• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.123-133
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• 2016

Purpose - Understanding how service convenience drives shopping performance is imperative for retailers such as department and large discount stores. Retailers have to enhance shopping productivity by reducing the costs of shopping, as convenience triggers customers' perceived shopping value, leading to customer satisfaction, and ultimately patronage behavior. Consumers, generally considering time as a scarce resource, are more sensitive to the time costs of tasks in regard to shopping trip, differently from forming perceptions of convenience in time orientation. Therefore, this study attempts to examine the moderating effects of consumers' time orientation on the relationships among service convenience of retailers and shopping performances such as shopping value and service performances. Research design, data, and methodology - The department and discount store chains were chosen as the point of analysis in this study. Data were collected from a survey of real-life consumers and all respondents were screened to ensure only those who had visited in the department and discount store chains within past six month prior to the day of data collection. Out of 600 self-reported surveys that were distributed, a total of 530 responses were returned and after excluding 20 incomplete responses, the final sample size was 510. The three hypotheses were proposed and tested in this study. The one hypothesis was on the moderating effects of time orientation for the effects of service convenience on shopping value (hedonic and utilitarian shopping value). The other two hypotheses were on the comparisons between high and low time-oriented customers with the effects in shopping value from service performance. Hierarchical moderated regression analysis was used to test the hypotheses. Results - The results suggest that the effect of service convenience on utilitarian shopping value and the positive effect of utilitarian shopping value on customer satisfaction are greater in low time orientation than high time orientation customers. Conversely, when customers are highly oriented toward time, the effects of hedonic shopping value on customer satisfaction and revisit intention are greater than for customers who are lowly oriented toward time. Conclusions - This study has two-fold significance. First, this study contributes to the consumer behavior and services marketing literature by incorporating customers' time orientation into the service convenience-shopping performance. Although the effect of service convenience on shopping performance might differ from customers' perceptions concerning shopping, there has been little investigation or comparison between customers' perception on time. This study is a first attempt to consider how the effects of service convenience on shopping value and service performance vary with differing levels of customers' time orientation. This study advances prior studies by showing that the service convenience-shopping value and service convenience-service performance relationships vary across different combinations of the customer's time orientation. The findings of this study suggest that the retailers need to enhance the experiential aspects of the stores for their high time-oriented customers. Conversely, for the low time-oriented customers, the retailers should boost the visual distinctiveness and ease of store navigation.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.101-122
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• 2014

In this study, the Pine & Gilmore(1998) and Schmitt(1999, 2003), based on previous studies. Recent trends in large department stores and distribution outlets, discount stores and large retail centers, such as the consumer's experience is divided into internal and external fashion brand stores navigation study. Fashion Brand Stores are defined as the inside of the fashion brand store of the form that sells only the products of a fashion company's brand. Meanwhile, shopping center is defined as all the places at the inside and out of the shopping center excluding the inside of the fashion brand store. Likewise, definitions are clarified as such for use. As for the research method for this study, semi-structured focus group interviews were used since they could provide many more data compared to in-depth interviews. Accordingly, data was collected while carrying out free discussions while two to three subjects listened to each other's opinion regarding the key words raised by the interviewer and while thinking about their experience at the inside and outside of the fashion brand stores. As for the subjects, female consumers between the ages of 20 and 50 were targeted, and the interviews conducted with four, seven, four and three women in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s, were used, respectively. Likewise, there were a total of 18 subjects. Exploratory Study of Customer Experience area was classified into integration of significance and categorization. In particular, the contents were classified into elements of experience inside the fashion brand stores and fashion brand stores outsider experience in the shopping center elements and the elements of the common experience of fashion stores and shopping centers based on the results concerning the key contents identified in-depth from the customer aspect. The key experience elements at the inside of fashion brand stores were identified as VMD experience, emotional experience, and experience of the service provided by sales representatives. As for the key experience elements at the shopping center which is at the outside of the fashion brand store, they included service scape experience, cultural event experience, playful behavior experience. Meanwhile, elements of common experience included educational experience and exclusivity experience and human respect experience, which demonstrated some difference in terms of the contents.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.73-80
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• 2017

