Shopping on social networks : is this the storefront of the future?

Consumers are moving towards social networking technologies as an alternative channel for shopping. This research extended the technology acceptance model (TAM) to investigate the factors that predict Facebook users' behavioural intentions towards the adoption of Facebook shopping, as well as the moderating role of trust. A convenience sample of 384 South African Facebook users completed the online survey. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modelling (SEM) were used to test the hypotheses. The results revealed that perceived enjoyment and perceived usefulness were the most important predictors of shopping on Facebook, while privacy risk and social norms did not significantly influence intent to shop. Although the moderating role of trust could not be confirmed it seems as if consumers are more positive about shopping on Facebook than general online shopping. The implications offered will assist in the formulation of effective marketing strategies to drive the up-take of shopping on Facebook.http://www.inderscience.com/jhome.php?jcode=IJBIS2022-02-22hj2021Marketing Managemen

A higher education marketing perspective on choice factors and information sources considered by South African first year university students

The South African higher education sector is currently facing many challenges. Factors such as a decrease in government funding, mergers and student unrest compel higher education institutions to apply effective strategies for funding and recruitment of quality students. Higher education institutions are forced to focus on restructuring and repositioning themselves, build a strong brand, communicate their image and to sustain their position in order to ensure a competitive advantage. In order to be locally relevant and globally competitive, higher education institutions need to become more marketing-oriented. In a restricted financial environment, higher education institutions will have to assess and reassess marketing strategies aimed at attracting quality first year students. A proper assessment of the importance of the choice factors students consider when selecting a higher education institution as well as the usefulness of the information sources they consider, will enable institutions to allocate funds, time and resources more efficiently and effectively. A quantitative study with a self-administrated questionnaire was used to allow students to complete the questionnaire during class lectures. Non-probability convenience sampling was used and a sample of 1241 students responded from six higher education institutions: the University of Pretoria, Tshwane University of Technology, University of Johannesburg, University of the Free State, University of Kwa–Zulu Natal and the North-West University. The sample consisted of 64 percent females and 36 percent male students. The ethnic orientation distribution was as follows: 46 percent Caucasian, 41 percent Black African, 9 percent Indian, 3 percent Coloured and 1 percent students of other ethnic groups. The main goal of this study was to investigate the relevant importance of the choice factors, as well as the usefulness of the information sources, that first year Economic and Management Sciences students at selected higher education institutions in South Africa considered when they decided to enrol at a specific higher education institution. The findings indicated that some choice factors were more important to students than others, as well as the fact that students from different gender groups, ethnic groups, language groups and institutions differed in the importance they attached to the choice factors. The top ten choice factors respondents regarded as important in the selection of a higher education institution are: quality of teaching, employment prospects (possible job opportunities), campus safety and security, academic facilities (libraries and laboratories), international links (study and job opportunities), language policy, image of higher education institution, flexible study mode (evening classes and use of computers), academic reputation (prestige), and a wide choice of subjects/courses. The findings also revealed that information sources directly from a higher education institution, such as open days and campus visits, university publications and websites are the most useful to students, while information from mass media such as radio, television, magazines and newspaper advertisements are not as useful. The findings give marketing educators an indication of the importance of choice factors considered by prospective students in selecting a higher education institution, and enable higher education institutions to use their limited funds more efficiently to attract quality students, create a unique position and gain a competitive advantage. Based on the usefulness of information sources and the importance of choice factors considered, student focused marketing communication can be developed. This should aid students to make more informed decisions about the higher education institution they wish to attend. The study also add to existing theory in the fields of services marketing, higher education marketing and consumer behaviour, especially the field of outlet selection, as the institution can be viewed as the outlet for buying education. Information obtained from this study also contributes to the available research and literature on this topic and could be used by other researchers as a basis for future research.Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2008.Marketing ManagementPhDUnrestricte

Ensuring satisfied, committed shoppers – store variety or entertainment?

