Emotional antecedents of customer loyalty in the formal retail industry of South Africa

Abstract

Despite its substantial growth and contribution to the economy of the country, the South African retail industry is faced with various challenges, including customers’ changing buying habits and expectations, the evolution of e-commerce, the entry of giant retailers into the retail market, and the growing importance of the urbanised middle class and its potential purchasing power. This creates risks that are mostly beyond retailers’ control. Therefore, there is a general drive among retail brands to build customer loyalty in order to respond to these contemporary dynamics within the industry and, ultimately, enhance sustainability. It is noted from literature that current understanding of customer behaviour in the South African retail space is largely the result of rational behavioural measurement, while the subconscious behaviour of customers is often neglected. The study on which this thesis reports attempted to address this gap in the current knowledge base. The current study makes a novel contribution to knowledge in using complementary traditional and neuromarketing instruments in a sequential mixed method research design to measure verbal, non-verbal and physiological emotions, which indicate the key influential cognitive and emotive factors shaping shopping decisions. For a comprehensive understanding of customer behaviour, the study primarily explored the emotional antecedents of customer loyalty in the formal retail industry of South Africa. In order to explore and describe both retail brands and customers’ experiences regarding the drivers of retail brand loyalty, the empirical phase of the study adopted a sequential mixed method research design. This design comprised eight individual semi-structured interviews, which focused on and explored the fundamentals of behavioural and attitudinal loyalty within the context of a customer relationship management strategy. x Based on the findings emerging from the quantitative mall intercept survey with 300 retail customers, the study identified the motivating factors of greatest likelihood among customers that best explain retail brand loyalty, namely product quality, convenience of location, customer care, product variety and availability, as well as fair pricing. Furthermore, findings emerging from the inferential analysis (structural equation modelling, two-step cluster analysis, optimal scaling and multivariate binary regression analysis) showed that brand trust, brand affect and attitudinal loyalty are key predictors of behavioural loyalty. Additionally, customer loyalty differs depending on customer predisposition towards the major retail brands tested. In this regard, Pick n Pay, Massmart and Shoprite/Checkers recorded the most favourable perceptions among customers. As Despite its substantial growth and contribution to the economy of the country, the South African retail industry is faced with various challenges, including customers’ changing buying habits and expectations, the evolution of e-commerce, the entry of giant retailers into the retail market, and the growing importance of the urbanised middle class and its potential purchasing power. This creates risks that are mostly beyond retailers’ control. Therefore, there is a general drive among retail brands to build customer loyalty in order to respond to these contemporary dynamics within the industry and, ultimately, enhance sustainability. It is noted from literature that current