The controllable elements of the total retail experience: A study of clothing shoppers

The purpose of this research is to extend an understanding of how Black and White South African consumers' causal attributions for major household appliance performance failures impact on their anger and subsequent complaint behaviour. A survey was administered to Black and White South African consumers who were dissatisfied with the performance of a major household appliance item.Respondents resided in a major metropolitan area. The findings showed that, compared to Whites, the Black South Africans felt a low but significantly higher external locus of causality and lower control, and experienced a higher level of anger regarding product failure. The level of anger determined the decision to take complaint action, but racial group determined the type of action taken. Blacks complained more actively to retailers and engaged more in private complaint action than Whites.These findings may show that Black South Africans are developing a more individualistic orientation as consumers. Therefore, researchers should consider the effect of cultural swapping when researching consumer behaviour in multi-cultural countries. Implications for retailers in terms of complaint handling are indicated.

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Differences between Black and White South Africans in product failure attributions, anger and complaint behaviour

Donoghue

Strydom

Andrews

et al. 2015

“…, 2003; Goodman, 2006). Implementing fair policies concerning redress procedures and companies' appropriate reaction to complaints are legitimate and ethical acts towards the consumer (Terblanche and Boshoff, 2001, 2003; Crié, 2003).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Redress environment variables refer to factors that are controlled or primarily influenced by retailers (Halstead and Dröge, 1991; Dolinsky, 1994; Terblanche and Boshoff, 2001, 2003). Factors in the redress environment that affect consumer complaint behaviour include perceptions of the retailer's responsiveness to customer complaints (i.e.…”

Section: An Explanation Of Consumer Complaint Behaviourmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…, 2003). Retailers can control their redress policies and their handling of customer complaints to improve their service quality and their customers' in‐store shopping experience, which in turn will strengthen customer loyalty (Terblanche and Boshoff, 2001, 2003; Goodman, 2006). By addressing complaints about dissatisfactory or faulty products, manufacturers also get the opportunity to correct product problems, improve the quality of existing merchandise and identify new consumer needs (Crié, 2003; Bodey and Grace, 2006).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The right to be heard and to be understood: a conceptual framework for consumer protection in emerging economies

Donoghue

Klerk

2009

In many emerging economies and developing countries, comprising consumers from different cultures and with varying degrees of sophistication (knowledge and skill) concerning consumer protection, the promotion of consumers' rights to develop a consumer‐oriented culture remains a very big challenge. One way of protecting the consumer, especially the consumer that has not been fully socialized to execute informed decisions when purchasing expensive durables, is by establishing a redress environment that would ensure fair redress as well as an understanding and appreciation of the consumer. Manufacturers and retailers are often not aware of the performance failures that consumers experience concerning their products because many people do not communicate their dissatisfactions to them. However, unless and until manufacturers and retailers fully comprehend their customers' complaint behaviour, their reasons for engaging in specific complaint behaviour and the reasoning (cognitive processes) and emotional processes behind their behaviour, they will not recognize the link between complaint handling and customer loyalty and profits. The purpose of this paper was to develop a theoretical conceptual framework that would enable consumer scientists, consumer consultants, consumer behaviour researchers and those with the responsibility of handling consumer complaints to explore and understand consumer complaint behaviour in its entirety. We argue that, to be able to establish and manage a redress environment that is characterized by an understanding of the specific consumer as well as by effective complaint behaviour handling, it is of the utmost importance that the manufacturer, retailer, consumer consultant and all those that work with consumers' complaints understand the entire complaint process, including the underlying cognitive and emotional processes as well as the consumer's post‐complaint perception of justice and his/her satisfaction with the complaint handling. It is also important to understand the role that consumer‐, product‐ and redress environment‐related variables play in consumer complaint behaviour. The consumer who blames the retailer for the problem and who probably feels angry about the situation and decides to complain will expect redress. From a consumer's viewpoint, complaint‐related justice is, however, not only a matter of economic calculus but also a matter of procedure and interaction. We therefore argue for a holistic approach where consumer complaint behaviour is addressed in its entirety. Practical suggestions that could enhance customer satisfaction are given for manufacturers, retailers and those who deal with consumers' complaints.

“…Only four sections of the structured questionnaire are relevant in terms of the objectives of the study that are addressed in this report, i.e. Demographic information ; Customer service expectations; Perception of service quality (adapted from the Dabholkar instrument); and Perception of controllable elements of the service offering (Terblanche and Boshoff, 2003).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Female customers' expectation of the service offering and their perception of the service quality in an emerging clothing market

Erasmus

Grabowski

2011

Worldwide, clothing retailers that offer similar merchandise and even the same brands are flanked almost next to one another in shopping centres. Clothing retail therefore appears to be poorly differentiated, and it is not always clear why consumers prefer to patronize one store and avoid another. This study explored female consumers' expectations of the service offering and their perception of the service quality of prominent clothing retail channels in Tshwane, a major urban area in South Africa. The survey involved 243 females that were 20 years of age or older. They completed a structured questionnaire that investigated their (1) expectations of customer service in terms of tangible evidence of the service offering; and (2) perception of service quality using two different instruments by means of a direct measurement approach. Explorative factor analysis was used to reduce the data in terms of relevant dimensions of the respective measuring instruments and to determine the significance of the various dimensions of customer service and service quality in the context of this research. Contrary to what the literature proposes about consumers in an emerging economy, findings of this study suggest that females' expectations of the service offering of clothing retail stores were high. Their expectations were cognitively structured in terms of three elements of customer service, namely (1) physical facilities and product presentation; (2) personnel; and (3) store image and processes. Their perception of service quality revealed an opportunity to augment the service quality through attention to activities that are associated with personnel and the so-called supportiveness dimensions of their service offering. Findings coincided with a prior investigation of Terblanche and Boshoff, although a re-labelling of one dimension of their instrument is proposed to prevent confusion. Recommendations to augment the service quality of clothing retailers are made in terms of tangible evidence of the service offering. Greenland et al., 2006). Per implication, undeserving favourable service quality perceptions due to a higher tolerance of poor bs_bs_banner