• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.29-53
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• 2012

As so many marketers get to use diverse sales promotion methods, manufacturer and retailer in a channel often use them too. In this context, diverse issues on sales promotion management arise. One of them is the issue of unplanned buying. Consumers' unplanned buying is clearly better off for the retailer but not for manufacturer. This asymmetric influence of unplanned buying should be dealt with prudently because of its possibility of provocation of channel conflict. However, there have been scarce studies on the sales promotion management strategy considering the unplanned buying and its asymmetric effect on retailer and manufacturer. In this paper, we try to find a better way for a manufacturer in a channel to promote performance through the retailer's sales promotion efforts when there is potential of unplanned buying effect. We investigate via game-theoretic modeling what is the optimal cost sharing level between the manufacturer and retailer when there is unplanned buying effect. We investigated following issues about the topic as follows: (1) What structure of cost sharing mechanism should the manufacturer and retailer in a channel choose when unplanned buying effect is strong (or weak)? (2) How much payoff could the manufacturer and retailer in a channel get when unplanned buying effect is strong (or weak)? We focus on the impact of unplanned buying effect on the optimal cost sharing mechanism for sales promotions between a manufacturer and a retailer in a same channel. So we consider two players in the game, a manufacturer and a retailer who are interacting in a same distribution channel. The model is of complete information game type. In the model, the manufacturer is the Stackelberg leader and the retailer is the follower. Variables in the model are as following table. Manufacturer's objective function in the basic game is as follows: ${\Pi}={\Pi}_1+{\Pi}_2$, where, ${\Pi}_1=w_1(1+L-p_1)-{\psi}^2$, ${\Pi}_2=w_2(1-{\epsilon}L-p_2)$. And retailer's is as follows: ${\pi}={\pi}_1+{\pi}_2$, where, ${\pi}_1=(p_1-w_1)(1+L-p_1)-L(L-{\psi})+p_u(b+L-p_u)$, ${\pi}_2=(p_2-w_2)(1-{\epsilon}L-p_2)$. The model is of four stages in two periods. Stages of the game are as follows. (Stage 1) Manufacturer sets wholesale price of the first period($w_1$) and cost sharing level of channel sales promotion(${\Psi}$). (Stage 2) Retailer sets retail price of the focal brand($p_1$), the unplanned buying item($p_u$), and sales promotion level(L). (Stage 3) Manufacturer sets wholesale price of the second period($w_2$). (Stage 4) Retailer sets retail price of the second period($p_2$). Since the model is a kind of dynamic games, we try to find a subgame perfect equilibrium to derive some theoretical and managerial implications. In order to obtain the subgame perfect equilibrium, we use the backward induction method. In using backward induction approach, we solve the problems backward from stage 4 to stage 1. By completely knowing follower's optimal reaction to the leader's potential actions, we can fold the game tree backward. Equilibrium of each variable in the basic game is as following table. We conducted more analysis of additional game about diverse cost level of manufacturer. Manufacturer's objective function in the additional game is same with that of the basic game as follows: ${\Pi}={\Pi}_1+{\Pi}_2$, where, ${\Pi}_1=w_1(1+L-p_1)-{\psi}^2$, ${\Pi}_2=w_2(1-{\epsilon}L-p_2)$. But retailer's objective function is different from that of the basic game as follows: ${\pi}={\pi}_1+{\pi}_2$, where, ${\pi}_1=(p_1-w_1)(1+L-p_1)-L(L-{\psi})+(p_u-c)(b+L-p_u)$, ${\pi}_2=(p_2-w_2)(1-{\epsilon}L-p_2)$. Equilibrium of each variable in this additional game is as following table. Major findings of the current study are as follows: (1) As the unplanned buying effect gets stronger, manufacturer and retailer had better increase the cost for sales promotion. (2) As the unplanned buying effect gets stronger, manufacturer had better decrease the cost sharing portion of total cost for sales promotion. (3) Manufacturer's profit is increasing function of the unplanned buying effect. (4) All results of (1),(2),(3) are alleviated by the increase of retailer's procurement cost to acquire unplanned buying items. The authors discuss the implications of those results for the marketers in manufacturers or retailers. The current study firstly suggests some managerial implications for the manufacturer how to share the sales promotion cost with the retailer in a channel to the high or low level of the consumers' unplanned buying potential.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.169-183
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• 2012

