-Channel-Retailing und seiner Bedeutung fur den Handel vergleichsweise polarisiert und gleichermasen emotional diskutiert. Im Vordergrund stand dabei die Kontroverse, ob Multi-Channel-Retailing der „Konigsweg“ oder der „Todesstos“ fur den Einzelhandel sei. Diskutiert wurde v.a., in welcher Form sich die Einfuhrung von Multi-Channel-Retailing-Systemen auf den Unternehmenserfolg von Handelsunternehmen auswirkt. Gerade zu Beginn der Diskussion wurde eine Vielzahl von Studien zum Multi-Channel-Verhalten der Kunden und der Handelsunternehmen aus Wissenschaft und Praxis durchgefuhrt. Entweder wurde dabei die Einstellung vertreten, dass sich die Implementierung von Mehrkanalsystemen im Handel positiv auf den Unternehmenserfolg auswirkt, indem Kundenbindungseffekte und Neukundenakquisition zu Umsatzsteigerungen fuhren. Auf der anderen Seite wurde argumentiert, dass die Ausweitung von Absatzkanalsystemen nicht nur zu einer immensen Kostenbelastung durch den Aufbau der zusatzlichen Kanale, sondern zudem zu Kanalkonflikten fuhrt, die die positiven Effekte einer eventuellen Umsatzausweitung uberkompensieren wurden.

Moderating role of involvement in building a retail brand

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to focus on one of the main antecedents of consumer behaviour concerning its role in building a retail brand. It addresses how consumer involvement influences perception of retailer attributes, which affects customer‐based retail brand equity when considering retailers as brands.Design/methodology/approach – A model is developed that includes the impact of central dimensions of the perception of retailer attributes, their effects on customer‐based retail brand equity and the moderating role of consumer involvement. The empirical study is based on a sample of 3,000 consumers spread over five retail sectors (grocery, clothing, DIY, electronics and furniture).Findings – Using multiple‐group structural equation modelling, the intersectoral relevance of involvement as a moderator in building a strong retail brand is demonstrated. In retailing, consumer involvement has a moderating effect on the influence of retailer attributes on retail brand equity. The direction of this...

Cross-channel integration – is it valued by customers?

It has been common for retail companies to use multiple channels simultaneously. However, simultaneous use is only the first step in creating a customer-centric multichannel system that demands channel synergies rather than parallel retail formats. Therefore, the perceived integration of customer-related functions and processes between the channels of multichannel systems is analyzed with respect to its significance for customer loyalty and usage of a multichannel system. Drawing on a sample (n) of 981 customers, the results indicate that linkages between retail channels positively affect customer loyalty and verify the importance of establishing a well-integrated – ‘seamless’ as perceived by the customer – multichannel system.

Convenience-Oriented Shopping: A Model from the Perspective of Consumer Research

The term “convenience” is here understood to refer to amenity or comfort experienced by the customer. However, this does not only mean the characteristics inherent in the product itself. It includes the convenient purchase of a product (in particular food), which is easy to prepare, and which is generally available in small quantities. Consumption is quick and immediate. The term convenience refers to more than ease of purchase.