MBA thesisThe fuel retailing industry has stringent legislation which continues to reduce
revenues for the major oil companies. The conservation of the environment has
influenced product changes, which the current refineries, due to their old
infrastructure, are struggling to cope with. Advancement in technology may
spell doom in the future, specifically with the renewed focus on biofuels and
electric cars. Internationally, with deregulation, the major oil companies have
lost market share to big box retailers.
In order to remain relevant and sustainable, the fuel retailing industry has been
compelled to form strategic alliances with big box retailers such as Woolworths,
Pick ‗n Pay, Mugg and Bean, and Food Lover‘s Market, amongst others.
Consequently, the marketing role in this industry has become more complex.
According to Sinkovics et al. (2010), an understanding of consumer decisionmaking
behaviours is critical for marketing activities such as market
segmentation, positioning, and tailoring marketing strategies.
The study used quantitative and qualitative methods to collect data from fuel
retailing customers and dealers. The research instrument was adapted from
Sproles and Kendall‘s (1986) consumer styles inventory (CSI). Four consumer
styles were confirmed as being applicable to the fuel retailing industry: price,
brand loyalty, high quality and location. Fuel remains the main attraction,
however, convenience goods bring a different type of customer, namely females
and young people. Empirically derived factors provided the insights that
mastering speed and convenience, and providing high quality branded
products, can be a competitive advantage
