Understanding retail quality of sporting goods stores: a text mining approach

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luke Lunhua Mao

PurposeSporting goods retailing is a significant sector within the sport industry with the total revenue of this sector reaching $52.2 billion in 2018. Beset with formidable competition, sporting goods stores are compelled to augment their merchandise with service and improve retail quality. The purpose of this study is to investigate retail quality of sporting goods stores (RQSGS).Design/methodology/approachBased on 27,793 online reviews of 1481 stores in the United States, this study used Leximancer 4.0, a text mining software, to identify critical retail quality dimensions associated with sporting goods stores, and further explored the most salient dimensions among different levels of ratings.FindingsCustomer service and store aspects are the two higher-order dimensions of RQSGS; holistic experience, manager and staff are three themes under customer service, and product, B&M store and online–offline integration are three themes under store aspects. Furthermore, extreme reviews focus more on customer service, whereas lukewarm reviews focus more on store aspects.Practical implicationsKnowledgeable staff, managers and online–offline integration are instrumental in creating superior retail quality. Sporting goods stores should enhance hedonic and social values for consumers in order to ward off online competitions.Originality/valueThis study explored retail quality dimensions that are pertinent to sporting goods retailing utilizing text mining methods. This study to certain extent cross-validated the existing retailing literature that is developed on alternative methods.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamdi Khalfaoui ◽  
Abdelkader Derbali

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to elucidate the main determinants of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the case of the Arab Maghreb countries. Design/methodology/approach We employ a dynamic panel analysis using the General Method of Moments for a sample composed of 105 countries over the period 1985–2018. Findings We show that FDI stability, market size, higher education enrolment, quality of institutions, distance, sharing of common border, and bilateral investment and integration agreements are the main determinants of FDI location. These determinants are neither general. The potential for attracting FDI from AMU countries is poorly exploited. FDI to the AMU is lower than estimated stock. The observed FDI to potential FDI ratio does not exceed 87%. France and Spain are the main investors in the AMU region thanks to historical and cultural links. The FDI from the United States, Canada, Germany, Belgium, and Japan are below what is expected. Originality/value The contribution of this paper is observed on the examining oh the determinants of the FDI in the Arab Maghreb countries. Our study demonstrate that the political stability can decrease investment risk in these countries. The administrations correspondingly require expanding their rules and strategies with union demonstrations which were at the beginning of the departure and closing of several foreign companies.


2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 269-285 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anneliese Rosenmayer ◽  
Lisa McQuilken ◽  
Nichola Robertson ◽  
Steve Ogden

Purpose This paper aims to present two updated typologies of service failures and recoveries in the omni-channel context. These typologies are based on customer complaints and recoveries collected from the corporate Facebook pages of four omni-channel department stores, two operating in Australia and two in the UK. Design/methodology/approach A document review is used of 400 customer complaints and recoveries. Content analysis is used to condense the Facebook data into categories of failures and recoveries. Findings Customer complaints on Facebook were triggered by a multitude of varying failures in the omni-channel context, given that it is the service brand that customers are experiencing, not just retail channels. The most prevalent failures were “bricks and mortar” shopping, delivery, marketing activities including communications and pricing, quality of goods and customer service. For service recoveries on Facebook, the four-dimensional justice framework appears valid. Research limitations/implications Study limitations include potentially missing details about the nature of the service failures and recoveries, including customer satisfaction with service recovery. Practical implications The typologies offer guidance to omni-channel retailers by showing the range of online and offline situations, including those unrelated to actual transactions that trigger customer complaints on Facebook and the tactics of recovering. Originality/value The authors contribute to the service domain by updating failure and recovery typologies to reflect the emerging omni-channel context, jointly exploring failures and recoveries on Facebook and applying a four-dimensional justice framework for recoveries on Facebook.


2022 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Divya Mittal ◽  
Shiv Ratan Agrawal

PurposeThe current study employs text mining and sentiment analysis to identify core banking service attributes and customer sentiment in online user-generated reviews. Additionally, the study explains customer satisfaction based on the identified predictors.Design/methodology/approachA total of 32,217 customer reviews were collected across 29 top banks on bankbazaar.com posted from 2014 to 2021. In total three conceptual models were developed and evaluated employing regression analysis.FindingsThe study revealed that all variables were found to be statistically significant and affect customer satisfaction in their respective models except the interest rate.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is confined to the geographical representation of its subjects' i.e. Indian customers. A cross-cultural and socioeconomic background analysis of banking customers in different countries may help to better generalize the findings.Practical implicationsThe study makes essential theoretical and managerial contributions to the existing literature on services, particularly the banking sector.Originality/valueThis paper is unique in nature that focuses on banking customer satisfaction from online reviews and ratings using text mining and sentiment analysis.


