• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.75-82
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• 2018

Purpose - As the role of salespersons in retail stores has expanded from selling products to sharing brand experiences with customers, the importance of research on the effects of salesperson-brand relationships has grown. The purpose of this research is to investigate the influences of salespersons' brand identification on conceptual fluency and customers' service and brand evaluations. It was supposed that salespersons' brand identification is affected by brand knowledge, which is a core dimension of internal branding. Research design, data, and methodology - The author developed a structural model in which salespersons' brand knowledge influences brand identification, hence customers' perception of salesperson-brand image congruence. And it is hypothesized that salesperson-brand image congruence influences conceptual fluency which affects customers' satisfaction and brand evaluation. Data were collected from five department stores in Seoul. Results - First, salespersons' brand knowledge was found to have a significant effect on brand identification. The more a salesperson knows about the affiliated brand, the higher her level of brand identification. Second, salespersons' brand identification influenced salesperson-brand image congruence. Third, salesperson-brand image congruence had a significant effect on brand conceptual fluency. Customers who perceive salesperson-brand image congruent are more likely to process information easily. Finally, conceptual fluency was found to be a significant determinant of store loyalty and brand value evaluation. Conclusions - The results of this study verify importance of salesperson's brand identification on customers' service and brand evaluations. To enhance salespersons' brand identification, retailers should emphasize the importance of internal branding and communication, especially by sharing brand vision, values, and identity with employees at customer contact points. Also, as brand conceptual fluency is a significant determinant of customer responses, retailers need to deliver consistent messages through various components of store environments, including salespersons' attitudes, appearances, and manners, as well as physical store design. With a deeper understanding of the effects of salesperson-brand relationship and brand conceptual fluency, retailers will be able to create more effective brand strategies to enhance their performances. Future studies should consider data from various retail types, such as discount stores, to generalize the findings.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.10 no.11
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• pp.61-70
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• 2012

Purpose - The entry of Super Supermarkets (SSM), operated by large corporations, into the retail distribution market weakens the competitive power of local supermarkets (SM) and their families leading to a rapid collapse of the local-SM market. Accordingly, this is a very sensitive and urgent issue in Korean society and politics. Therefore, the government is required to take steps to activate a local-SM market and regain the loyalty of their customers. However, in spite of the urgent need of a comparative study on the advantages and competitive power of local-SM in relation to the SSM, little research has been done on this issue to date. One purpose of this study is to analyze the differences in store characteristics of the local SM and SSM, and to explore the relationships amongst various store characteristics, such as consumption emotion, relation quality, and store loyalty between store types to provide an efficient solution to activate a local-SM market. Research design, data, methodology - To analyze the differences in the evaluation of store characteristics between store types, and to test the moderator and mediator effects, data were collected from 488 customers in Seoul, Incheon,and Gyeonggi Province. The theoretical model consists of four hypotheses, and data was processed to test these using factor analysis, t-test, regression analysis, hierarchical regression, and the three step regression proposed by Baron and Kenny. Results - First, the analysis shows that local-SM customers evaluate location characteristic factors significantly higher compared to SSM customers. However, SSM customers evaluate quality of merchandise, sales promotion activities, and store environment significantly higher. Yet, there are no significant differences in the evaluation of consumption emotion, relation quality,and store loyalty between the store types. Second, the analysis of moderator effects of the store type show that sales promotion and store atmosphere factors have a significantly negative moderating effecton positive consumption emotion, while positive consumption emotion has a significantly positive moderating effect on absorption of relation quality, while there are no significant moderating effects between consumption emotion and store loyalty. Third, while both trust and absorption of relation quality are partially mediated between consumption emotion and store loyalty, only absorption is partially mediated between positive consumption emotion and store loyalty. There are no significant mediating effects of absorption between negative consumption emotion and store loyalty. Conclusions - We strongly recommend that location restrictions on entrance of SSM into local-SM market should either be further strengthened or sustained for the activation of the local store market. Government should strengthen financial support to improve the quality of merchandise, sales promotion, employee education, store environment of the local-SM by providing appropriate business consulting. Moreover, the result implies that the owners of alocal-SM should take measures to increase customers' absorption and store loyalty, such as store cleanliness, maintaining a delightful atmosphere at the store, and training employees on attitudes towards customers. As this study is restricted within Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi Province, care needs to be taken in generalizing the interpretation and application to the national level.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.109-114
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• 2018

In general, the simple items we need to live in are purchased through retail stores such as supermarkets near our home. In the store, not only the items but also the management personnel and the payment instruments for the store management are located in one space called the store. Such a general store environment is gradually changing into an 'unmanned market' as a result of the development and fusion of information and communication technology (ICT). An unmanned market is an environment in which no one runs a market as the word has. An example of a typical change is Amazon's Unofficial Amazon Store. In addition, the usage and prospects of unmanned market in China are growing very meaningfully. In this study, the present situation of the unmanned market is examined in the US and China markets, and the development prospects are described. It also describes the key milestones necessary for the unmanned market.