Purpose - Since Korean distribution market was opened, the domestic environment in department stores has been changed by the pattern of consumption and consumer need based on income classes. As multilateral Free Trade Agreement (FTA) accelerates opening markets, the scale of circulating capital has become bigger. Large-scale commercial facilities have developed quickly as a form of a large shopping center, thus, the matter of choice and securing market area became an important valuable in this trend. Moreover, multi-complex space has been proposed as the goal of successful business with promoting the public benefit. Research design, data, and methodology - This research studied consumer behavior using data about the life style and sales of consumers, not statistical data or survey as previous studies. This research tried to find the differentiation in complex cultural space with consumption behavior of department store. Results - As the structure of society and culture was getting diverse and complex, economic growth and development with such diversity and complexity improved consumers' quality of life. The changes of consumer life style are quite natural like human instinct. Department stores have activated retail business with the products of accumulated technology. Moreover, they have created the space of consumption and culture. Because of these social and environmental changes, department stores are being developed as Multi-functional spaces as well as sale places considering the strategies of department and the changes of consumers' purchasing behaviors. Conclusions - Urban culture complex is a landmark standing for the culture era of 21st century. It has provided an opportunity for consumers to enjoy culture, and has been an important factor to improve company images. Based on these roles and needs, expectancy effects are related with consumer preference and space preference, and the attitude toward companies. Moreover, the expectancy effects from those relationships are getting bigger and bigger. We should respect nature, a characteristic of Korean architecture, maintain visual continuity that harmonies with nature in the development of the complex space of the domestic department stores, and should take significance in the development of the complex cultural space in the direction of feeling the hierarchy of the space to obtain the visual pleasure with the artificial structure.

• The Korean Journal of Franchise Management
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.100-118
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• 2011

Since 1990, income has been grown rapidly in Korea. Thus, concerns of environmental pollution and health have been increased among Korea's consumers. As a result of this concern, demand for safe food and agricultural products has been growing in Korea. Recently, purchasing patterns of Korea's consumers have been changed as Korea's society has changed to an aging society, growth of unmarried person, and low birthrate. Korea's consumers prefer to buy only volume that they need. Thus, the volume of agricultural products that they purchase became small. Therefore, retailers should reflect such needs of consumers to their business. The purpose of this study is to build up new strategies in order to make a high profit through customer's satisfaction when selling agricultural products. Using literature review, this study has drawn results. The results of this study is that retailers should lay products with brand in their store and establish trust with customers in oder to make loyal customers. In addition, retailers should prepare individual package of agricultural products for sales of a small volume to keep pace with social changes.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.31 no.3 s.162
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• pp.387-397
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• 2007

Due to the recent trend of relationship marketing and characteristics of the apparel retail industry that relys heavily on employees' performance, internal marketing toward the employees gives a critical influence on firms' overall performance. This study is aiming at the factors of internal marketing and relationship management that enhance positive attitude toward change. A survey questionnaire was developed and about two hundreds department store sales staffs working for apparel brands participated in the empirical study. Factor analysis ensured the existence of five aspects of internal marketing: educational training, internal communication, power endorsement, management capability and incentive system. Results indicated that age, marital status, years of employment, position rank, and salary types of salespersons had significant influence on internal marketing factors. Incentive system had significant influence on internal customer relationship management. Internal customer relationship management had significant impact on employees' attitude toward change. Educational training had significant influence on employees' perceived importance of change. Educational training, power endorsement and incentive system affected employees' perceived outcome of change.

• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.23-48
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• 2007

Category management has been implemented to enhance competitiveness in the food distribution industry since 2000 in Korea. This study helps to understand why suppliers achieve better or worse performance than competitors in a category. The major objective of this article is to explore which category tactics are effective to have influence on category performance when suppliers as a category captain implement category management with variety enhancer categories like shampoo, toothpaste, and detergent. The Nielsen data were analyzed using regression and Chow test. The empirical results that were varied upon the store type and market position found out which specific actions on product assortments, pricing, shelving, and product replenishment can increase category sales. Specifically, in the case of market leader in large supermarket, the significant indicators of category sales with respect to category tactics are the out-of-stock rate, the variance across brand shares, the forward inventory, and the days supply of a product. However, in the case of follower in large supermarket, the significant indicators of category sales are the variance across brand shares, the forward inventory, and the days supply of a product. On the other hand, in the case of small supermarket, the significant factors on category sales for both market leader and follower are the retail distribution rate, the variance across brand shares, the forward inventory, and the days supply of a product category. In sum, regardless of the store type and market position, dominant brands in a category, the forward inventory, and short days supply of a product improved performance in all categories. Critical difference is that the out-of-stock rate acted as a key ingredient for the market leader between large and small supermarket and the retail distribution rate for the follower between large and small supermarket. This article presents some theoretical and managerial implications of the empirical results and finalizes the paper by addressing limitations and future research directions.