2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (8) ◽  
pp. 1839-1855 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana Brochado ◽  
Paulo Rita ◽  
Carlos Gameiro

Purpose – The aim of this paper is to contribute to the understanding of backpackers’s evaluation of service quality provided by hostels by developing a battery of items to assess perceptions of the overall hostel experience. Design/methodology/approach – Scale development took a mixed approach that combines qualitative and quantitative research. First, the authors performed a content analysis of reviews provided by guests in hostel booking web sites, in-depth interviews with hostel managers and focus groups with guests, to develop a battery of items to assess the hostel experience from the guests’ perspective. Then, a quantitative survey (n = 222) was conducted, to explore the dimensionality of service quality in this sector. Lisbon hostels are the target of this study, as they received several awards based on the online reviews of backpackers. Findings – The results revealed that service quality is a multidimensional concept and includes six dimensions, namely, social atmosphere, location and city connection, staff, cleanliness, security and facilities. Regression results revealed that the social atmosphere appears to be a core service dimension crucial to create a sense of hostel guest’s overall quality. Originality/value – The findings suggest that service quality scales should incorporate the specific characteristics of the hotel industry. The quality of the staff and the social atmosphere are of utmost importance to enhance the hostel backpacker experience.


2014 ◽  
Vol 114 (9) ◽  
pp. 1344-1359 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bee Yee Liau ◽  
Pei Pei Tan

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study the consumer opinion towards the low-cost airlines or low-cost carriers (LCCs) (these two terms are used interchangeably) industry in Malaysia to better understand consumers’ needs and to provide better services. Sentiment analysis is undertaken in revealing current customers’ satisfaction level towards low-cost airlines. Design/methodology/approach – About 10,895 tweets (data collected for two and a half months) are analysed. Text mining techniques are used during data pre-processing and a mixture of statistical techniques are used to segment the customers’ opinion. Findings – The results with two different sentiment algorithms show that there is more positive than negative polarity across the different algorithms. Clustering results show that both K-Means and spherical K-Means algorithms delivered similar results and the four main topics that are discussed by the consumers on Twitter are customer service, LCCs tickets promotions, flight cancellations and delays and post-booking management. Practical implications – Gaining knowledge of customer sentiments as well as improvements on the four main topics discussed in this study, i.e. customer service, LCCs tickets promotions, flight cancellations or delays and post-booking management will help LCCs to attract more customers and generate more profits. Originality/value – This paper provides useful insights on customers’ sentiments and opinions towards LCCs by utilizing social media information.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sai Vijay Tata ◽  
Sanjeev Prashar ◽  
Chandan Parsad

PurposeThe present research has used the expectancy–confirmation model along with the regret theory to examine the influence of six e-retailers' characteristics and confirmation on shoppers' satisfaction or regret. Further, the effect of these two cognitive constructs has been investigated on consumers' post-purchase behaviour like the intention to write reviews, repurchase intentions and brand-switching behaviour.Design/methodology/approachExtensive review of the literature was undertaken to identify the related factors. Data were collected using the survey instrument from 367 respondents. Structural equation modelling using Amos 22.0 was carried out for analysing the data.FindingsThe findings from the data collected from 367 respondents include the significant influence of price transparency, service quality and firms’ sincerity on shoppers' satisfaction.Originality/valueContrary to expectations, it is observed that product assortment, product quality and quality of personalisation did not have any such influence. Also, a firm's sincerity is the only factor that influenced regret. The noticeable outcome of the study pertains to the fact that online reviews are only provided by satisfied shoppers and not shoppers who regret. Rather, such regretting customers prefer switching to the alternative brand(s) and are less inclined to repurchase.


2015 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 486-502 ◽  
Author(s):  
Faizan Ali ◽  
Bidit Lal Dey ◽  
Raffaele Filieri

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to assess foreigners and overseas Pakistanis’ evaluation of the quality of the services provided by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) and its effect on customer satisfaction. Design/methodology/approach – A convenience sample of 498 respondents was used to test the hypotheses of the study through structural equation modelling. Findings – The results of this study indicate that all of the hypotheses are supported and customer satisfaction of PIA customers is influenced by all of the five service quality dimensions (AIRQUAL), including airline tangibles, terminal tangibles, personnel, empathy, and image. Research limitations/implications – This research examines the relationship between service quality dimensions and customer satisfaction. The study focuses on the evaluation of overseas Pakistanis and foreigners regarding the service quality of PIA. The main limitation of this study is that it focuses on PIA: thus, the results cannot be generalised. Practical implications – The results indicate that managers should focus on different dimensions of airline service quality in order to enhance customer satisfaction. Originality/value – This study would enable PIA to have a better understanding of the effects of service quality, which will lead to passengers’ satisfaction and encourage the development of long-term relationships with their customers.