understanding of customer behaviour in the South African retail space is largely the result of rational behavioural measurement, while the subconscious behaviour of customers is often neglected. The study on which this thesis reports attempted to address this gap in the current knowledge base. The current study makes a novel contribution to knowledge in using complementary traditional and neuromarketing instruments in a sequential mixed method research design to measure verbal, non-verbal and physiological emotions, which indicate the key influential cognitive and emotive factors shaping shopping decisions. For a comprehensive understanding of customer behaviour, the study primarily explored the emotional antecedents of customer loyalty in the formal retail industry of South Africa. In order to explore and describe both retail brands and customers’ experiences regarding the drivers of retail brand loyalty, the empirical phase of the study adopted a sequential mixed method research design. This design comprised eight individual semi-structured interviews, which focused on and explored the fundamentals of behavioural and attitudinal loyalty within the context of a customer relationship management strategy. x Based on the findings emerging from the quantitative mall intercept survey with 300 retail customers, the study identified the motivating factors of greatest likelihood among customers that best explain retail brand loyalty, namely product quality, convenience of location, customer care, product variety and availability, as well as fair pricing. Furthermore, findings emerging from the inferential analysis (structural equation modelling, two-step cluster analysis, optimal scaling and multivariate binary regression analysis) showed that brand trust, brand affect and attitudinal loyalty are key predictors of behavioural loyalty. Additionally, customer loyalty differs depending on customer predisposition towards the major retail brands tested. In this regard, Pick n Pay, Massmart and Shoprite/Checkers recorded the most favourable perceptions among customers. As a complement to the quantitative research phase of the study, a Self-Assessment Manikin attitude measure was applied to a sample of 120 customers. This phase of the study highlighted pertinent emotional elements as key mediators in securing sustainable retail brand loyalty. In this regard, Woolworths and Pick n Pay recorded the most favourable perceptions on four stimuli, namely quality, customer rewards, customer care and brand logos. The study also applied eye tracking and galvanic skin response techniques to a sample of 10 participants to determine customers’ psychophysiological reaction to the four stimuli. Galvanic skin response findings showed that customers were especially engaged with Spar, Shoprite/Checkers and Pick n Pay, while eye tracking findings showed customers’ higher visual engagement with Shoprite/Checkers, Pick n Pay and Spar. A key overall finding of this study was the significant role of feelings and emotions in driving customer loyalty. Retail brands lose relevance when they fail to connect emotionally with customers, and without that emotional attachment, brands can easily be replaced by generic imposters. A comprehensive understanding of customer behaviour remains a quandary for marketing and business practitioners. In an attempt to address this limitation, the current study used insights from non-verbal attitudinal and psychophysiological measures to obtain a more comprehensive behavioural understanding of retail customers.