• Proceedings of the Korean DIstribution Association Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.35-56
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• 2006

The objective of this research is to identify the factors affecting the quality perception of consumer about the private brand and to investigate how the monetary utility of the private brand affects the consumer's preference. The main finding can be summarized in three points. The consumer's usage experience with PB have a positive but store image has no significant effect on the quality perception of PB. The perceived quality and monetary utility of PB has a significant effect on the quality perception while the perceived quality has stronger effect. The competitiveness of the national brand in the same store, post-usage attitude, the perceived quality, and perceived value have significant effect on the preference toward PB but monetary utility does not. The perceived effect has the strongest effect. This result suggests that even the value-seeking consumers prefer PB only when the perceived quality exceeds a certain limits. This study provides the strategic implications for retail managers and theoretical implication for the researcher studying PB.

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.239-248
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• 2010

This paper describes a collaborative project between academia and industry which focused on improving the marketing and product development strategies for two private label apparel brands of a large regional department store chain in the southeastern United States. The goal of the project was to revitalize product lines of the two brands by incorporating student ideas for new solutions, thereby giving the students practical experience with a real-life industry situation. There were a number of key players involved in the project. A privately-owned department store chain based in the southeastern United States which was seeking an academic partner had recognized a need to update two existing private label brands. They targeted middle-aged consumers looking for casual, moderately priced merchandise. The company was seeking to change direction with both packaging and presentation, and possibly product design. The branding and product development divisions of the company contacted professors in an academic department of a large southeastern state university. Two of the professors agreed that the task would be a good fit for their classes - one was a junior-level Intermediate Brand Management class; the other was a senior-level Fashion Product Development class. The professors felt that by working collaboratively on the project, students would be exposed to a real world scenario, within the security of an academic learning environment. Collaboration within an interdisciplinary team has the advantage of providing experiences and resources beyond the capabilities of a single student and adds "brainpower" to problem-solving processes (Lowman 2000). This goal of improving the capabilities of students directed the instructors in each class to form interdisciplinary teams between the Branding and Product Development classes. In addition, many universities are employing industry partnerships in research and teaching, where collaboration within temporal (semester) and physical (classroom/lab) constraints help to increase students' knowledge and experience of a real-world situation. At the University of Tennessee, the Center of Industrial Services and UT-Knoxville's College of Engineering worked with a company to develop design improvements in its U.S. operations. In this study, Because should be lower case b with a private label retail brand, Wickett, Gaskill and Damhorst's (1999) revised Retail Apparel Product Development Model was used by the product development and brand management teams. This framework was chosen because it addresses apparel product development from the concept to the retail stage. Two classes were involved in this project: a junior level Brand Management class and a senior level Fashion Product Development class. Seven teams were formed which included four students from Brand Management and two students from Product Development. The classes were taught the same semester, but not at the same time. At the beginning of the semester, each class was introduced to the industry partner and given the problem. Half the teams were assigned to the men's brand and half to the women's brand. The teams were responsible for devising approaches to the problem, formulating a timeline for their work, staying in touch with industry representatives and making sure that each member of the team contributed in a positive way. The objective for the teams was to plan, develop, and present a product line using merchandising processes (following the Wickett, Gaskill and Damhorst model) and develop new branding strategies for the proposed lines. The teams performed trend, color, fabrication and target market research; developed sketches for a line; edited the sketches and presented their line plans; wrote specifications; fitted prototypes on fit models, and developed final production samples for presentation to industry. The branding students developed a SWOT analysis, a Brand Measurement report, a mind-map for the brands and a fully integrated Marketing Report which was presented alongside the ideas for the new lines. In future if the opportunity arises to work in this collaborative way with an existing company who wishes to look both at branding and product development strategies, classes will be scheduled at the same time so that students have more time to meet and discuss timelines and assigned tasks. As it was, student groups had to meet outside of each class time and this proved to be a challenging though not uncommon part of teamwork (Pfaff and Huddleston, 2003). Although the logistics of this exercise were time-consuming to set up and administer, professors felt that the benefits to students were multiple. The most important benefit, according to student feedback from both classes, was the opportunity to work with industry professionals, follow their process, and see the results of their work evaluated by the people who made the decisions at the company level. Faculty members were grateful to have a "real-world" case to work with in the classroom to provide focus. Creative ideas and strategies were traded as plans were made, extending and strengthening the departmental links be tween the branding and product development areas. By working not only with students coming from a different knowledge base, but also having to keep in contact with the industry partner and follow the framework and timeline of industry practice, student teams were challenged to produce excellent and innovative work under new circumstances. Working on the product development and branding for "real-life" brands that are struggling gave students an opportunity to see how closely their coursework ties in with the real-world and how creativity, collaboration and flexibility are necessary components of both the design and business aspects of company operations. Industry personnel were impressed by (a) the level and depth of knowledge and execution in the student projects, and (b) the creativity of new ideas for the brands.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.21-33
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• 2010

