1.0 Introduction
1.1 Background of the Study
Generally on the world sense, it is an obviously accepted fact that consumer overtime, from image of stores, products, brands and organization in their environment, and these form invariably influence their shopping and patronage habits or behaviour towards the stores.
For a crystal clear understanding of store image, it is reasonable to suggest that one must comprehend the process underlying it is formation and change. On the authority of Arons (1961:127) image is the personality presented to the public or complex of meaning and relationship serving to characterize the store of people. Dodyle and Forweed (1961: 121) also use store image interchangeably with attitude to express the overall impression a consumer has for it. Irrespective of the extensive literature on store image little is known about the dynamics of its formation in the minds of consumers.
According to what Hirsch main pointed out, the comprehension of how consumers acquire cues are translated into cognitive which form store images seems to suffer from lack of conceptual and empirical research. Therefore, the obvious fact that most studies on store image rely on approved and non statistical data analysis accounts for the lack of research concerning the questions of store influence since the approach used on those studies relies on retrospective recall on the aspects of the image after the overall image had already been formal, it may be categorized as top down approach which instead of environmental that gives rise to these aspects in another advantage.
Nonetheless, there are some attributes, which the consumer would expect from a store that might be lacking. When these happen, the consumer is bound to fed disappointed and withdraw his loyalty to the store. These operations may be established norms of the consumers. Some of these norms might be inclusive in the criteria the consumer may wish to use to evaluate the perceived characteristics. The consumer conceptualized these evaluate criteria which lead to his visit to the store.
This evaluation process any however be in four categories (4)
- Evaluation criteria
- Perceived characteristics
- Comparison process and
- Acceptable and unacceptable stores
These perceived characteristics that helps in forming store image are:
- Location
- Assortment
- Store personnel relationship
- Service (rendered)
- Product quality
- Store clientele
- Price
These expected characteristics when not met are quite capable of creating a bad image for the store customers. The functions of this research therefore, is to determine the aggregate/total influence of store image on consumer and reinforce him to come back to the store despite the environment factors that may be foreseen in the store granted, the store cannot exist successfully without the environment.
In other words, one could say that the environment is part is “part of the whole” the to be perfectly honest. The research work is focused on these aspects of the store (store image) that interest the consumer other than the surrounding (environmental) aspects.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Consumer's integral participants in marketing consumers shopping habits can make or mar departmental store. Small wonder then, departmental stores fed seriously the necessity for the continued and prolonged patronage and strong desire to have regular and constant customers.
Only those stores which satisfy and please the consumers would see the consumers return and buy again the consumed want good values/accurate and adequate information about products, speedily services and polite treatment that will cause repeat purchase in the store consumer especially wants to feel that easy purchase and return visit are appreciated by the store and this will build a royal cliental whose esteem and goodwill are invariable assets to the store.
Unless when the consumers are treated badly, they would want to continue with the store and that's why they expect polite treatment from the stores salesmen however, or the relationship between the personnel and the customers have caused a lot lost in consumers patronage of the store, which means that the expected image of a store has not been made by the customers affects his purchasing habits and this may cause an alteration in the sales volume of the store.
Therefore, the research wants to determine the degree of store image in influencing the shopping habits of the consumers more so in a department store.
1.3 The Purpose (Objective) of the Study
In this aspect any reason worked being carried out is not done just for the fun of it, but to help eradicate a certain problem.
That is the same reason behind the researcher carrying out this research study to help solve the problem at hand, which is determining the influence of store image on the shopping habits of the consumers. And to this, the research has certain purpose, which are to;
- Determine the influence of store image on the shopping habits of consumers in a department store an why consumers switch from one department store to the other.
- Determine the shopping profile and the benefit derived in shopping in the store.
Granted, consumers attitude towards it are changing, but this study will heal management to channel its available resources to motivating consumers to shop in the stores.
When management decipher the consumers shopping habit it will be in an essential input in the development of an effective marketing strategy and increase goods image for the store in the survival of a department store in a retail outlets, this understanding and creative adoption are very important and good.