Nakuba imboni yezitolo ezihwebayo yaseNingizimu Afrika ibonise ukukhula nokudlondlobala okukhulu futhi idlala indima esemqoka emnothweni wezwe, ibhekene nezinselelo eziningana futhi ezihlukahlukene, kubandakanya indlelakuthenga yamakhasimende eguquguqukayo kanye nalokho okulindelwe ngamakhasimende nezimfuno zawo, ukungenisa ngezinkani kwemboni yokuhweba nge-intanethi nobuxhakaxhaka bobuchwepheshe besimanjemanje, ukungena kwezitolo eziyizikhondlakhondla emakethe yezitolo ezihwebayo, kanye nokukhula kokubaluleka kwabantu abahlala emadolobheni abasesigabeni sempilo esimaphakathi kanye namandla abo okuthenga. Lokhu kudala ubungozi obuvamise ukuba ngaphezu kwamandla nolawulo lwezitolo ezihwebayo. Ngakho-ke, kunomkhankaso oqhutshwa yizitolo zonkana ezihlose ngawo ukwakha ubudlelwano namakhasimende kanye nokuqinisekisa ukwethembeka kwamakhasimende ukuze zikwazi ukumelana nezimo ezikhona esikhathini samanje embonini yezitolo ezihwebayo, futhi ekugcineni, ukuze zikwazi ukusimamisa ibhizinisi lazo liqhubeke njalo futhi likhule lidlondlobale. Kuphawulekile emibhalweni efundiwe ukuthi ukuqonda kanye nolwazi olujulile olukhona njengamanje mayelana nokuziphatha kwamakhasimende eNingizimu Afrika emkhakheni wezitolo ezihwebayo ikakhulukazi kuwumphumela wokukalwa kwezinga lokuthatha izinqumo ngobuhlakani nokwenza izinto emva kokucabangisisa, kepha-ke ngakolunye uhlangothi kuvamise ukushaywa indiva ukwenza izinto kwamakhasimende ngaphandle kokuqaphela nokucophelela futhi ngokuthathela izinto phezulu noma ngaphandle kokucabangisisa ngalokho akwenzayo. Lolu cwaningo okubikwa ngalo kulo mbiko wocwaningo luzamile ukubhekana naleli gebe elikhona njengamanje eliphathelene nokuntuleka kolwazi. Lolu cwaningo lwamanje lufaka isandla esinohlonze kanye nemibono ephusile olwazini olukhona, ngokusebenzisa amathuluzi asekelayo ajwayelekile kanye nalawo asebenzisa ubuchwepheshe bokukala ukusebenza kwengqondo, ngaphansi kwedizayini yocwaningo egxile kwindlela-kusebenza exubile yokwenza izinto ngokulandelana kwazo, ngenhloso yokukala imizwa ezwakaliswa ngomlomo, ngezenzo noma ngeminyakazo yomzimba, okuyinto ebonisa izimo nezici-bunjalo ezisemqoka futhi ezinomthelela omkhulu eziphathelene nokusebenza kwengqondo kanye nemizwa, okuyizona ezilawula izinqumo zamakhasimende eziphathelene nokuthenga. Ngenhloso yokuqonda ngokuphelele ukuziphatha kwamakhasimende, lolu cwaningo lwacubungula futhi lwahlaziya ikakhulukazi izici-bunjalo zemizwa elawula ukwethembeka kwamakhasimende embonini yezitolo ehlelekile yaseNingizimu Afrika. Ukuze kucutshungulwe futhi kuchazwe kokubili izinhlobo zezitolo kanye nezimo ahlangabezane nazo amakhasimende mayelana nezici-bunjalo ezenza amakhasimende athembeke esitolo esithile futhi athenge kusona ngaso sonke isikhathi, isigaba socwaningo esiphathelene nolwazi oluphathekayo nolubonakalayo sasebenzisa idizayini yocwaningo egxile kwindlela-kusebenza exubile yokwenza izinto ngokulandelana kwazo. Le dizayini beyibandakanya ama-semi-structured interviews enziwa nababambiqhaza bocwaningo abayisishiyagalombili, okuyizingxoxo ezabe zigxile ekucubunguleni ukwethembeka kwamakhasimende okuphathelene nokuziphatha kwawo kanye nendlela abuka ngayo izinto ngaphansi kwesimo seqhingasu lokuphathwa kobudlelwano namakhasimende. Ngokususela kwimiphumela eyatholakala kwinhlolovo ebandakanya abathengi abangama-300 okwaxoxiswana nabo ezikhungweni ezinenxanxathela yezitolo, ucwaningo lwahlonza izimo nezi-bunjalo ezikhuthaza futhi zihehe amakhasimende okuyizona ezingasetshenziswa ukuchaza kangcono ukwethembeka