Emerging female consumers' use of diagnostic cues in evaluating apparel assortment of South ...

203 Pages·2014·12.01 MB·English

Emerging female consumers’ use of diagnostic cues in evaluating apparel
assortment of South African department stores

LIZÉT BEZUIDENHOUT (23239299)

Dissertation
Masters degree in Consumer Sciences: Clothing Retail Management

Supervisor: Mrs Bertha M Jacobs (University of Pretoria)
Co-supervisor: Mrs Nadine Sonnenberg (University of Pretoria)

November 2013
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Emerging female consumers’ use of diagnostic cues in evaluating apparel
assortment of South African department stores

by

LIZÉT BEZUIDENHOUT

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree

Masters in Consumer Science: Clothing Retail Management

in the

Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Science
Department of Consumer Science
University of Pretoria

November 2013
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DECLARATION

I, Lizét Bezuidenhout declare that this research study is my own work. It is submitted
in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Consumer Science:
Clothing Retail Management, University of Pretoria. It has not been submitted before
for any degree or examination in any other University. I further declare that I have
obtained the necessary authorisation and consent to carry out this research.

LIZÉT BEZUIDENHOUT

24 November 2013

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SUMMARY

Emerging female consumers’ use of diagnostic cues in evaluating apparel
assortment of South African department stores

by

LIZÉT BEZUIDENHOUT

Supervisor: Mrs B Jacobs
Co-supervisor: Mrs N Sonnenberg
Department: Consumer Science
Degree: Masters in Consumer Science: Clothing Retail Management

Emerging markets have generated a lot of interest during the last couple of years;
one reason for this is the economic growth potential of emerging markets and the
opening up of new, interesting and potentially very lucrative groups of consumers.
South Africa has a rich and diverse culture and shows signs of major socio-economic
inequalities that are symptomatic of emerging economies. In South-Africa,
department stores are significant to the emerging market female consumer market as
they provide an extensive assortment of products and services. Department stores
also offer a number of product categories and each provide an opportunity for in-
depth analysis. Work apparel is one such product category where more research is
required in order to understand how these consumers evaluate product assortments.
The purpose of this study was to explore and describe how the emerging market
female consumer market (EFC) evaluates work wear product assortments in major
South African department stores.

The study makes a contribution to the field of retail, marketing and consumer
behaviour in terms of a better understanding of the emerging market. It is also
valuable in providing insight in consumers’ decision making processes towards work
wear and preferences towards product assortment. The theoretical approach to the
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study included a literature review on the emerging market female consumer in South
Africa, the South African retail environment and department stores, product
assortment and product attributes. The cue diagnostic framework was used as a
theoretical perspective for the study. This consumer-based approach was considered
particularly appropriate for this study, in terms of the prioritization by a female
consumer in an emerging market of product attributes when she is shopping for work
wear and evaluating retailers’ product assortments. Combined with the literature
review the cue diagnostic framework offered a theoretical basis for the study and
provided an overall perspective on the specific phenomenon to be studied.

An exploratory survey research design was employed together with a conjoint
analysis method to provide insights into attribute ranking and level of influence of
specific attributes. The sample consisted of 120 (n=120) female consumers living and
working in Gauteng between the ages of 20 and 60, currently working with some sort
of training, diploma or degree. Non-probability sampling methods were used,
including purposive and snowball sampling. Respondents completed an online self-
administered questionnaire. To ensure an appropriate sample, the online
questionnaire was also distributed in paper-based format.

The results of the study indicated that the emerging market female consumer market

has set ideas and preferences which appeal to them when purchasing work wear
from department stores in South Africa. Certain product attributes were found to be
more important than others while some were used in conjunction with other
attributes. This combining of attributes helped to strengthen the importance of these
attributes in the decision making process. The study adds value, knowledge and
insight to the existing literature on consumer preferences in emerging markets and
the apparel attributes that inform these preferences. This research will be useful for
researchers as well as marketers who are interested in marketing campaigns,
product assortment planning and retail settings.

Keywords: emerging market; department stores; apparel; product assortment;
conjoint analysis
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

My thanks first and foremost go to all the parties which played a part in enabling me
to embark on this rewarding journey.

I would like to express my gratitude and thanks to my two study leaders Mrs Bertha
Jacobs and Mrs Nadine Sonnenberg for many years of mentorship as well as
providing the enabling environment within which I conducted the research.

I would like to thank Jacqui Sommerville (Statician, Department of Statistics, UP) for
her guidance in the analysis of the research data.

I would like to thank Consulta Research Pty (Ltd.), for their assistance and help with
the development of the conjoint analysis questionnaire.

I would like to thank my husband, family and friends for their understanding,
encouragement and unfailing support.

