• Journal of Distribution Science
• /
• v.21 no.5
• /
• pp.113-120
• /
• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to examine how payment systems for traditional distribution channels pursue changes and how they collaborate in-depth with fintech companies. This study examines the changing payment system through the strategic partnership between distribution companies and fintech companies. Research Design, Data and Methodology: The study conducted research using a variety of secondary materials and existing literature and also utilized the interview method. More specific and in-depth research is conducted through various literature studies and secondary data. Findings and Results: The findings of the study are as follows. First, distributors have occasionally directly adopted simple payment systems due to changes in payment systems as a result of online advances. Second, distributors were found to collaborate with fintech companies when not directly using simple payment. Conclusions: Such maneuvers by distributors are aimed at first, providing convenience and simplicity for consumers. Second, developing the ability to apply big data for accumulating consumer information and third, producing a customer lock-in effect by reducing the fees charged for existing payment services. The present study will provide many domestic and international distributors with a new perspective and practical implications in terms of the distribution and finance industries.

• Journal of Distribution Research
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.69-90
• /
• 2007

This study is set out to investigate the factors that influence customers' behavior of choice and switching between online and offline channels, separating the purchase decision into two stages, i.e., information search and purchase. Factors influencing channel choice are found to differ from stage to stage. The main results of this study are as follows. At the information search stage, customers' channel knowledge had impacts on the choice of the channel. Customers are more likely to visit offline bookstores when they have hedonic shopping orientation and higher involvement level with books. On the contrary, customers are more apt to search online when they have a lot of online shopping experiences. At the purchase stage, the results varied according to the search channel. When customers search for information online, the following variables lead to online purchases: online shopping experiences with books, price-focused shopping orientation, and time availability for shopping. Perceived risk made customers purchase offline even though they searched online. In case of offline searching, customers with more convenience-focused, hedonic-focused shopping orientation and less tim availability purchased offline.

• Journal of Distribution Science
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.31-36
• /
• 2011

I conducted empirical analyses of what happens when an offline channel expands to an online channel and whether the pre-existing offline channel's competitive assets (e.g. brand reputation and level of service satisfaction) can be linked to online channel preference. I found that an offline channel's brand reputation and level of service satisfaction can have a direct influence on offline channel preference and a second-hand influence on online channel preference. Thus, if the competitiveness of the online channel is strong enough and its customers have a higher preference for the offline channel, they will be committed and loyal to the company. The resultant enhanced competitiveness of the offline channel will present opportunities for both present and future success. The main results are the following. First, the management of the distribution channel service quality is more important than that of the brand reputation. Customers' experiences of service and subjective evaluations are not important only as the leading factors in the long-term brand reputation management but also as influential factors in channel preference. SoThus, given that the service quality of the pre-existing channel is not the customers' main concern, a strategy of improving the level of service satisfaction aimed at present customers is more valuable than a wide brand positioning strategy aimed at general and new customers. Second, when an offline channel company establishes an internet shopping mall on an online channel, it is highly likely that the preference and subjective evaluation of the present customers will influence the online channel. This applies not only to the special case of an expansion from an offline intermediary channel to an online one, but also to an online channel acting as an expansion of the business model of a conventional manufacturing or service company: both cases are vertical integrations of marketing channels in an expansion of the distribution channel. My theory applies to a wide range of contexts. Third and finally, any business strategy can grasp the meaning of 'channel expansion. Fundamentally, it is an expansion of the sales activity channel and marketing activity. However, it is also a way of enhancing marketing and sales competitiveness through an expansion to an online or offline channel. The expansion of an offline company to an online channel could be seen not as improvement but as an innovation of the business process by which two goals are achieved with one technique. The former is expected to increase the sales of the offline company, and the latter is also expected to increase sales while also contributing to cost reduction.

• Korean Institute of Interior Design Journal
• /
• v.25 no.5
• /
• pp.111-120
• /
• 2016

Unlike the past, brick-and-mortar is no longer on the priority list for the shopping activity. Instead, it is replaced by various non-store shopping alternatives, such as Internet, TV, catalog, mobile, etc. As consumers engage digitally, they made fewer trips to stores. Especially, as mobile shopping made the price comparison possible while shopping in the store, new shopping trend of 'showrooming' came to the fore as the serious issue. In order to cope with the this crisis, many brick-and-mortar retailers utilize omni-channel strategy for their countermeasure. This research paper is to suggest the omni-channel strategy that is applicable for the brick-and-mortar retailers. The results are as follows. First, in order to set up the connected-channel shopping environment, consumers have to be exposed to the environment that can deliver the continuous brand experience under the same price policy, brand and store management, etc, as integrating the various purchasing channels into one. Especially, in-store environment needs to change for the place where consumer experience is stressed for the most as using virtual reality devices with augmented reality technology. Also, the online digital kiosk, and tablet that consumer can order the products through the online channel while shopping in-store Second, the barrier-free in-store environment should be offered in order to increase the consumer convenience. This change will allow consumer communicate with the store environment more effectively. Lastly, brick-and-mortar should extend the physical territory as utilizing the offline's advantage and disadvantage through setting up the digital interactive wall or pop-up store for increasing the opportunity of customer interaction with the store. Moreover, visiting service for the elderly, housewife with the baby, or disabled person will be one of the effective substitute.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
• /
• v.67 no.2
• /
• pp.131-146
• /
• 2017

