To determine if there is a significant difference between the male and female Generation Y respondents' characteristics regarding clothing store selection. Finally, an Independent Samples T-Test as well as a Mann-Whitney U-Test were run to determine if there is a significant difference between the male and female Generation Y respondents' characteristics regarding clothing store choice.
INTRODUCTION
Statement of the Problem
Research Objectives
Chapter Plan
3 Because the triangulated research design consists of two phases, the first qualitative phase involving focus groups, and the second quantitative phase involving questionnaires, Chapter 5 focuses on phase 1 of the research methodology, specifically the qualitative focus group phase of these two phases triangulated research method. research design. Because the findings from the qualitative research (focus group data) provide the input to the Phase 2 methodology, they are presented in Chapter 6 and the detailed methodology for Phase 2 (quantitative survey data) is presented together with the findings in Chapter 7.
DETERMINING DIMENSIONS IN RELATION TO POSITIONING
Definitions of Positioning
5 product, price, place and promotion, in such a way as to achieve a dual objective: first, to attract the target consumer on the basis of the relevant key attributes, and second, to clearly distinguish the company and its product from the competition. In summary, the positioning strategy involves the exploitation of the elements of the marketing mix, namely those of product, price, distribution and promotion, to “create and maintain in the minds of a target market a certain image in relation to competing products” (Etzel) . Walker and Stanton 2001) and ultimately “provide a competitive advantage over rival offerings” (Solomon and Stuart thus emphasize the importance and overall value of a successful positioning strategy.
The Importance of Positioning
2008: 84) explain that “careful positioning can help emphasize a unifying theme or benefits related to the defining dimensions of the target market”. Accordingly, it is imperative that the marketer follows a series of steps in sequential order to ensure that the intended position is successfully achieved, strengthened and maintained in the minds of the target consumers.
An Overview of the Seven-Step Process of Positioning
- Step 1: Identify a Relevant Set of Competitive Products
- Step 2: Identify Determinant Attributes
- Step 3: Determine Customers‟ Perceptions
- Step 4: Analyse Current Positions
- Step 5: Determine Customers‟ Most Preferred Combination of Attributes
- Step 6: Evaluate Possible Positions
- Step 7: Select Positioning Strategy
The main purpose of this step in the positioning process is to identify consumer perceptions of the various competitors and their offerings (Walker and Mullins 2008: 157). The basic goal of this phase in the positioning process is to gain “insight into the positioning of the products identified as belonging to the competitive set” (Walker and Mullins 2008: 158).
Step 2 of the Positioning Process
- Identify Determinant Attributes
- What makes an Attribute „Determinant‟
- Role of Determinant Attributes in Positioning
- The Importance of Determinant Attributes
- Measuring Determinant Attributes
1978: 663) in terms of the different alternatives that are considered as part of the choice process (Arnold et al. Finally, the marketer determines the relative importance of each of the characteristics that influence patronage behavior.
POSITIONING AND THE ATTRIBUTES SOUGHT IN CLOTHING
The Importance of Positioning in Retail
Dunne and Lusch also show the link between positioning and image, describing retail image as "the overall perception that the consumer has of the store environment," that is, "his position in the market relative to the competition" (Solomon and Stuart. Dunne and Lusch also explain, that creating and maintaining a favorable image in the minds of the consumer is very important because.
Factors Influencing the Purchase Process and Retail Store Selection
- Attributes influencing the Selection of Retail Stores in General
- Attributes influencing the Selection of Specific Retail Stores Types
- Role of Task Definitions on Attribute Importance
- Role of Retail Format on Attribute Importance
2007: 608) explain that "the selection of a specific retail outlet involves a comparison of alternative outlets according to the consumer's evaluative criteria", such as those illustrated in Table 3.1. Therefore, “to develop a customer attraction program, the retailer should conduct market research to gather the following information: 1) alternative stores that customers are considering;. In relation to regular, everyday purchases, consumers tended to base their store preferences on the attributes of proximity, low prices and availability of sufficient stock (Van Kenhove et al.
Determinant Attributes in Clothing Retail
- Role of Gender on Attribute Importance in Clothing Store Selection
Accordingly, "the relative importance of each attribute was measured by the average attribute score" (Zhang et al. 2002: 55). Conversely, Chinese consumers in Zhang et al's study considered the actual “fit, comfort and craftsmanship” of clothing to be most important and influential in influencing their choice of clothing, as well as clothing colors and styles. .
