• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.209-237
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• 2012

1. Research Purpose Consumers rely on various clues to evaluate their decision to patronize a retail store, and store brand is one of them (Dodds 1991; Grewal et al. 1998). As consumers find ever increasing variety of contact points connecting them to specific store, the value of experiential shopping as a means of increasing store's brand equity warrants greater attention from scholars of retail management. Retail shopping values are credited for creating not only cognitive experiences like brand knowledge but also emotional experiences such as shopping pleasure and pride (Schmitt 1999). This may be because today's consumers place emphasis on emotional values associated with shopping pleasure, lifestyle brought to life, brand relationship, and store atmosphere more than utilitarian values such as product quality and price. Many previous literature found this to be true (Ahn and Lee 2011; Mathwick et al. 2001). This brings forth important research issues and questions regarding the roles of shopping experiential values and brand equity with regard to consumer's retail patronage choice. However, despite this importance, research on this area remains quite inadequate (Hwang 2010). For this reason, this study aims to verify the relationships among experiential shopping values, retail store brand equity and tries to link that with customer loyalty by surveying large-scale discount store shoppers in Korea and China. 2. Research Contents In order to carry out the research objective, this study conducted comprehensive literature survey on previous literature by discussing major findings and implications with regard to shopping values and retail brand equity and store loyalty. For data collection, researcher employed survey-based research method where data were collected in two major cities of Korea (Seoul) and China (Bejing) and sampling frame was based on patrons of large discount stores in both countries. Specific research questions raised in this study are as follows; RQ1: How do Korean and Chinese consumers differently perceive of shopping values regarding shopping at large-sclae discount stores? RQ2: Are there differences in consumers' emotional consumption propensities? RQ3: Do Korean and Chinese consumers display different perceptions of brand equity towards large-scale discount stores? RQ4: Are there differences in relationships between shopping values and brand equity for Korean and Chinese consumers? For statistical analysis, SPSS17.0, AMOS17.0 and SmartPLS were employed. 3. Research Results The data collected through face-to-face survey conducted in Seoul and Bejing revealed appropriate data validity and reliability as a result of exploratory/confirmatory factor analysis and reliability tests, andh SEM model yielding satisfactory model fitness. The result of the study may be summarized by three main points. First, as a result of testing differences in consumption dispositions, Chinese consumers showed higher scores in aesthetic and symbolic dispositions, whereas Korean consumers scored higher in hedonic disposition. Second, testing on perceptions toward brand equity of large discount stores showed that Korean consumers exhibited more positive perceptions of brand awareness and brand image than Chinese counterparts. Third, the result of exploratory factor analysis on the experiential shopping values revealed different factors for each country. On Korean side, consumer interest value, aesthetic value, and hedonic value were prominent, whereas on Chinese side, hedonic value, aesthetic value, consumer interest value, and service excellence value were found salient. 4. Research Implications While many previous studies on inter-country differences in retailing area mainly focused on cultural dispositions or orientations to explain the differences, this study sets itself apart by specifically targeting individual consumer's shopping values from an experiential viewpoint. The study result provides important theoretical as well as practical implications for large-scale discount store, especially the impotance of fully exploring the linkage between shopping values and brand equity, which has significant influence on loyalty. Therefore, the specific implications deriving from the result shed some important insights upon the consumption values based on shopping experiences and brand equity. The differences found in store shoppers between the two countries may also provide useful insights for Korean and Chinese retailers who plan to expand their operations globally. Related strategic implications derived from this study is the importance of localizing retail strategy which is based on the differences found in experiential shopping values between the two country groups. Especially the finding that Chinese consumers value consumer interest and service excellence, whereas Koreans place importance on hedonic or aesthetic values indicates the need to differentiate the consumer's psychographical profiles when it comes to expanding retail operations globally. Particularly important will be to pursue price-orienated strategy in China in consideration of the high emphasis on consumer interests and service excellence, but to emphasize the symbolic aspects of brand equity in Korea by maximizing the brand equity associated with aesthetic values and hedonic orientations. 5. Recommendations This study focused on generic retail branded discount stores in both countries, thus making it difficult to tease out store-specific strategies based on specific retail brands. Future studies may benefit fro employing actual brand names in survey questionnaire to verify relationship between shopping values and brand-based store strategy. As with other studies of this nature, this study needs to strengthen the result's generalizability by selecting respondents from a wider spectrum of respondents.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.289-302
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• 2022