1.4 The Research Question
To aid find solutions to the problem conceived above, research questions must be used. These are questions that best state the objectives of the research questions are:
- How often do consumers do shopping and what kind of store do they shop from within a week?
- Does the store have any distinct store image that distinguishes it from other stores?
- How effective does it (store image) influence consumers in their choice of store?
- Is three any relationship between store image and consumer shopping habit at the store?
- Among the factors that determine and influence the consumers shopping habit at the store?
- Do the store devote resources to the maintain?
These and other related questions will serve as guiding principle for the study.
1.5 Scope of the Study
In nutshell, the scope of this study is limited to the operation and applications of some department stores in Owerri main Town Imo state. It is limited to the shopping habits of consumers observable in these departmental store.
The study surveys the function of consumers image on store with respect to the major factor that leads to this image formation, the influence of these formed consumer image also known as consumers shopping habit on departmental stores and efforts made by stores to maintain a good image.
Obviously not all the department stores in Owerri would be studied, some would be selected, studies and then, the conclusion would be applied to all. The criteria for the selection are among others;
- Areas where real department stores are located
- Areas where people appreciate and patronize department stores
- Areas that are in Owerri in main town and colour perfectly represent the town.
- Areas that are easily accessible to the researcher in case of urgent need information.
- Areas where occupants are exposed to store image i.e they know and could tell what it means and how it influence their shopping habits.
Against this background, in as much as this research work is concerned areas that would studied have been grouped into five(5) as we could see in this chapter.
1.6 Significance of the Study
This research study is not one that was carried out for just cause. It was carried out because of the contributions it conveys to the business organization, government academics, other researchers and also the researcher himself.
For the business organization, it is going to familiarize them with those factors that aid in determining the consumers shopping habits.
Since this research will help to establish the influence which store image has no consumers in their various stores to say the least, the researcher will help them to plan, organize, coordinate and control all retail activities for better performance. For the government, the research study will be contributing immensely in the sense that when the business organization adopt the suggestion by the researcher, business activities will be increased in the department stores both in sale and profit, so when they make enough profit this indicts will also be high government will now also benefit. As some of them would want for to review such study in the house of their own researchers.
Lastly, for the researcher, he will be elightened the more on the subject matter and this will give him more than ordinary confidence to discuss it perfectly whenever the need for such arises.
1.7 Definition of Terms
Granted, these are certain words that reader of this work mighty find quite strange and difficult to comprehend. This is so because words can sometimes be used in content different from their meaning. The terms as follow within the project to reader might understand, comprehend and appreciate the work more better.
1. Consumers:
Simply put this way the consumer is “person who uses goods” therefore consumers can either be ultimate or industrial consumers. Ultimate consumers buys goods and services for personal consumption while the industrial consume buy goods and services for other productive purpose
2. Department Store:
Is a large retailing organization, which handles a wide variety of shopping and specialized goods (Merchadize) with a reasonably good goods selection within each time is a department store.
3. Shopping Habits:
Consuming shopping habits involved how the consumer take decision with respect to where he buys these decisions are affected by his perception, attitude and learning experience. This is called shopping habit.
4. Store-Image:
A store image is its reflection/symbol, it is the over all way the consumer perceive and feel about the store. It can also seen as the way in which the store is defined in the shoppers mind partly its functional, qualities and partly by psychological attributes.
5. Retailing Out Lets:
These are different lines of stores that specialize in relating different or related goods. They are different sizes and are classified according to this, basis ownership of firm operational structure, product mix, buying behaviour etc.
6. Retailing:
Retailing is an act or way of selling goods and services to the final or ultimate co consumers for the purpose of clarification. Some manufacturers and wholesalers engage in retailing outlets but cannot be called retailer.
7. Retailers:
A retailer is any intermediary/middle man or business establishment that directs its marketing effort towards the final ultimate consumer for the purpose of selling good and services.