The South African Clothing Retail Context
The clothing worn by consumers is therefore often judged, especially in terms of its uniqueness and fashionableness, and is used to evaluate the individual's social status and subsequently formulate social comparisons (Du Preez et al. 2007: 4). Black diamonds are also responsible for an estimated 20% of all consumer spending in South Africa, further indicating the lucrative and profitable opportunities for the "black market" as a whole and the black diamonds in South Africa in particular (Du Preez et al. 2007: 4).
GENERATION Y ................................................................ 53_Toc127049373
- Importance of Generation Y Consumers
- Characteristics of Generation Y Consumers
- Past Research on Generation Y Consumers and their Apparel Purchasing Behaviour
- Gender Differences among Generation Y Consumers
Generation Y is known to be 'cash conscious and knowledgeable about competitive pricing', as well as clearly understanding the 'price/value relationship' (Black 2009, cited in Yarrow and O‟Donnell 2009 : 212). Black (2009, cited in Yarrow and O'Donnell) adds that "the more technical the retailer is, the more qualified this consumer is to make purchases".
STAGE ONE RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Statement of the Research Problem
To identify the most patronized stores according to a sample of male and female Generation Y consumers. To determine the relative importance of the attributes used by Generation Y consumers when choosing between clothing retailers.
Research Design
The first phase of this two-stage triangulated research design included the qualitative element of the study, namely focus groups. The exploratory part of the research was aimed at “expanding the understanding of the topic, providing insights and possible explanations” (Cooper and Schindler 2006: 193).
Research Ethics
Secondary data were used to guide the primary data collection process, particularly in terms of focus group questionnaire formulation, data analysis and interpretation. Subsequently, it is clear that both qualitative and quantitative research methods have been used, through the use of both focus groups and surveys, and thus triangulation of the research design has been achieved.
Qualitative Data Collection
Focus Group Sampling and Sample Size
- Sampling
- Sample Size
In this case, potential focus group participants were selected based on a particular demographic factor, namely age, to ensure that respondents fell within the Generation Y age cohort, 18-25 years. In addition to visiting classes, the researcher also asked and encouraged those students who did wish to participate to 'bring friends' when they came to the focus group session, in an effort to ensure that the desired sample size would be achieved by compensating for the expected poor response.
Stage 1 Data Collection
- Focus Group Questionnaire
- Explanation of Questions in Focus Group Questionnaire (Refer to Appendix C)
An important purpose of the focus groups was to devote more time to the "why" questions in this research and to develop an understanding of the importance of the attributes. Seventy-four attributes were included in the focus group questionnaire and respondents were again asked to rate the importance of each of these factors in terms of the factor's strength of influence in choosing clothing to purchase, again using the direct rating method proposed by Van Ittersum et. al.
Focus Group Data Analysis
FOCUS GROUP FINDINGS
Profile of the Focus Group Sample
- Gender
- Age
- Race
- Year of Study of the Focus Group Participants
- Degree being studied by the Focus Group Participants
Regarding the student population of UKZNP, 80% of students are in their pre-university years of study, while 20% are postgraduates. Twenty-four point three percent of focus group participants are studying a BSS degree, while 21.6% and 13.5% are studying a BA and BCOM Honors degree respectively.
Shopping Habit Questions
- Where do you purchase your clothing?
- Frequency of Clothing Purchases
- Reasons for Shopping at the Preferred Clothing Store
- What are the attributes which you use when choosing between clothing retailers?
- Why is Attribute 1 the most important to you when choosing a clothing store?
- Clothing Store Attributes
- Clothing Attributes
- Dichotomous Questions about Clothing Purchases
- What discourages you from purchasing clothing from a particular store?
Students/limited budget: Many of the focus group participants explained that Price is the most important attribute influencing their choice of clothing retailer as they are students and therefore usually have a tight budget. The attributes that were most important to focus group participants when choosing a clothing retailer from which to purchase clothing were identified by comparing the mean importance ratings for each of the attributes.