This study aimed to provide information to establish a service strategy in cross-border e-commerce through an assessment of consumer satisfaction with a cross-border shopping channel and "amazon global store" managed by 11street, a domestic e-commerce corporation. The influence of brand familiarity with amazon as a global retail brand was tested. The mediating roles of the perceived value and risk of both cross-border shopping and amazon global store were investigated; the moderating role of the domestic e-commerce corporation was also studied. An empirical study was conducted on consumers who had experience using the amazon global store managed by 11street. To verify the hypothesis, data from 200 people was analyzed using PROCESS macro 4.0. The results indicated that familiarity with global brands did not have a direct effect on consumer satisfaction; the effect of global retail brand familiarity on consumer satisfaction was mediated only by the perceived value of cross-border shopping and amazon global store, not by the perceived risks. E-commerce corporate credibility showed a moderated mediation effect by mediating functional values of the amazon global store. For consumer groups with a credibility level of medium and above, the interaction effect of brand familiarity and corporate credibility was significant.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.55-64
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• 2017

Purpose - PB products at convenience stores take up about 20% of all products, and strategies for differentiation from other companies and brand image building are very important. This study would investigate the strategy for differentiating PB products and successful brand building strategy, focusing on BGF Retail that is operating 'CU', the leader in the convenience store industry in Korea. Research design, data, and methodology - This study would attempt to make an exploratory approach to PB products limited to those in convenience stores. As a research subject, this study chose BGF Retail, the operator of CU, which is the leader in the convenience store industry in Korea and chose the case study method in order to examine the strategy for differentiating PB products in convenience stores more in depth. For this purpose, this study collected materials such as papers, newspaper articles and various reports on convenience store-related PB products and conducted an in-depth study including more practical contents through an interview with CU workers. Results - CU pursued the diversity of PB products and has had the diversity of products, more than 120 kinds. It founded a product research institute and has been in charge of the differentiation strategy from planning products to launching them. Changing the target layer of consumers to those in middle age of the 40s-50s, it succeeded in the strategy expanding the consumer class. In the long run, despite it changed the name of the company, it has built a successful image, and both revenue and operating profit have continuously grown up. Conclusions - In results, CU has reset the changing main target population, and the product research institute succeeded in the innovation of products, reflecting new trends the customers want. Through this study, the practical implications could be provided for competitors.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.8 no.11
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• pp.286-295
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• 2008

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the relationships between brand satisfaction and store loyalty by examining the role of brand trust, store satisfaction and store trust in determining store loyalty in retail service firms. The results of the study are as follows: First, in case of relation exchange consumers, which are characterized by cooperative actions and mutual adjustment of both buyer and seller, brand satisfaction has a positive influence on brand trust, brand trust has a positive influence on store trust, and then store trust a strong positive influence on store loyalty. That is, store loyalty can be build up by combined benefits both brand trust and store trust in relation exchange consumers. Second, in another case of transaction exchange consumer, which are discrete buyer-seller exchange of commodity or performance with minimal personal relationships and no anticipation or obligation of future exchange, brand satisfaction has a positive influence on store satisfaction, and then store satisfaction has a direct influence on store loyalty. So, retailers have to developing strong brands which could help ensure both satisfaction and loyalty.

• Journal of the Korean Operations Research and Management Science Society
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.107-120
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• 2011

The increased availability of store brand suppliers now provides retailers with opportunities to create their own lines of vertically differentiated multiple store brands within a product category. As the number of store brands increase, the retailer's shelf space becomes more crowded, which may force the retailer to consider dropping some national brands from its assortment. Despite these trends, the problem of product line design in a vertically differentiated product category has been analyzed mainly from a manufacturer's perspective in the marketing literature and it is not known to what extent the findings of the existing product line design literature provide applicable strategic guidelines for the new problem faced by retailers. In this study, we address this deficiency in the literature and conduct an in-depth study of the retailer's strategic design of a line of store brands and its assortment decision within the context of retail category management. We analyze the retailer's decision about not only how to design a line of store brands but also which national brand to drop from its assortment. The results of our analysis are as follows. First, if the retailer has to drop one of national brands from its assortment, it is the best for the retailer to drop the low-quality national brand rather than the high-quality national brand. Second, the retailer has to position the high-quality store brand relatively close to the high-quality national brand, remained on its shelf, in terms of quality so as to maximize the size of retail margin from the national brand. On the other hand, the retailer should set the quality of the low-quality store brand at a lower level than that of the low-quality national brand to increase the total category demand by attracting more price sensitive consumers. By doing so, the retailer can also minimize cannibalization between two store brands. Lastly, our analysis shows that the introduction of a line of store brands improves consumer welfare by increasing real values of all products on the shelf.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.499-515
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• 2020

