Positioning customer-based convenience store image: a multidimensional scaling approach via perceptual map

Abstract

Purpose: The research is to find out the perception of consumers for the convenience store (c – store) image in an emerging market, with a sample from Ho Chi Minh City. Research design, data, and methodology: Data were collected using a 24 item structured questionnaire into six factors, namely: store atmospheric, merchandise, supplementary service, customer convenience, sales personnel, promotion. Five hundred consumers shopped at the different c – stores were collected for a multidimensional scaling technique that creates a perceptual map illustrating of c – store image. Results: The results point out that consumers’ perception of a different c – store is different. The trend of cstores are focusing on the dimensions of the function aspect. The customers also put their attention on the psychological dimension, which, in this case, is customer convenience with a sharp point. Almost all stores are bad on store atmospheric in customerbased. Conclusions: The modern retail store chains need to focus on elements to create a store image positioning and improve the perceptions of the consumers towards the store. Besides, customers not only visit the stores, not due to its convenient location, mass media or shopping experience, but also a strong identity for the store's brand image.