2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 547-560 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nabil Tamimi ◽  
Rose Sebastianelli

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report results from an experimental study in which participants rank e-tailer quality on the basis of descriptions involving five attributes (reputation of retailer, site usability, security, delivery and customer support). The paper further explores how the relative importance of these attributes to perceived e-tailer quality is impacted by customer demographic and behavioral characteristics (such as gender, age, frequency of online purchasing and use of online reviews). Design/methodology/approach – Individual-level conjoint models are estimated to determine the relative importance of these five attributes to perceptions of e-tailer quality. Findings – The relative importance of these five attributes to perceived e-tailer quality are impacted by customer specific characteristics and online behaviors, namely, age, the frequency of prior online purchasing, the frequency of use of online reviews and the importance attached to the availability of a large number of online product reviews. Research limitations/implications – Managerial implications that help e-tailers develop more effective, targeted strategies for enhancing the quality of their websites and increasing customer loyalty are presented. Originality/value – The use of conjoint analysis for decomposing overall judgments of e-tailer quality to derive the relative importance of specific e-tailing attributes offers a realistic way to understand how online customers perceive and evaluate e-tailer quality.


Author(s):  
Rose Sebastianelli ◽  
Nabil Tamimi ◽  
Murli Rajan

We survey a national sample of US online consumers about their perceptions regarding the quality of online shopping experiences.  Our intent is to examine whether the frequency with which they purchase products online and the types of products they purchase affect their perceptions of internet retailer quality.  In this study, the quality of online shopping is measured using a set of items that represent the four phases encountered when shopping via the Internet:  (1) the retailer’s homepage, (2) online product catalog, (3) order form and (4) customer service and support.  Factor analysis of these items uncovers the following seven underlying e-tailing quality dimensions: reliability, accessibility, ordering services, convenience, product content, assurance and credibility.   We find that frequent online shoppers consider both reliability and product content significantly more important than infrequent online shoppers; ordering services is significantly more important to infrequent online shoppers.  With regard to product type, we find some significant differences between online shoppers who purchase “search” versus “experience” products.  Specifically, those who purchase experience products online rate ordering services and product content significantly more important than those who buy search products.


2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (6) ◽  
pp. 413-428 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prachi Verma ◽  
Satinder Kumar ◽  
Sanjeev K. Sharma

PurposeUse of technology for quality healthcare services has developed into a new field known as “e-Healthcare services.” Healthcare providers often judge their quality of services with consumer satisfaction. With e-Healthcare services, consumer satisfaction is influenced by the quality of healthcare services provided and the demographic characteristics. The purpose of the present case study is to recognize the important predictors of quality, which are significant for consumer satisfaction with e-Healthcare services by using Zineldin's 5Qs model. It also aims to find the strength of association among the predictors of consumer satisfaction and the demographic characteristics of the respondents.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire-based study was conducted at a public (PGIMER, Chandigarh) and a private hospital (Fortis Hospital, Mohali) of Punjab, India, from February 2018 to March 2019. The structured, closed-ended questionnaire, to be marked on a 1–5 point Likert scale, was adapted from Zineldin's 5Qs model and was distributed to the respondents sitting in the waiting halls of the selected hospitals. The respondents comprised of both the patients and their attendants who were aware of e-Healthcare services and were using them.FindingsThe analysis identified quality of interaction, quality of hospital atmosphere and quality of object to be the key predictors of consumer satisfaction with e-Healthcare services. The results reveal a strong association between different demographic characteristics and overall consumer satisfaction with e-Healthcare services.Practical implicationsThe results suggest that improvements in the quality of interaction, quality of hospital atmosphere and quality of object may result in higher consumer satisfaction with e-Healthcare services. Working on the identified dimensions of quality will help the e-Healthcare providers in identifying functional problems of e-Healthcare services and developing improvement strategies, which will also result in better health and quality outcomes. The results of this study will help the e-Healthcare providers in better segmentation of e-Healthcare consumers based on their demographic characteristics and in developing better marketing strategies.Originality/valueThis paper focuses on the quality of e-Healthcare services only and attempts to identify the quality dimensions, which leads to the satisfaction of e-Healthcare consumers. The identified quality dimensions will help in designing better e-Healthcare services and framing policies. It also highlights the association of demographic characteristics with important quality dimensions.


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