This study develops and empirically tests a comprehensive model of consumers' brand page experiences that illuminates dynamics among perceived values (practical value, stimulation, enjoyment, and social identification), brand page engagement dimensions (cognitive engagement, affective engagement, and behavioral engagement) and brand loyalty. An online survey was employed for data collection. We collected 358 usable responses for data analysis. Structural equation modeling results show that three dimensions of perceived values (practical value, perceived enjoyment, and social identification) positively affect brand engagement dimensions, while perceived stimulation affects affective engagement only. As for the roles of brand page engagement, affective and behavioral engagement positively influence brand loyalty. This study demonstrates how consumers' perceived values of brand page experience influence each dimension of brand page engagement and how each dimension has a different impact on brand loyalty. The results of this study provide substantive contributions to the consumers' brand page experience and engagement literature and brand page management on social media for developing brand loyalty.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.109-121
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aims to verify whether avatars that embody different brand concepts offer different experiences to users. Furthermore, this study explores the relationship between user identification with avatars and their actual brand purchase intentions. Research design, data and methodology: The research design employed a between-subjects approach, with two independent variables: brand concept and avatar. The measured dependent variables were brand experience in extended reality (XR) and purchase intention. Additionally, brand attitude served as a control variable. Results: First, in virtual brand spaces with symbolic benefits, ideal avatars were found to elicit higher levels of brand experience than actual avatars. Specifically, participants reported elevated levels of entertainment and relational assembly experiences in symbolic brand spaces. Second, this research reveals that the relationship between users' identification with avatars and their intention to make actual brand purchases is mediated by brand experience in XR. Conclusions: The findings suggest that ideal avatars evoke higher levels of brand experience within symbolic brand spaces, particularly in entertainment, relational connection, and a sense of community. Furthermore, this study establishes the role of brand experience in XR as a mediator between avatar identification and purchase intentions.

• Proceedings of the Korean DIstribution Association Conference
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• 2005.05a
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• pp.21-39
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• 2005

지난 10여 년 동안 국내외 소매 유통산업은 급격히 기업화, 대형화, 국제화되고 있다. 본 연구는 첫째, 소매산업의 성장에 따라서 그 중요성이 날로 커지고 있는 스토어 브랜드(Store Brand)의 개념과 영향에 대하여 구체적으로 정의하고 있다. 둘째, 글로벌 소매기업의 지난 10년간 주요 업태별 매출 순위와 성장추이를 고찰하여 글로벌 경제안에서의 소매산업의 위상을 확인하고 있다. 섯째, 스토어 브랜드의 가치평가와 스토어 브랜드의 이미지 축정과 관리에 대한 주요 이슈를 정리하고 향후 연구 과제를 도출하고 있다.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
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• v.63 no.7
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• pp.17-30
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• 2013

An understanding of store patronage behavior is a critical issue for retail managers, especially when it comes to a new kind of retail store, as it enables them to identify and target potential customers. Reflecting this managerial need, this study is focused on the fashion multi-brand shop, specifically investigating its store attributes, customers' shopping orientation, and store patronage. Accepting the shifting marketing paradigm from 4P's marketing mix to 7P's marketing mix, the 7P's marketing mix is employed in this study to measure the store attributes, including people(sales oriented and customer oriented), price, place, promotion, physical environment, process, and product. The store attributes significantly influencing patronization are found as customer oriented sales people, product, physical environment, and process. The shopping orientations of the customers, 222 female adults aged from 20s to 40s are found as ostentatious, pleasant, fashion pursuant, rational, and addictive. The consumers who are ostentatious, pleasant, and fashion pursuant are highly likely to be patronize to the fashion multi-brand shops.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.32 no.8
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• pp.1233-1243
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• 2008

This study examined return policies of the Korean retailers and their differences by retail format. Return policies of 363 retailers including dept stores, discount stores, brand consignment stores, small shops, outlet stores, TV home shopping companies, and internet shopping malls were collected. Acceptance of refund or/and exchange, return grace period, and return requirements or restrictions of each retailer were analyzed. The results showed that most retail formats except small shops and internet shopping malls allowed refund. The seven day return grace period was most common though large retail chains allowed more generous time frames and small shops allowed shorter dates. Restrictions for return varied by retailers and retail formats. Generally retailers followed the guidelines of consumer protection laws. The study discussed implications of return policy analysis.