I would like to thank my immediate family and friends for their continued interest and
loving support during all my studies.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION .......................................................................................................... ii
SUMMARY ................................................................................................................. iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................... v
LIST OF TABLES ....................................................................................................... x
LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................... xii
LIST OF ADDENDA ................................................................................................. xiv

CHAPTER 1: THE STUDY IN PERSPECTIVE .......................................................... 1
1.1 THE SOUTH AFRICAN RETAIL INDUSTRY ..................................... 1
1.2 SOUTH AFRICA AS AN EMERGING MARKET ................................ 2
1.3 DEPARTMENT STORES CATERING FOR THE SOUTH
AFRICAN EMERGING MARKET ....................................................... 5
1.4 APPAREL PRODUCT ASSORTMENT .............................................. 7
1.5 JUST IFICATION FOR THE STUDY................................................... 9

1.6 RESEARCH PROBLEM ................................................................... 11
1.7 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY ....................................................... 12
1.8 CONJOINT ANALYSIS .................................................................... 13
1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS ................................................................... 1
1.10 PRESENTATION AND OUTLINE OF THE STUDY ........................... 2
1.11 CONCLUSION ................................................................................... 3

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................................................... 4
2.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................... 4
2.2 PRODUCT ASSORTMENT ............................................................... 5
2.3 APPAREL ATTRIBUTES ................................................................... 8
2.4 INTRINSIC APPAREL ATTRIBUTES ................................................ 9
2.4.1 Style ................................................................................................. 10
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2.4.2 Size .................................................................................................. 11
2.4.3 Colour .............................................................................................. 12
2.5 EXTRINSIC APPAREL ATTRIBUTES ............................................. 15
2.5.1 Price ................................................................................................. 16
2.5.2 Brand ............................................................................................... 18
2.5.3 Store image ...................................................................................... 21
2.5.4 Country of origin ............................................................................... 37
2.6 INTRINSIC AND EXTRINSIC APPAREL ATTRIBUTES .................. 25
2.6.1 Fashionability ................................................................................... 25
2.6.2 Quality .............................................................................................. 28
2.7 CONCLUSION ................................................................................. 29

CHAPTER 3: THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVE ....................................................... 30
3.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................. 30
3.2 CUE DIAGNOSTIC FRAMEWORK.................................................. 31
3.3 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK ........................................................ 34

3.4 OBJE CTIVE 1 .................................................................................. 36
3.5 OBJECTIVE 2 .................................................................................. 36
3.6 OBJECTIVE 3 .................................................................................. 36
3.7 CONCLUSION ................................................................................. 37

CHAPTER 4: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY ......................................................... 38
4.1 Introduction ...................................................................................... 38
4.2 Research design, purpose and approach ........................................ 38
4.3 Sample, sampling and procedure .................................................... 39
4.4 Instrument development ................................................................... 42
4.5 Conjoint analysis overview ............................................................... 42
4.5.1 Basic steps in conjoint design .......................................................... 44
4.5.2 Conjoint analysis online questionnaire ............................................. 52
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4.5.3 Pretesting of the instrument ............................................................. 54
4.5.4 Data collection procedure ................................................................ 55
4.6 Data analysis ................................................................................... 56
4.7 Reliability and validity ....................................................................... 61
4.8 Ethical Considerations ..................................................................... 62
4.9 Conclusion ....................................................................................... 63

CHAPTER 5: DATA ANALYSIS: RESULTS ........................................................... 64
5.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................. 64
5.2 DEMOGRAPHICAL PROFILE OF THE SAMPLE ............................ 64
5.3 DESCRIPTIVE STATISTICS ........................................................... 69
5.3.1 Stores patronised for work-wear ...................................................... 69
5.3.2 Preferred fashionability of work-wear ............................................... 70
5.3.3 Preferred country of origin ................................................................ 71
5.4 CONJOINT ANALYSIS .................................................................... 71
5.4.1 Selection of preferred profiles .......................................................... 71

5.4.2 Prior ity ranking of specific identified diagnostic cues in profiles ....... 74
5.4.3 Priority ranking of attribute levels in profiles ..................................... 78
5.4.4 Conjoint attribute importance correlated with levels ......................... 87
5.5 CONCLUSION ................................................................................. 88

CHAPTER 6: DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION ................................................... 89
6.1 INTRODUCTION ............................................................................. 89
6.2 CONCLUSION IN TERMS OF THE SAMPLE ................................. 90
6.3 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR STUDY .................................. 91
6.4 DIAGNOSTIC CUES USED BY CONSUMERS TO EVALUATE
PRODUCT ASSORTMENT ............................................................. 93
6.4.1 Relative importance of intrinsic attributes in ranked order
(Objective 1) ..................................................................................... 93
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6.4.1.1 Colour .............................................................................................. 93
6.4.1.2 Style ................................................................................................. 95
6.4.1.3 Fashionability ................................................................................... 96
6.4.1.4 Size .................................................................................................. 97
6.4.2 Relative importance of extrinsic attributes in ranked order
(Objective 2) ..................................................................................... 98
6.4.2.1 Store name ...................................................................................... 98
6.4.2.2 Store image ...................................................................................... 99
6.4.2.3 Price ................................................................................................. 99
6.4.2.3 Quality ............................................................................................ 100
6.4.2.4 Brand ............................................................................................. 101
6.4.2.5 Country of origin ............................................................................. 102
6.4.3 Relative importance of intrinsic and extrinsic attributes in ranked
order (Objective 3) ......................................................................... 102
6.5 THE RESEARCH IN RETROSPECT ............................................. 104
6.6 LIMITATIONS OF THE RESEARCH .............................................. 105

6.7 REC OMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE STUDIES ......................... 107
6.8 IMPLICATIONS OF THE STUDY .................................................. 108
6.9 FINAL CONCLUSION .................................................................... 109

LIST OF REFERENCES ......................................................................................... 111

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