This study was aimed at finding out the preferences and satisfaction levels regarding the type of fashion retailer's sales promotion based on consumers' empirical characteristics. A total of 223 questionnaires were used for the survey of this study. The methods of this study were descriptive analysis, factor analysis, reliability tests, one-way ANOVA, $t$-tests and ${\chi}^2$-test. The consumer groups were divided by habitual experience and self-evaluated knowledge relate to apparel product. The results of this study showed that consumers have different preferences and post-utilization satisfaction regarding the type of sales promotion offered by fashion retailers. Consumers with more experiences in apparel product and with higher self-evaluated knowledge were more active in utilizing the benefits offered through the value-added type of sales promotions, such as the gift certificate or coupon. Consumers with more experience in apparel product also showed higher satisfaction with both the utilitarian and hedonic types of sales promotions, such as gift certificate offer, special price, price discount event, and coupon or courtesy card offer. Furthermore, consumers with higher self-evaluated knowledge showed higher satisfaction with the utilitarian types of sales promotion, such as gift certificate offer and regular sale. Therefore, by identifying the accurate understanding of consumers'empirical characteristics, an enterprise might be able to satisfy consumer by offering more appropriate and subdivided types of sales promotion.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.11-19
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• 2022

Purpose: This study aims at exploring and understanding the effect of four independent variables related to dairy retail marketing and distribution (deep freezers, promotions, company support and distributor-retailer relationship) and one moderating variable Covid-19 lockdown on sales of dairy product during the Covid 19 pandemic situation. Research design and methodology: Personal interviews and door-to-door surveys and promotional tools were designed to publicise and collect data from the retailers. The sale data before, during and after promotion activity were all recorded and evaluated to draw an inferential conclusion. Factor analysis and multiple regression methods were adopted to analyses the data collected. Results: The research shows that four out of the five factors studied was found having significant impact on dairy retail sales. The highest impact on sales was contributed by promotions, secondly by the deep freezer impact followed by distributor-retailer relationship during the study period and lastly but not the least due to influence of Covid-19 lockdown. Conclusions: The study contributes to the body of knowledge in cold chain distribution process through utilization of right mix of tools and tactics for effective marketing and distribution of dairy products in developing countries especially during a pandemic situation.

• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.1-22
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• 2005

The major objectives of this study are twofold. The first is to discover which in-store tactics influence store performance when a retailer implements category management in variety enhancer and fill-ins categories. The second is to analyze how and why specific in-store tactics achieve better or worse performance than other in-store tactics across categories. The data were collected using scanner data and direct observations in 'A' discount store which is one of the representative discount stores in Korea. The in-store tactics were measured by product assortment, temporary price discount, price and non-price promotion, and shelving. The store performance was measured by sales and gross margin return on inventory investmant(GMROI). Empirical results analyzed by multiple regression were as follows: In variety enhancer category, the significant factors affecting sales were product assortment, temporary price discount, price promotion, and shelving. Non-price promotion also influenced GMROI positively but product assortment impacted on GMROI negatively. In fill-ins category, the significant factors affecting sales and GMROI were product assortment and shelving. However, the other factors such as temporary price discount, price promotion, and non-price promotion had no significant influence on both sales and GMROI. This paper presents a number of theoretical and managerial implications of the empirical results and concludes by addressing limitations and future research directions.

• International Journal of Advanced Culture Technology
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.91-99
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• 2021

In Korea, some pharmaceutical companies and agricultural machine manufacturers associate the length of the credit period with the retailer's order size. This kind of commercial practice is based on the principle of economy of scale from the supplier's point of view and tends to make retailer's order size large enough to qualify a certain credit period break. Also, the credit period allowed by the supplier makes it possible to reduce the retail price expecting that the retailer can earn more profits by the stimulating the customer's demand. Since the retailer's order size is affected by the end customer's demand, it is reasonable to determine the retail price and the order size simultaneously. In this regard, this paper analyzes the retailer's problem who has to decide his sales price and order quantity from a supplier who offers different credit periods depending on his order size. And we show that the retailer's order size large enough to qualify a certain credit period break. Also, it is assumed that the end customer's demand rate is represented by a linear decreasing function of the retail price.

• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.117-140
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• 2011