kwamakhasimende ezitolo ezithile, okuyikhwalithi yomkhiqizo, ukufinyeleleka kalula kwendawo lapho kutholakala khona isitolo, ukunakekelwa kwamakhasimende, imikhiqizo ehlukahlukene kanye nokutholakala kwayo, ngokunjalo namanani-ntengo angambi eqolo. Ngaphezu kwalokho, imiphumela eyatholakala ohlaziyweni lwezinqumo ezithathwe ngokubheka ubufakazi kanye nokuqonda okujulile (structural equation modelling, two-step cluster analysis, optimal scaling kanye ne-multivariate binary regression analysis) yabonisa ukuthi ukwethenjwa kohlobo lomkhiqizo, ukukhanga nokuthandeka komkhiqizo kanye nokwethembeka okuphathelene nendlela-kubuka kuyizibikezeli ezisemqoka zokuziphatha kwamakhasimende okuhambisana nokwethembeka emikhiqizweni ethile. Futhi ngaphezu kwalokho, ukwethembeka kwamakhasimende kuyehluka, futhi lokhu kuncike ekuhehelekeleni kwamakhasimende ezitolo enkulu ezihloliwe. Mayelana nalokhu-ke, abakwa-Pick n Pay, Massmart kanye nabakwa-Shoprite/Checkers yizona zitolo ezibonise ukuthandwa kakhulu ngamakhasimende. Njengendlela yokweseka nokunezezela phezu kwesigaba socwaningo olukhwantithethivu olwenziwe, kwasetshenziswa isikali sendlela-kubuka esibizwa nge-Self-Assessment Manikin kwisampula yamakhasimende ayi-120. Lesi sigaba socwaningo saqhakambisa izimo nezici-bunjalo eziphathelene nemizwa ezifanelekile njengezinto ezisemqoka kakhulu ekuqinisekiseni ukwethembeka kwamakhasimende esitolo esithile ngokuqhubekayo. Mayelana nalokhu, abakwa-Woolworths kanye nabakwa-Pick n Pay babonisa ukuthandwa kakhulu ngamakhasimende mayelana nezici-bunjalo ezihehayo futhi ezikhuthazayo ezine, okuyikhwalithi, imivuzo yamakhasimende, ukunakekelwa kwamakhasimende kanye nemibala egqamile, igama elidumile nezimpawu zesitolo. Ucwaningo lwasebenzisa futhi nezindlela zokucwaninga eziphathelene nokulandela umkhondo wamehlo amakhasimende kanye nezimpawu zemizwa yamakhasimende ezibonakala esikhumbeni semizimba yawo, okuyizindlela zocwaningo ezasetshenziswa kubabambiqhaza bocwaningo abayi-10 ngenhloso yokuhlonza indlela-kusabela kwamakhasimende ephathelene nengqondo nomzimba kulezi zicibunjalo ezikhuthazayo futhi ezihehayo ezine ezishiwo ngenhla. Imiphumela yendlela yocwaningo ebheka izimpawu zemizwa yamakhasimende ezibonakala esikhumbeni semizimba yawo yabonisa ukuthi amakhasimende ahehelekela ikakhulukazi kwabakwa-Spar, Shoprite/Checkers kanye nabakwa-Pick n Pay, kanti ngakolunye uhlangothi imiphumela yendlela yocwaningo ebheka futhi ilandele umkhondo wamehlo amakhasimende yabonisa ukuheheka kwamehlo okuphakeme ezitolo zabakwa-Shoprite/Checkers, Pick n Pay kanye nabakwa-Spar. Umphumela omkhulu futhi osemqoka otholakale kulolu cwaningo yindima ebaluleke kakhulu edlalwa yimizwa ekukhuthazeni ukwethembeka kwamakhasimende. Izitolo zilahlekelwa yiwozawoza yazo kumakhasimende uma zihluleka ukuxhumana namakhasimende ngokwemizwa, futhi ngaphandle kwalokho kuxhumana ngokwemizwa nokuzwana, izitolo zingazithola kalula zisesimweni lapho indawo yazo isithathwe yizitolo-mbumbulu ezingosandanezwe. Ukuqondakala okuphelele kwendlela aziphatha ngayo amakhasimende futhi enza ngayo izinto kusalokhu kuyinkinga nesithiyo esikhulu kwizazi nezisebenzi ezenza umsebenzi wokukhangisa nokuqhuba ibhizinisi. Njengomzamo wokubhekana nalesi sithiyo, lolu cwaningo lusebenzise ulwazi nokuqonda okujulile okutholakale kwizikali zendlela-kubuka yamakhasimende kanye nezikali zesimo sengqondo nesomzimba samakhasimende ukuze kutholakale ukuqonda okuphelele futhi okujulile okuphathelene nokuziphatha kwamakhasimende athenga ezitolo kanye nendlela enza ngayo izinto.

