• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.209-237
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• 2012

1. Research Purpose Consumers rely on various clues to evaluate their decision to patronize a retail store, and store brand is one of them (Dodds 1991; Grewal et al. 1998). As consumers find ever increasing variety of contact points connecting them to specific store, the value of experiential shopping as a means of increasing store's brand equity warrants greater attention from scholars of retail management. Retail shopping values are credited for creating not only cognitive experiences like brand knowledge but also emotional experiences such as shopping pleasure and pride (Schmitt 1999). This may be because today's consumers place emphasis on emotional values associated with shopping pleasure, lifestyle brought to life, brand relationship, and store atmosphere more than utilitarian values such as product quality and price. Many previous literature found this to be true (Ahn and Lee 2011; Mathwick et al. 2001). This brings forth important research issues and questions regarding the roles of shopping experiential values and brand equity with regard to consumer's retail patronage choice. However, despite this importance, research on this area remains quite inadequate (Hwang 2010). For this reason, this study aims to verify the relationships among experiential shopping values, retail store brand equity and tries to link that with customer loyalty by surveying large-scale discount store shoppers in Korea and China. 2. Research Contents In order to carry out the research objective, this study conducted comprehensive literature survey on previous literature by discussing major findings and implications with regard to shopping values and retail brand equity and store loyalty. For data collection, researcher employed survey-based research method where data were collected in two major cities of Korea (Seoul) and China (Bejing) and sampling frame was based on patrons of large discount stores in both countries. Specific research questions raised in this study are as follows; RQ1: How do Korean and Chinese consumers differently perceive of shopping values regarding shopping at large-sclae discount stores? RQ2: Are there differences in consumers' emotional consumption propensities? RQ3: Do Korean and Chinese consumers display different perceptions of brand equity towards large-scale discount stores? RQ4: Are there differences in relationships between shopping values and brand equity for Korean and Chinese consumers? For statistical analysis, SPSS17.0, AMOS17.0 and SmartPLS were employed. 3. Research Results The data collected through face-to-face survey conducted in Seoul and Bejing revealed appropriate data validity and reliability as a result of exploratory/confirmatory factor analysis and reliability tests, andh SEM model yielding satisfactory model fitness. The result of the study may be summarized by three main points. First, as a result of testing differences in consumption dispositions, Chinese consumers showed higher scores in aesthetic and symbolic dispositions, whereas Korean consumers scored higher in hedonic disposition. Second, testing on perceptions toward brand equity of large discount stores showed that Korean consumers exhibited more positive perceptions of brand awareness and brand image than Chinese counterparts. Third, the result of exploratory factor analysis on the experiential shopping values revealed different factors for each country. On Korean side, consumer interest value, aesthetic value, and hedonic value were prominent, whereas on Chinese side, hedonic value, aesthetic value, consumer interest value, and service excellence value were found salient. 4. Research Implications While many previous studies on inter-country differences in retailing area mainly focused on cultural dispositions or orientations to explain the differences, this study sets itself apart by specifically targeting individual consumer's shopping values from an experiential viewpoint. The study result provides important theoretical as well as practical implications for large-scale discount store, especially the impotance of fully exploring the linkage between shopping values and brand equity, which has significant influence on loyalty. Therefore, the specific implications deriving from the result shed some important insights upon the consumption values based on shopping experiences and brand equity. The differences found in store shoppers between the two countries may also provide useful insights for Korean and Chinese retailers who plan to expand their operations globally. Related strategic implications derived from this study is the importance of localizing retail strategy which is based on the differences found in experiential shopping values between the two country groups. Especially the finding that Chinese consumers value consumer interest and service excellence, whereas Koreans place importance on hedonic or aesthetic values indicates the need to differentiate the consumer's psychographical profiles when it comes to expanding retail operations globally. Particularly important will be to pursue price-orienated strategy in China in consideration of the high emphasis on consumer interests and service excellence, but to emphasize the symbolic aspects of brand equity in Korea by maximizing the brand equity associated with aesthetic values and hedonic orientations. 5. Recommendations This study focused on generic retail branded discount stores in both countries, thus making it difficult to tease out store-specific strategies based on specific retail brands. Future studies may benefit fro employing actual brand names in survey questionnaire to verify relationship between shopping values and brand-based store strategy. As with other studies of this nature, this study needs to strengthen the result's generalizability by selecting respondents from a wider spectrum of respondents.

• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.97-124
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• 2006

This study investigates the relationship between the relationship marketing factors, relationship quality and store loyalty in retail specialty stores. The customization of a retail specialty store was found to be having a larger effect on relationship quality than other factors such as expertise, bonding and communication and the moderating effects of customer characteristic was found be having a larger effect on relationship quality all factors except to communication. The result of this study has some practical implications. First of all, the customization strategy for individual customers is needed because customers trusted employees who provide a customized service more. Second, the employees' expertise is important to obtain the trust of customers. Third, the findings of the study showed that the communication with employees did not affect the trust. Rather, customers more often want price discounts, useful information, other benefits related to transactions. The communication is also necessary to bond a strong relationship with customers, as well as to respond customer's requests immediately Fourth, the marketing managers of the store have to effectively manage the customer relationship with the special consideration to the customer's gender, transaction experience, and variety seeking disposition.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.121-126
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to assess bacteriological hazards in the following 7 kinds of minimally processed shellfish products purchased from Korean seafood retail outlets: raw oysters stored with seawater in polyethylene bags, frozen oysters, raw mussels, frozen mussels, boiled mussels, raw short-necked clam, and frozen short-necked clams, obtained from Korean seafood retail outlets. The total coliform and Escherichia coli counts determined in all samples were detected below regulation limit of the Korean government guidelines (Food Code). In addition, the high-risk bacterial pathogens, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp., and E. coli O157:H7 were not detected in any samples. Low-risk pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus were detected at levels above $1.0{\times}10^2$ colony forming unit (CFU)/g in some minimally processed shellfish products. Notably, S. aureus was detected in all samples. Raw oysters stored with seawater in polyethylene bags, frozen oysters, and boiled blue mussels are commonly ingested without heating, and therefore these minimally processed shellfish products pose bacteriological hazards. The detection of S. aureus in all shellfish products, an organism indicative of poor personal hygiene, which can grow and multiply during distribution, indicates the necessity of improving the food safety of minimally processed shellfish products.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.377-389
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• 2018

Consumer interest in eco-friendly fashion products has been consistent. While most relevant research emphasizes individual morals and environmental concern as the most crucial determinants to eco-friendly consumption behavior, more recent studies point out that in so doing there has been somewhat a neglectance on the importance of fundamental marketing strategies. More specifically, the crucial role of interior colors in fashion retail stores has been managerially considered something certain yet no empirical results have been found to support such a strong managerial assumption. For instance, colors such as green, blue, and brown are believed to represent natural images and are more appropriate to the eco-friendly marketing and the relevant research has been lacking. Therefore, this study attempts to explore the effect of in-store interior design colors (green versus non-green) on consumer perception of green store images. A total of 382 respondents were gathered for an online survey using differing store images as the stimulus and used for testing hypotheses. In the results, respondents exposed to store images using green interior colors reported a higher evaluation of green store image of the store. The effect is found to be significantly moderated by respondent's environmental concern: to explain, respondents of high environmental concern are less influenced by green color interiors when they evaluate the brand's eco-friendly image. In sum, the positive influence of green interior colors on green store image is found statistically significant, with its stronger effect for consumers of low concern. Managerial and academic discussions are provided.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF PACKAGING SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.85-92
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• 2020

In this study, the relationship between packaging design and logistics efficiency raised in prior research was to be conducted through empirical analysis in terms of SCM efficiency. The main research contents were carried out in the pursuit of efficiency of the relevant store operation, relationship with SCM efficiency aspects, resolution of differences in recognition between manufacturers and distributors, establishment of automated systems for RRP production facilities and processes in the manufacturer's facilities, logistics costs, environment and quality safety, and promotion of RRP through the manufacturer's packaging system. As a result of the verification of SCM efficiency aspects through this study, logistics efficiency will be reduced in the case of the packaging system or delivery system, where only the operational efficiency of the store is the top priority(χ² = 178.500, p < 0.001). This is because of the strong interaction between packaging and supply chain activities, many packaging systems affect the performance criteria of the supply chain, and the content that packaging personnel should ensure that the packaging system meets other essential requirements while meeting the primary goal of protecting the product is also a result consistent with the preceding study. An analysis of whether the RRP promotion through the manufacturer's packaging system would result in improved loading efficiency showed that there was a statistically meaningful difference at a significant level of 0.000, as χ² = 140.133.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.25-36
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• 2017