In the competitive retail environment, attracting and retaining shoppers is imperative for the success of shopping malls. Therefore, creating satisfi ed, committed shoppers is essential for mall survival. The study aims to determine the extent to which store variety and entertainment contribute to shopper satisfaction; to identify which variable most strongly predicts shopper commitment, as well as to investigate these variables in a gendered context. Two hundred shoppers completed selfadministered questionnaires during a mall intercept study. The results, using multiple regression and discriminate analysis, identifi ed store variety as the most important predictor of shopper satisfaction; while shopper satisfaction, in turn, was the most powerful discriminator of mall commitment. MANOVA testing revealed support for the blurred-gender role argument. Mall managers and developers should ensure a tenant mix that would provide variety, but also entertainment, regardless of the gender of their shoppers, to ensure shopper satisfaction that would ultimately lead to commitment.http://www.unisa.ac.za/Default.asp?Cmd=ViewContent&ContentID=257842017-08-30am2016Marketing Managemen

Dynamite in small packages: the Engaged Elite as an Facebook emerging niche market

Social networking sites, such as Facebook, have gained immense popularity as communication platform. Generation Y’ers have a strong need to engage and connect – both digitally, and in person. This paper examines the Facebook behaviour of Generation Y by means of a self-administered, campus-intercept survey of 383 university students. The purpose of this paper is to determine whether various clusters of Generation Y Facebook-users could be identified on the basis of their Facebook behaviour and usage. All multi-item constructs were subjected to an exploratory-factor analysis and a two-Step Cluster analysis. Three clusters, labeled ‘Engaged Elite’, ‘Neutral Masses’ and ‘Facebook Floaters’ were revealed. The results indicate that Facebook remains a feasible communication channel to initiate and engage in a number of marketing activities. However, the focus should not be on ‘pushing’ content and information, but rather on engaging the users – and to facilitate sharing between users across their networks

Black middle class township shoppers : a shopper typology

Due to an increase in spending power amongst Black middle class, this growing segment has become a lucrative investment opportunity for many retailers in South Africa and most emerging markets. The purpose of this study is to segment township consumers according to their demographics, life stage, attitudes towards township shopping centres and Living Standards Measure, to understand shopping patterns of township consumers. A survey among Soweto Black middle class township respondents was conducted, and maximum likelihood factor analysis was used to identify attitudes towards township mall factors. The study revealed five factors namely: entertainment, convenience, mall essence, staff and mall basics, which were all consistent with previous studies, with the exception of staff and mall basics, which was revealed in this study. A Kmeans cluster analysis was then used to segment township shoppers according to their attitudes. Four shopper segments were discovered, namely: disappointed crusaders, upcoming loyals, social seekers and local loyals, which, despite investigating shopper attitudes in place of shopper behaviour alone, were similar to well-establish shopper typologies. Each segment was profiled according to demographic variables, attitudes as well as shopping patterns. Results therefore suggest that retailers and developers need to consider the unique needs and differences among Black middle class consumers when developing retail strategies as they reveal unique characteristics from typical shopper typologies. Given similarities in some emerging countries such as India, the findings of this study could be generalized to other middle class consumers from emerging markets. Similar shopper segments may arise, which may be consistent with previous shopper typology studies and new segments unique to emerging market middle class consumer may be unveiled.http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rirr202017-06-30hb2016Marketing Managemen

An integrated framework for the adoption and continuance intention to use mobile payment apps

PURPOSE : The purpose of this paper is to develop and test an integrated model of the modified technology readiness index (TRI) with the extended expectation-confirmation model, in the context of information technology (E-ECM-IT) to explain the adoption and the intention to continue to use mobile payment applications (apps). DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH : Data were collected from 426 users of mobile payment apps across South Africa. A confirmatory factor analysis was performed to validate the factor structure of the measurement items while structural equation modelling was employed to validate the proposed model and testing the hypotheses. FINDINGS : The overall model explained 81 per cent of variance in adoption and 78.5 per cent in the intention to continue to use mobile payment services. “Drivers” were better predictors of adoption than “inhibitors” while satisfaction emerged as the strongest predictor of continuance intentions. ORIGINALITY/VALUE : To the best knowledge of the authors, this study is the first to empirically test an integrated modified TRI and E-ECM-IT model to supplement the paucity of research on the topic. The results show that the integrated model provides an enhanced way to understand the factors that influence adoption and continuance intention towards mobile payment apps. The results also add to existing knowledge of mobile technology literature.https://www.emeraldinsight.com/loi/ijbmhj2019Marketing Managemen