The sales promotion strategy can be classified into two categories: cost-down and value-added promotions. Although many studies have been performed on sales promotion in the past, little attention has been given on cost-down promotion, and in particular on its strategy. Also there has been a renewed interest on value-added promotion strategy as means of attracting more customers and delivering value by providing a greater benefit. This study examines the effect of value-added promotion on the evaluation of promotional products. The topic is important because the value-added promotions are not always perceived as a benefit by consumers and they depend on the situational factors. We postulate three hypotheses on the basis of related literature. We conduct two studies: one employing experiment (study 1) and the other, quasi-experiment (study 2) to investigate the effect of two situational factors, namely the promotional package type and retailer uncertainty on the valuation of promotional products. Study 1 employs 2 promotional package types (bundled with freebie type vs. one-plus-one type) by 3 evaluation targets (overall package, a focal product and freebie) in experimental design. Also it is found that consumers devaluate the promotional product when the level of retailer uncertainty is high (t=-4.70, p=.000) as shown in Table 2. As depicted in Figure 2, the interaction effect of retailer uncertainty and package types on the evaluation of promotional product as a whole does not appear to be significant. However, when the level of retailer uncertainty is high, the focal product suffers from lower valuation if it is included in a bundle with freebie type package. The purpose of Study 2 is to cross-check the results of Study 1. The results of Study 2 also show that the consumers devaluate the promotional products as a whole when the level of retailer uncertainty is high. Furthermore, Study2 examines the consumers' willingness to purchase. The willingness to purchase of 2 different consumer groups divided by their reservation prices before and after exposure to a promotional stimuli shows no significant differences(t=1.911, p=.057). The results suggest that the consumers' reservation prices before the exposure to the promotion can be a reference prices of their's. But after the promotional events, the promotional price would become their reference prices. Furthermore, when the level of retailer uncertainty is high, consumers devaluate the promotional product as a whole. Because the promotional offerings activate the persuasion knowledge of consumers and make them incorporate negative inference about the firm's motives into their valuation and consequently, consumers tend to hesitate to purchase.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.75-83
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• 2009

The primary purpose of this study was to investigate business performance in small apparel retailer's stores operated independently. Data were collected from 167 managers independently operating small apparel stores in Busan and Ulsan. The aforementioned were analyzed utilizing frequency, factor analysis, ANOVA, regression analysis using SPSS Win 12.0. The results showed as follows; Factors influencing on perception of managers on business performance were market information, cost/quality control, opposing power to business depression, store management, product management, sales promotion. There were significant differences between factors influencing on perception of managers on business performance and business performance(the extent of success, profit and growth). It was market information and store management that the most important for the extent of success. It was opposing power to business depression, store management and product management that the most important for the extent of profit. It was market information, store management and product management that the most important for the extent of growth.

• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.91-105
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• 2001

Wholesale club is one of the fastest expanding retailer formats. Given its key features such as limited assortment and no promotion policy, the current paper provides a theory on why the wholesale clubs charge their members fixed annual fees. In a competitive setting with supermarkets, the proposed model demonstrates that the membership fee is the optimal reaction of wholesale clubs to supermarkets" sales promotion. More specifically, the positive amount of annual fee is only justified under the condition that there exists consumer heterogeneity in consumption rate and when the supermarket exercises price promotion on the product that the wholesale club carries. This paper describes the competition in a stylized fashion and derives the optimal membership fee under a scenario where retail promotion is present. This study is valuable in that it offers a different explanation on wholesale club membership fee than conventional wisdoms such as cost sharing and that it provides insights to the managers who consider no-fee format.

• Journal of Information Technology Applications and Management
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.21-41
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• 2008

The development of POS (Point of Sales) systems for small retailers according to their needs is considered to be important to improve their competitive advantages. However, their financial statuses hinder the adoption of the tailored POS systems. Viewing ASP as a viable solution to provide tailored POS systems for the small retailers, this study develops ASP POS service models for the small retailers. First, this study elicits ASP POS requirements of the small retailers in the following areas: merchandising, pricing, store design and display, customer service, advertising and promotion and personal selling. Then, the requirements are clustered and the clusters are analyzed based on the characteristics of the retailers. Then, ASP service models are proposed according to the needs and profiles of the retailers.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.39-49
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• 2023

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate the influence of different methods of distributing sweepstakes (i.e., whether consumers choose to enter into the sweepstakes themselves or they are given the sweepstake ticket by default) on the effectiveness of the sweepstakes promotion (i.e., interest in the sweepstakes and intention to participate in the sweepstakes). Research design, data and methodology: The paper verifies this effect through three experimental studies: an online experiment using a sweepstakes promotion scenario at a department store, an online SNS sweepstakes promotion event, and a face-to-face card lottery game. Results: Participants belonging the group that chose sweepstakes tickets by themselves showed higher interest and intention to participate in the sweepstakes than those who were given the sweepstakes ticket by default. Furthermore, the group that chose the sweepstakes card thought it had a higher probability of winning than the group given the sweepstakes card. Conclusions: This paper shows a way to enhance the promotional effect of sweepstakes in the retail stores, without incurring additional costs, by approaching from sweepstakes design from the psychological perspective of the consumer. The study also sheds new light on the effect of sense of control manipulation using choice behavior in the promotional context.