STAGE TWO RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Quantitative Data Collection
- Questionnaire Sampling and Sample Size
- Sampling
- Sample Size
- Stage 2 Data Collection
- Questionnaire Design
- Explanation of the Questions in the Questionnaire (Refer to Appendix D)
- Pilot Testing
- Questionnaire Distribution
- Data Analysis
- Reliability
- Validity
The wide selection of merchandise received a high average score of 7.8 and was ranked by focus group participants as one of the top attributes influencing store choice. The data analysis stage of the research process is where “the researcher begins the process of turning raw data into useful information” (Shiu et al. 2009: 67).
QUESTIONNAIRE FINDINGS
Profile of the Questionnaire Sample
- Age
- Gender
- Race
- Degree being studied by the Questionnaire Respondents
This is more or less representative of the UKZNP population, of which 57.4% of students are female and 42.6% are male (DMI Claims 2010). A large percentage of questionnaire respondents were black, with 70% indicating this as their racial group.
Shopping Habit Questions
- Frequency of Clothing Purchases
- When buying clothes, which stores do you shop at most of the time?
- Statements about Clothing Purchases
A total of 44.2% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that their choice of clothing store is influenced by the quantity purchased. 33.5% of respondents gave a neutral answer to the statement whether their choice of clothing store is influenced by the quantity purchased.
Clothing Store Attributes
The attributes of "Value for money" and "Uniqueness of the product" received the second and third highest averages, respectively, with average ratings of 7.79 and 7.75. The attributes of trendy merchandise, store cleanliness, wide selection of merchandise, and low prices all received mean ratings of more than 7, suggesting that these attributes were all relatively important and exerted a fairly strong influence on their choice of clothing retailer.
Factor Analysis of the Clothing Store Attributes
141 best combination of the variables and is thus the "first principal component" (Cooper and Schindler. Cooper and Schindler, where each of the subsequent factors represents the best linear combination of variables "disregarding the previous factors" (Cooper and Schindler 2006 ) : 633).
Clothing Attributes
All attributes of importance were included in the factors, indicating that they all have some relevance to the clothing store selection of the Generation Y respondents. The attribute Good Fit received the highest average rating of 9.05, which means that this attribute has a very strong influence on the respondents' choice of clothing store and is the most important of the 7 clothing attributes.
Factor Analysis of the Clothing Attributes
Ultimately, it is important to identify factors such as these as they influence the consumer's purchasing process and decisions about whether or not to buy, what to buy and where to buy it. Factor 1, Fit and Look, accounts for the highest percentage of explained variance, with 33.9%, while Factor 2, Variety and Affordability, accounts for much less of the total explained variance with 17.6%.
Rating of Selected Clothing Stores on Key Attributes
A total of 34.7% of research respondents gave Edgars a score of 10 out of 10 for the Attractive Advertising attribute. This, along with the highest average rating of 7.37, suggests that Edgars has the most attractive ad of the five clothing stores.
Discriminant Analysis
Discriminant functions represent a latent or underlying dimension, while discriminant loadings indicate the degree of correlation between the original attribute and the latent discriminant function. The loading result serves to finally show the distance of a store from other stores.
Analysis of Gender Differences in Perceptions of Clothing Store Attributes
- Independent Samples T-Test
- Mann-Whitney U-Test
The T-test results presented in Table 8.43 above reveal that significant differences were found in the degree of importance male and female respondents attributed to the attributes convenient location, low prices, high quality goods and attractive advertising. Therefore, there is a significant difference between the attributes of the clothing store in the male and female respondents of Generation Y.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
- To identify the most patronised stores according to a sample of male and female
- To determine the relative importance of the attributes that Generation Y consumers apply
- To identify the determinant attributes that influence clothing store selection among
- To determine whether a significant difference exists between the attributes of the male
Namely, it was established that the attribute High quality of goods is the most important and most influential in the choice of a clothing store by the respondents, on the contrary, the attribute Low price received the lowest average importance rating of the first 7 attributes of a clothing store. Attributes previously identified as most important to Gen Y respondents appear in each of the four factors identified through factor analysis.
RECOMMENDATIONS
General Recommendations
Recommendations for Targeting the Generation Y Market
Recommendations for Mr Price
Recommendations for Edgars
Recommendations for Woolworths
Recommendations for Young Designers Emporium (YDE)
Recommendations for Identity
LIMITATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE
Limitations of the Research
Recommendations for Future Research
OVERALL CONCLUSIONS