The importance of non-financial motivators to pharmaceutical sales representatives

To succeed, sales managers will need to learn new roles and reinvent others such as applying flexible motivation approaches in working with a multicultural, hybrid, diverse sales force. Many organisations invest a great deal of time and money in designing incentive schemes that are failing to achieve their objective of motivating employees. Large amounts of money are spent on financial incentives, while ignoring non-financial incentives. As companies become increasingly cash-strapped, using non-financial motivators may be the solution. Self-administered questionnaires were completed by a sample of 100 pharmaceutical sales representatives from three South African companies. The questionnaire made use of a four-point Likert scale to rate the importance of various non-financial motivational factors. The respondents indicated that ‘good relationships with customers’ and ‘being well informed’ are the two most important non-financial motivators. The study also showed that demographic groups differ in the importance they attach to non-financial motivators. ‘Having power over other people’ was a more important motivator for sales representatives with a lower educational background. ‘Growth and promotion opportunities’ were more important to males, while differences were found between various age groups and the importance they attached to ‘flexibility of their jobs’. The results of this study could influence the structure of motivational schemes at pharmaceutical companies and enable management to recognise those factors that might lead to increased performance levels.http://www.unisa.ac.za/sabusinessreviewam201

Exploring technology readiness for mobile payment app users

The study aims to better understand the various technology readiness segments by assessing how their readiness relates to demographics variables and their adoption, attitude, ease-of-use, usefulness and continuance intention to use mobile payment apps using the technology readiness index. Using a convenience sample of 416 from a consumer panel, a two-step cluster analysis shared similarities with three of the original technology readiness segments (pioneers, paranoids and explorers) while the other two segments clustered together into a fourth segment, hesitant-sceptics. The results indicate that South African mobile users are ready to use mobile payment applications, with the ‘explorer’ emerging as the best segment to target due to optimism levels, while the hesitant-sceptic segment represent the key to unlocking the real potential value of mobile payment apps. Understanding different segments provides marketers with the opportunity to select viable segments and to customise strategies to increase uptake and continued use according to customer needs.https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/rirr202020-12-17hj2019Marketing Managemen

Friends with benefits : can firms benefit from consumers’ sense of community in brand Facebook pages?

PURPOSE : This two-country comparative study’s purpose is to investigate antecedents to, and the consequences of a sense of belonging to a firm’s Facebook community. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH : The model was grounded in the theory of sense of community and tested through structural equation modelling. Consumer panels were used via online surveys. FINDINGS : Of the three antecedents hypothesised to influence an individual’s sense of belonging, enjoyment is a very strong predictor in both countries; while the credibility of posts was also a significant predictor for Australia, but not for South Africa. The findings also show no direct relationship between a sense of belonging and continuing behaviour. However, for both countries, there is a strong relationship between a sense of belonging and the involvement with firm offerings in Facebook; and that involvement is significant for the intention to continue engaging with firms through this social media environment. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS : The findings support the framing of the study, in the sense of community theory and enhance researchers’ understanding of the role of a sense of belonging in moving visitors from simply clicking “like” to a deeper sense of engagement with the firm’s social media community and the flow-on effect to managerial relevant outcomes. ORIGINALITY/VALUE : The model is developed from the theory of sense of belonging, thus providing a fresh perspective to this research context. Additionally, there is limited research into the psycho-social antecedents and the outcomes of consumers’ sense of belonging to a firm’s Facebook community.http://www.emeraldinsight.com/loi/ebrhj2020Marketing Managemen