• Journal of the Korean Operations Research and Management Science Society
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.165-177
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• 2009

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of the Internet channel introduction on the channel composed of a monopoly manufacturer and an independent physical retailer. This study also examines what would be the best strategy for the Independent physical retailer to respond to the new internet channel entry. The game theoretic model consists of a monopolist manufacturer selling its product through a channel system including one independent physical store before the entry of an internet store. The audition of the internet store to this channel system results in a mixed channel comprised of two different types of channels. The new internet store is launched by the manufacturer. The results show that an Internet channel entry has the following impacts on the existing channel members. First, the manufacturer's internet channel introduction mitigates the double marginalization problem of the traditional channel. Second, the manufacturer could enhance Its channel power by introducing its own internet channel while it diminishes that of the incumbent independent physical retailer. Third, manufacturer's adding a new internet store leads to a higher demand. Finally, with its own internet direct channel, the manufacturer has an opportunity to practice price discrimination. The manufacture leaves only those with a strong preference for the physical store to be served by the Independent physical store. The results suggest that the independent physical store's best strategy to the entry of the manufacturer's Internet channel is to focus on the consumers who are highly loyal to the physical store while maintaining a high retail price.

• Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.173-189
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to present the classification and operation systems of fashion offline stores. This research analyzed fashion literatures, articles and papers published by fashion-related companies and interviewed fashion practitioners. This research can be used as information for practitioners of the domestic fashion brand and students of fashion majors. The classification and operation systems of fashion offline stores are as follows. 1. The types of fashion offline store is classified as a form of road shop, department store, complex shopping center, select shop, outlet, and fashion wholesale retail specialty store. 2. The road shop is classified flagship store, franchise store, direct sales store, and street brand store. 3. The department store is recently using strategy to improve the profit rate, as setting up the select shop, expand the import contemporary brand stores, the men's brand stores, SPA brand stores, the street brand stores, and the soho internet shopping mall brands instead of reducing the national brands. 4. Most forms of fashion offline stores enhanced the functions to combine the catering, cultural activities and purchasing the lifestyle-related products, as well as fashion items. 5. The types of the operation system in fashion offline stores is classified as direct operations, franchise operations, middle management operations, and fully insert operations. 6. Franchise operations are tended to decline, however middle manager operations are overwhelming.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.106-121
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• 2017

This study was to identify underlying dimensions of service encounter quality, to test difference in service encounter quality between interpersonal service(IPS) and self-service technology(SST) and to predict service effectiveness and behavioral intentions in the fashion retail context. A field experimental study was designed for collecting data. Repeat sampling frames were involved in two types of service encounters: interpersonal service and self-service technology within the store environment. Thirty participants served as subjects. Sample represents more females than males, and age was ranged from 20 to 33 years old (Mean=24.2). The result suggested that service encounter quality consisted of competence, dedication, and listening. There was a significant mean difference on listening factor of service encounter quality between IPS and SST. For the interpersonal service, dedication and listening had significant effects on service effectiveness. For the self-service technology, competence and listening had significant effects on service effectiveness. In the IPS condition, the service effectiveness significantly affected the revisit intention, whereas it was not significantly related to the revisit intention in the SST condition. This study discussed managerial implications for fashion retailers seeking to effectively manage service quality by specifying interpersonal service versus self-service technology in the retail environments.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.33-45
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• 2019

This study identified types of online retail internationalization in the fast-fashion context and proposed driving factors of retailers' choices in online-based market entry following the logic of the Uppsala model and the eclectic theory. In particular, this study proposes three types of online-based internationalization: 1) entering a host market with a physical store first, and then expanding with an online store, 2) entering a foreign market with an online store, then expanding to physical stores, and 3) entering only with an online business. In addition, this study investigated the causal factors, ownership-specific and location advantages, that influence the choice of the type of developmental process of online-based internationalization. To develop theoretical and managerial insights into the issue researched, this study employed a qualitative research design involving case studies of three European fast-fashion retailers, H&M, TOPSHOP, and ASOS. This study suggested that fast-fashion retailers that enter a host market with high ownership-specific advantages are likely to choose to enter the market with physical stores and then expand with online stores. On the other hand, when faced with uncertainties attributable to low ownership-specific or location advantages, fast-fashion retailers are likely to choose to enter with an online store first and then expand with physical stores as conditions change. Consequently, this study provides a better understanding for fast-fashion retailers who are willing to expand their businesses to foreign markets via online stores.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.45-52
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• 2021

Purpose: Contemporary consumers are increasingly adopting public displays of their loyalty towards brands: consumer dedication surpasses loyalty in that they find various ways to show their devotion to their favorite brands. The purpose of the current study is to utilize sports psychology to improve customer experience in the sports shops. Research design, data and methodology: To investigate the purpose of the study and suggest the solutions, Epistemology methods were used to analyze the nature of knowledge and various forms of attaining knowledge. As such, epistemology asks questions such as "what are constitutes of valid knowledge?". Results: This study figured out five theoretical results to suggest for practitioners in the sports retail shop based on prior research. According to the research, sports psychology can affect consumer buying behavior which builds upon specific demographics and their differentiating behavior. The results also show that males shop with specificity, while female consumers are likely to shop for pleasure. Men are also less frequent shoppers than women. Conclusions: Above all, this study concludes that a consumer decision-making study is vital in the sports retail business, and information about consumer decision-making can be an influential factor for sports retailers to increase their competitive advantage.