The aim of this study is to investigate the operating characteristics of fashion start-up companies and the characteristics of their founders. For this purpose, this study surveyed fashion start-up companies via online survey in May 2015, and analyzed the data from one hundred companies. The results are as follows. First, for the characteristics of the founders, female founders constituted 65.0% and male founders 35.0%. At the time of establishment, founders aged 26-35 constituted 77.0%. Founders with less than five years of work experience made up about 80%. 82.1% of the founders participated in domestic and foreign exhibitions/fairs. 41.0% of the founders were awarded fashion contest and competition awards, and 33.3% of the founders were supported by rising designer support projects. Second, for the operating characteristics of the start-up companies, clothing at 78.0% was the most popular entrepreneurial item, and the majority targeted the age 20-30 group. 78.0% of the companies had less than 40 production styles per season, and all the enterprises had less than 5 employees. 59.0% of the companies had export experience. Exports to China, Hong Kong, and Japan accounted for 67.4% of all exports. Major distribution channels were mainly select shops(offline select shops 79.8%, online select shops 62.8%). The main methods of promotion were fashion media articles/interviews, product sponsorship, and SNS. The most preferred distribution channel was becoming a part of online/offline select shops(92.6%). Viral marketing(84.4%), star marketing and costume sponsorship(66.7%) were the most preferred method of promotion. The most preferred way to enter foreign markets was to participate in domestic and foreign exhibitions/fairs/trade shows. This study provides basic data necessary for future founders preparing to launch fashion start-up companies. It also aids fashion start-up companies in developing more advanced business operation strategies.

• Journal of Distribution Science
• /
• v.19 no.5
• /
• pp.23-34
• /
• 2021

Purpose: This study identifies the critical elements of relationship management required to be studied in distribution sciences to create a relational bond of watch manufacturers with their retailers in India. The offline watch retail market is undergoing a rapid transformation due to technology intervention in the product portfolio and the advent of online retailing. The study identifies the interrelationships amongst the constructs of interdependence, trust, affective commitment, and information exchange to form long-lasting relational bonds in the watch industry. Research design, data and methodology: We used a path analysis to investigate the relationship between interdependence, trust, affective commitment, and information exchange. Data has been collected from 143 watch retailers using judgmental sampling method. Results: The data analysis suggested the establishment of measurement and structural model. The absolute and relative goodness of fit models in the causal analysis are 0.628 and 0.959 suggesting a sufficient fit index. Based on the analysis of direct and indirect effects, the results indicate that trust fully mediates the effect of interdependence and information exchange of retailers with the manufacturer. Conclusions: Trust plays an important role in driving commitment and information exchange between watch manufacturers and retailers. Interdependence in the manufacturer-channel relationships would lead to affective commitment only when trust exists in the relationship. [AMAWATE, Vibhas.] in Web of Science and Scopus).

• Journal of Information Technology Applications and Management
• /
• v.27 no.5
• /
• pp.69-80
• /
• 2020

Recently, luxury brands are selling their products to consumers using their own direct online channels. In the online channel, marketing strategy through storytelling is needed because consumers do not have enough product experience. Therefore, luxury brands are actively utilizing social media and delivering stories includes their birth and growth. Unlike mass media, social media communicates with consumers more quickly and frequently and delivers the story of brand naturally. This study classifies luxury brands into four groups based on story recognition of luxury brands and self-esteem, and analyzes and materializes each group of the propensities of luxury brand consumption. It also tries to draw strategic implications for effective SNS advertising by analyzing narrative transportation on SNS advertising, interests in videos, and the interests in story based on these typified groups of luxury consumption. The result of the analysis shows that there is a difference in consumption propensity among consumers who were classified into four groups according to story cognition of luxury brands and self-esteem. There is also a difference in the response to narrative images through SNSs, such as narrative transportation, interests in videos, and interests in brand stories.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.1-8
• /
• 2022