The ICT(information & communication technology) led to a dramatic change of floral distribution service, a phase of competition between wholesales and retail stores, and distribution channels in floral industry. It was expected that a role of the intermediaries in this industry would have reduced due to the improvement of transaction process by ICT. However, the ICT made to overcome a regional limit of the floral retail distribution service leading to an increase in sales and enlargement of the stores. And even it made possible to bring out another type of intermediaries such as private associations. This case study focuses on what kinds of efforts the floral wholesale distributors have made to enable a distribution process more smoothly between the wholesale distributors and retail stores through the information system, and what the failure factors in adopting the information system have been. This paper is also to examine how the wholesale distributors have changed themselves to gain dominant positions in distribution channels. As a result of the study, it was found that the intermediaries mostly failed in successfully achieving the distribution channel innovation through the information system because of several main reasons. FLOMARKET Inc. tried to innovate a distribution channel to obtain high quality goods through consolidating a wholesale distribution market in that segregated both floral joint market from free markets. after implementing the information system with consideration of the failure factors, FLOMARKET Inc. was able to minimize goods in stock and make a major purchase of various goods. In addition, it made a possible pre-ordering process and an exact calculation of purchasing goods so they could provide their products with market price in real time, which helped for the company to gain credits from their customers. Also, FLOMARKET Inc. established the information system which well suited to its business stage in order to deal with a rapidly changing distribution environment. It's so obvious that the transaction processing system of FLOMARKET Inc. definitely helped to share information among traders more seamlessly and smoothly in realtime, standardize goods, and make a transaction process clearer. Besides, the transaction information helped the wholesale distributors and retail stores to make more strategic decisions in their business because through the system they enabled to gather the marketing intelligence information more easily and convenient. If we understand that the floral distribution market is characterized by the low IT- based industry, it's worth to examine a case study proving that the information system actually increases the productivity of the transaction process in the floral industry.

• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.129-146
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• 2012

Recently, Korea became the 7th country in the world which has got into the 20-50 clubs that means the population is 50 million and per capital income is $20,000. From the view point of the retail industry, it suggests that Korea should have its own self-sufficient market by itself. With abundant labor and increased disposable income, it made the consumer's needs change. Responding to the change, retail and F&B oriented retail malls are now starting to add culture, art and entertainment facilities in the configurations. Such complexity and variety of the shopping malls became trendy and many shopping complexes are scheduled to open in the near future across the country. Due to above reasons, it became the common trend to develop shopping complex all over the cities now. However, the history of the shopping mall in Korea is much shorter than developed countries such as America and Japan. Thereby, a lot of problems, trial and error have occurred in the process of developing and operating them. If development of shopping complex failed, it would return lots of damages to the stakeholder. Therefore, the corporations should develop the mall properly and government might support positively. In this study, we would like to propose on how all the mall should be developed and well managed and what are the ways for the vitalizing factors of the shopping complex after benchmarking other shopping mall cases. Through the case study, we realized that the most crucial factors for vitalizing shopping complex were interior design, merchandising and how well they operate the mall. In case of the failed shopping mall, developers sell each store to individual proprietors and never take care of them after they get the profit, which make it hard to have integrated marketing strategies. That causes the overall slump of the mall. Corporations developing the mall should operate it as well, so that it could be possible to make the mall consistently well managed and promoted. There is a certificate for the shopping mall expert in The States and Japan. However, we do not have this kind of certificate. In fact, if we judge the capability of a person who is involved in the shopping mall industry, we usually measure how many years they stick to the same industries and that is not equally the same as their competence. Therefore it is necessary to organize "Shopping Mall Associate" and introduce shopping mall license for the mall expert. Due to retail trends, we can easily see a lot of shopping facilities all over the cities but not every mall is able to be successful. We think it's essential that the government should certify the malls which are qualified for the design, merchandising and proficiency of the operation. For the qualified mall, the government could confer a benefit on the company such as reducing corporation taxes. In multi-complex shopping mall it is possible to make convenient for customers. However, if a mall failed to succeed, it would be disaster. To build a shopping complex, developers should invest huge money even take out loan so that many people would be connected to the project, which may affect their whole financial conditions. In addition, only qualified corporation should develop and operate shopping complex and the government must support and aid the developers in order to make a better shopping environment in which customers might be happy during their shopping experience.