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.1-25
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• 2008

Ⅰ. Introduction Retailers in the 21st century are being told that future retailers are those who can execute seamless multi-channel access. The reason is that retailers should be where shoppers want them, when they want them anytime, anywhere and in multiple formats. Multi-channel access is considered one of the top 10 trends of all business in the next decade (Patricia T. Warrington, et al., 2007) And most firms use both direct and indirect channels in their markets. Given this trend, we need to evaluate a channel equity more systematically than before as this issue is expected to get more attention to consumers as well as to brand managers. Consumers are becoming very much confused concerning the choice of place where they shop for durable goods as there are at least 6-7 retail options. On the other hand, manufacturers have to deal with category killers, their dealers network, Internet shopping malls, and other avenue of distribution channels and they hope their retail channel behave like extensions of their own companies. They would like their products to be foremost in the retailer's mind-the first to be proposed and effectively communicated to potential customers. To enable this hope to come reality, they should know each channel's advantages and disadvantages from consumer perspectives. In addition, customer satisfaction is the key determinant of retail customer loyalty. However, there are only a few researches regarding the effects of shopping satisfaction and perceptions on consumers' channel choices and channels. The purpose of this study was to assess Korean consumers' channel choice and satisfaction towards channels they prefer to use in the case of electronic goods shopping. Korean electronic goods retail market is one of good example of multi-channel shopping environments. As the Korea retail market has been undergoing significant structural changes since it had opened to global retailers in 1996, new formats such as hypermarkets, Internet shopping malls and category killers have arrived for the last decade. Korean electronic goods shoppers have seven major channels : (1)category killers (2) hypermarket (3) manufacturer dealer shop (4) Internet shopping malls (5) department store (6) TV home-shopping (7) speciality shopping arcade. Korean retail sector has been modernized with amazing speed for the last decade. Overall summary of major retail channels is as follows: Hypermarket has been number 1 retailer type in sales volume from 2003 ; non-store retailing has been number 2 from 2007 ; department store is now number 3 ; small scale category killers are growing rapidly in the area of electronics and office products in particular. We try to evaluate each channel's equity using a consumer survey. The survey was done by telephone interview with 1000 housewife who lives nationwide. Sampling was done according to 2005 national census and average interview time was 10 to 15 minutes. Ⅱ. Research Summary We have found that seven major retail channels compete with each other within Korean consumers' minds in terms of price and service. Each channel seem to have its unique selling points. Department stores were perceived as the best electronic goods shopping destinations due to after service. Internet shopping malls were perceived as the convenient channel owing to price checking. Category killers and hypermarkets were more attractive in both price merits and location conveniences. On the other hand, manufacturers dealer networks were pulling customers mainly by location and after service. Category killers and hypermarkets were most beloved retail channel for Korean consumers. However category killers compete mainly with department stores and shopping arcades while hypermarkets tend to compete with Internet and TV home shopping channels. Regarding channel satisfaction, the top 3 channels were service-driven retailers: department stores (4.27); dealer shop (4.21); and Internet shopping malls (4.21). Speciality shopping arcade(3.98) were the least satisfied channels among Korean consumers. Ⅲ. Implications We try to identify the whole picture of multi-channel retail shopping environments and its implications in the context of Korean electronic goods. From manufacturers' perspectives, multi-channel may cause channel conflicts. Furthermore, inter-channel competition draws much more attention as hypermarkets and category killers have grown rapidly in recent years. At the same time, from consumers' perspectives, 'buy where' is becoming an important buying decision as it would decide the level of shopping satisfaction. We need to develop the concept of 'channel equity' to manage multi-channel distribution effectively. Firms should measure and monitor their prime channel equity in regular basis to maximize their channel potentials. Prototype channel equity positioning map has been developed as follows. We expect more studies to develop the concept of 'channel equity' in the future.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF PACKAGING SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.71-84
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to establish a new management strategy to meet customer needs of discount stores as customers demand higher and more diverse services in addition to low prices. An empirical analysis on consumers to explore the structural relationships between the quality, environmentally friendliness, consumer perception, service value, and emotional response of retail ready packaging (RRP) in discount stores in order to find out how they affect customer satisfaction and repurchase intention. First, it was confirmed that the RRP quality of discount stores that affects customer satisfaction is mediated by the emotional response. Second, it was found that RRP in discount stores should continue to devise strategies to improve service quality along with efforts to provide more benefits perceived by customers to increase customer satisfaction and repurchase intention. Third, it was confirmed that the RRP image of discount stores has a positive (+) effect on service value, emotional response, customer satisfaction, and repurchase intention.