In this study, the pesticide residues in 106 commercial cereal grains were monitored from February to July 2021. For the investigation, 40 domestic and 66 imported products from large, small-to-medium sized offline and online distribution channels, were collected and analyzed by using the multiresidue method for 341 pesticides on GC/ECD, GC/NPD, GC/MSMS, UPLC/PDA, HPLC/FLD, LC/MSMS. Pesticides were detected in total of 8 samples (7.5%), of which one was from big box retailers, two from small and medium-sized distribution stores, and five from online shopping mall. Five (4.7%) samples were found to have pesticide residues greater than the maximum residue limits (MRLs). The detected pesticides in kidney beans (1 case), mung beans (6 cases), and sorghum (1 case), were MGK-264, chlorpyrifos, thiamethoxam, malathion, piperonyl butoxide, and pirimiphos-methyl. Specifically, an excessive amount of thiamethoxam was found from the imported mung bean (5 cases).

• Journal of Distribution Science
• /
• v.13 no.6
• /
• pp.79-86
• /
• 2015

Purpose - The cosmetics industry is a traditional high value-added industry in terms of the domestic demand, small batch production systems, exclusive competition, and raw materials highly dependent on overseas countries as well as an oligopolistic market structure. However, new foreign brands and growing consumer awareness of inexpensive products, has triggered a shift. In line with changing lifestyles and the polarization of consumption, the industry faces a new market structure. Among its key characteristics is the cosmetics industry's numerous distribution channels (i.e., department stores, door-to-door sales, online shopping malls, brand shops, and discount stores). Therefore, the study of its distribution channels is essential. Research design, data, and methodology - The study analyzed channel distribution power divided into coercive and non-coercive power. The factors of coercive power included: unilateral request of an increase in commissions, interference in sales by taking advantage of a superior status, unilateral buck-passing at the time of a problem, unilateral request to stop sales activities, and a unilateral business contract; the factors of non-coercive power included favorable payment conditions, offers of various kinds of information, policy on commission reduction, pride in market entrance, and promotion support. In addition, the mediating variable "interdependence" was applied to the execution of department store (or mart) power and their shop conflicts and satisfaction to examine direct and indirect influential power. The methodology was a survey of managers of cosmetics shops in department stores (or marts). The questionnaire, based on a five-point Likert scale, included questions about basic personal information, execution of power, interdependence, conflict, and satisfaction. The study distributed 198 questionnaires and collected 131. Ten questionnaires with missing or hard to analyze data were excluded. Thus, 121 copies were analyzed. Results - According to the analysis, the execution of coercive power by department stores (or marts) did not affect interdependence, but the execution of non-coercive power did. Interdependence did not influence conflict, but did affect satisfaction. Additionally, the analysis revealed direct influential power: the execution of coercive power positively affected conflict and negatively influenced satisfaction; the execution of non-coercive power positively affected satisfaction. Conclusions - To offer suggestions for distribution business relations in the cosmetics industry, this study investigated how the execution of power by department stores (or marts) affected their shops. More specifically, it examined how much the execution of both coercive power and non-coercive power influenced conflict and satisfaction, and analyzed the mediating role of interdependence. In line with previous study results in various areas, coercive power was shown to be the source of conflict, leading to a decrease in satisfaction, whereas non-coercive power significantly positively influenced satisfaction. Moreover, non-coercive power increased interdependence, which led to greater satisfaction. As a result, interdependence had a mediating effect on non-coercive power and satisfaction. Based on the results, department stores (or marts) should look for improvements plans that increase interdependence. Such plans could alleviate conflict with the shops, increasing their satisfaction.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
• /
• v.41 no.1
• /
• pp.170-183
• /
• 2017

The rapid growth of digital consumption has significantly changed the shopping behavior of consumers. The consumption paradigm is changing; subsequently, an omni-channel has been introduced that empowers consumers to interact with firms through a myriad of touch points in multiple channels. This study is to understand the perceptions and behavioral characteristics of consumers in the purchase process (e.g., information search and purchase phase). A qualitative method was adopted for this study and data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews with 15 omni-channel consumers. The results of this study were as follows. At the information search stage, consistency was the most important consideration for consumers who also wanted to retain channel-specific benefits. Consumers also searched for differentiated information among distribution channels. At the purchase stage, participants choose a shopping channel according to shopping values. They utilized newly introduced services (e.g., "online purchase, offline pick-up", FinTech) that combine retail channels. Our findings provide significance in managing omni-channel services. First, it is recommended that fashion retailers provide seamlessly integrated experience to consumer and adopt a consumer-centered channel choice strategy. Second, fashion retailers must maintain a constant attitude toward shopping experience to fashion, such as shopping enjoyment and exclusiveness.