Ondanks sy stewige groei en aansienlike bydrae tot die landsekonomie, het die Suid-Afrikaanse kleinhandelsbedryf met verskeie uitdagings te kampe. Veranderinge in kliënte se koopgewoontes en verwagtings, groeiende e-handel, reusekleinhandelaars wat die kleinhandelsmark betree, die toenemende invloed van die verstedelikte middelklas en sy potensiële koopkrag is enkele hiervan. Dit gee aanleiding tot risiko’s wat grotendeels buite die beheer van kleinhandelaars is. As gevolg van die hedendaagse dinamiek in die bedryf, poog kleinhandelsmerke om kliëntlojaliteit te verstewig en hulle eie volhoubaarheid te verseker. Dit blyk uit die literatuur dat die kleinhandelsektor se siening van kliëntgedrag in Suid-Afrika op die meting van rasionele gedrag berus, en dat die onbewuste gedrag van kliënte verontagsaam word. Hierdie tesis doen verslag van ʼn studie om hierdie leemte in die huidige kennis te probeer aanvul. Dit lewer ʼn bydrae deur aanvullende tradisionele en neurobemarkingsinstrumente in ʼn opeenvolgende gemengde metode as navorsingsbenadering te gebruik. Verbale, nieverbale en fisiologiese emosies is gemeet aangesien hulle die kognitiewe en emotiewe faktore is wat inkopiebesluite bepaal. Hierdie studie het hoofsaaklik die emosionele antesedente van kliëntlojaliteit in die Suid-Afrikaanse formele kleinhandelsbedryf verken om ʼn grondige begrip van kliëntgedrag te kry. Ten einde kleinhandelsmerke en kliënte se ervarings van die drywers van kleinhandelsmerklojaliteit te beskryf en te verken, is ʼn opeenvolgende gemengdemetode-navorsingsontwerp gevolg. Dit het uit agt halfgestruktureerde, private onderhoude bestaan. Hierin is gekonsentreer op die grondslae van gedragsen houdingslojaliteit teen die agtergrond van ʼn kliënteverhoudingsbestuurstrategie. Op grond van die bevindings van ʼn kwantitatiewe winkelsentrumopname onder 300 kleinhandelskliënte, is die motiveringsfaktore met die grootste waarskynlikheid aangetoon. Hulle is produkgehalte, ʼn gerieflike ligging, kliëntesorg, produkverskeidenheid, beskikbaarheid en billike pryse, en bied die aanneemlikste verklaring vir kleinhandelsmerklojaliteit. Volgens die bevindings van die inferensiële ontleding (struktuurvergelykingmodellering, tweestaptrosontleding, optimale skalering en meerveranderlike binêre regressieanalise) is merkvertroue, merkaffek en houdingslojaliteit betroubare aanwysers van bedragslojaliteit. Afgesien hiervan verskil kliëntlojaliteit na gelang van kliëntpredisposisie jeens kleinhandelsmerke wat getoets is. Kliënte was vir vier stimuli (naamlik gehalte, kliëntbelonings, kliëntesorg en merklogo’s) die ontvanklikste vir Pick n Pay, Massmart en Shoprite/Checkers. Aanvullend tot die kwalitatiewe navorsingsfase van hierdie studie is ʼn selfasseringsmodelhoudingmeting op ʼn steekproef van 120 kliënte toegepas. Hierdie fase het die aandag gevestig op pertinente emosionele elemente as sleuteltussengangers in die opwekking van volhoubare kleinhandelsmerklojaliteit. Vir die vier stimuli (naamlik gehalte, kliëntbelonings, kliëntesorg en merklogo’s) was kliënte se persepsies van Woolworths en Pick n Pay die gunstigste. Hierbenewens is oogvolg- en galvaniese velreaksietegnieke op ʼn steekproef van 10 deelnemers toegepas om hulle psigofisiologiese reaksie op die vier stimuli te bepaal. Die galvaniese velreaksietoetse het aangedui dat kliënte besonder ontvanklik was vir Spar, Shoprite/Checkers en Pick n Pay, en volgens die oogvolgtoetse visueel meer aangetrokke tot Spar, Shoprite/Checkers en Pick n Pay was. Hierdie studie het bevind dat emosies in die algemeen ʼn deurslaggewende rol in kliëntlojaliteit speel. Kleinhandelsmerke raak irrelevant as hulle nie ʼn emosionele band met kliënte smee nie. Sonder hierdie emosionele verbintenis kan generiese bedrieërs maklik die plek van kleinhandelsmerke inneem. Bemarkings- en sakepraktisyns het nie ʼn deeglike begrip van kliëntgedrag nie. Om dit reg te stel, het hierdie studie nieverbale houdings- en psigofisiologiese toetse toegepas om die gedrag van kleinhandelskliënte beter te begryp.