Purpose - The purpose of the study was to investigate the financial difficulty of the elderly in each income group and to examine the factors having related influence. The study adopted models with Korean welfare panel material and examined factors that having influence upon low income elderly's selection on retail business. Research design, data, and methodology - The study investigated the effects having influence upon the financial difficulty of elderly household as well as common household. It also examined independence variables having influence upon household's financial stress and found out the direction of financial control in elderly household. The study investigated the effect of financial stress upon economy to support consumption of the elderly. Results - In cases of financial difficulties, independent variables of the debt increased the financial difficulties of elderly households relying upon traditional markets. The elderly households had financial difficulties because of independent variables of the debt except for loan from financial institution. Conclusions - In this study, the elderly's financial stress had influence upon the use of retail business and the characteristics of residing and family. Further study shall give support policies for the elderly to alleviate financial burden.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.19-29
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• 2023

Purpose: The study's primary objective was to pinpoint the variables impacting consumers' impulsive purchasing decisions in the distribution centers in Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal. Research design, data, and methodology: The independent variables used to identify consumer impulse buying behavior were the in-store displays, store employee behavior, reference groups, and promotional activities. A 6-point Likert scale questionnaire was employed for collecting the primary data from customers at the retail center of Kathmandu. The study's sample size was 396, employing a convenient sampling method. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) and Analysis of a Moment Structures (AMOS) have been used to show the relationships between dependent and independent variables. Results: The outcome of the path analysis using structural equation modeling demonstrates that in-store displays, reference groups, and store employees' behavior significantly influence the customers' impulse buying decisions in the distribution center. Additionally, it has been discovered that promotional activities have no significant impact on consumers' impulsive purchasing decisions made at the retail center of Kathmandu. Conclusions and Implications: The study's findings indicate that the actions of store personnel, reference groups, and in-store displays significantly contribute to the acceleration of impulsive purchases. Such findings provide researchers and business executives with a road map for the future.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.136-148
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• 1998

A apparel retail buyer played an important role in the market by providing apparel products for consumers and acting as an specialist who selected the vendor and decided the apparel product assortment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships among the vendor selection criteria and information sources used by retailers and the satisfaction with store performance. A questionnaire was developed based on the previous studies and pretest. Data were collected from 237 retailers for women's apparel living in Pusan. Results indicated that they didn't significantly relate among the vendor selection criteria, information sources and the satisfaction with store performance except the harmony of buying products and existing products. Only the age and the buying experience showed significance in relation to demographics of apparel retailers among the vendor selection criteria, information sources and the satisfaction with store performance. The information source affected the vendor selection criteria was the street fashion, the apparel of entertainers, the other apparel buyer, and the owner of production. The findings had implications for retailers as well as for researchers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.34-46
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• 2011

The purposes of this study are to classify apparel service quality elements using the Kano's model, and to identify how much service quality can increase the degree of customer satisfaction when the service quality is fully fulfilled. Women over 20 years-old from metropolitan areas participated in the study. Data from 254 questionnaires were used for the statistical analysis. The results were as follows: First, 17 service quality elements were categorized into one-dimensional quality which could lead to both satisfaction and dissatisfaction, and 3 services quality elements were categorized into indifferent quality which neither result in satisfaction nor dissatisfaction. Second, potential customer satisfaction improvement(PCSI) Index was developed using Kano model and CS coeffient. Findings of this study provide both industry and academic researchers with a guide to increase customer satisfaction in fashion retail store.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.1126-1137
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• 2010

Customer misbehavior is a behavior that disrupts generally accepted behavioral norms in consumption situations. This study examined customer misbehavior in retail settings by identifying behavioral patterns and exploring behavioral backgrounds and consequences from a customer viewpoint. Qualitative data were collected from individual in-depth interviews, and 149 interviews were analyzed. Customer misbehavior was categorized into unethical returns, problem behaviors in service encounters, shoplifting/fraud, ill-mannered behaviors, and selfish behaviors. Motivations included monetary gain, adventurism, perceived acceptability of misbehavior, planned unfair complaints, and retaliation. Customers showed a negative image to unkind employees and stores yielding to misbehaviors that were learned and socialized among customers. The study further discusses implications.