Parental influence on consumer and purchase behaviour of Generation Y

Die vaardighede, kennis en houdings om verbruikersbesluitneming te verwesenlik word bekom deur, onder andere, sosialisering. Sosialisering van verbruikers om te besluit oor die aankoop, verbruik en wegdoen van goedere geskied deur verskeie partye, onder andere rolmodelle. Verskeie studies het bevind dat rolmodelle ’n invloed het op verbruikersgedrag, waarvan die uitkoms behels dat verbruikers soortgelyke besluite neem as hul rolmodelle. Die familie is een van die belangrikste eenhede waarbinne sosialisering geskied en bied ʼn gulde geleentheid vir rolmodelle om die gedrag van jong verbruikers te beïnvloed. Binne ʼn familie sal verskeie partye wat as kennisbron geag word optree as rolmodelle. Binne die familie vervul ouers dikwels die rol van beide sosialiseringsagente en rolmodelle, en hierdie rolle mag oorvleuel. Die vertroue wat tussen ouer en kind gebou word te midde van die noue saamleefverhouding binne die familie skep ʼn veilige omgewing om rolmodelle (ouers) se gedrag na te boots. Indien die invloed van ouers as rolmodelle die verbruiksgedrag en aankoopgedrag van Generasie Y bepaal, word strategieë om jong volwassenes se gedrag te beïnvloed grotendeels toegeskryf aan sosialisering. Hierom sou die poging om Generasie Y verbruikers te behou as klante of om nuwe klante vanuit Generasie Y te bekom dus deur ouers beïnvloed kon word. Die doel van die studie was om die Sosiale Kognitiewe Toerie te gebruik as ’n riglyn om te verstaan hoe direkte rolmodelle soos ouers die aankoopgedrag van Generasie Y beïnvloed. Bo en behalwe die persepsie dat ouers as rolmodelle beskou word, kan ouers as rolmodelle die verbruikersgedrag van Generasie Y beïnvloed, hetsy met betrekking tot positiewe gedrag (byvoorbeeld om die produkte of handelsmerk aan te beveel) of negatiewe gedrag, soos om te kla by ander klante. Nie-waarskynlike, geriefssteekproeftrekking is gebruik om data onder Generasie Y respondente in te samel en drie honderd nege-en-sestig bruikbare vraelyste is ontvang. Data is ontleed deur strukturele vergelyking modellering toe te pas nadat die betroubaarheid en geldigheid van die meetinstrumente bepaal is. Die resultate van die studie ondersteun die Sosiale Kognitiewe Teorie omdat ouers as rolmodelle Generation Y se verbruikersgedrag beïnvloed het en verbruikersgedrag het weer aankoopgedrag beïnvloed. Die verbruikdergedrag en aankoopgedrag van Generasie Y weerspieël dus hul ouers se opinies, omdat hul nog steeds hul ouers as rolmodelle beskou. Alhoewel vorige studies getoon het dat Generasie Y geneig mag wees om nie hul ouers as rolmodelle te beskou of wil erken nie, is hierdie bevindinge ʼn aanduiding dat die invloed van ouers as rolmodelle tog die gedrag van Generasie Y in terme van hul verbruikersgedrag asook hul aankoopgedrag beïnvloed. Hierdie bevindinge plaas nie net ’n onus op ouers nie maar bied ook verskeie voordele vir beleidmakers en bemarkingsbestuurders. Veldtogte om sekere verbruikersgedrag of aankoopgedrag aan te moedig of om negatiewe gedrag te ontmoedig kan van ouers gebruik maak om die aanbevole gedrag te versterk en aan te moedig binne die volgende generasie jong volwassenes wat nog gesosialiseer word deur hul rolmodelle. Kwessies soos materialisme sal dus binne die familie deur die invloed van ouers as rolmodelle vir hul kinders aangespreek moet word. Die familie is hierom ʼn belangrike eenheid vir analise in toekomstige navorsing wat waardes en beleidsisteme oorweeg.http://www.journals.co.za/content/journalam2016Marketing Managemen