THE IMPLICATIONS OF SELF-SERVICE PRACTICES ON THE OPERATIONAL EFFICACY OF SUPERMARKETS
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY: Prior to the advent of colonial influence, the practice of marketing in the Nigerian region primarily revolved around the utilisation of a barter system. In light of the ever-evolving nature of contemporary society and the increasingly intricate landscape of business operations, there has emerged a pressing demand for sophisticated marketing methodologies, including those applicable to the realm of supermarkets.
The prevailing ideology or school of thought that has permeated cognition and propelled strategic choices and behaviours within the realm of marketing is none other than the marketing concepts. In essence, this notion posits that the paramount objective of any business endeavour is to prioritise the contentment and gratification of the consumer. This paradigm shift elevated the consumer to a position of utmost importance, assuming the role of a sovereign ruler, thereby becoming the focal point of all marketing endeavours. The majority of supermarkets employ this particular concept in conducting research within their establishments.
This study aims to examine the impact of self-service and consumer satisfaction on the purchasing behaviour within Cyril supermarket.
I shall also endeavour to scrutinise whether the perpetual failure and closure of numerous supermarkets in Nigeria can be attributed to a dearth in consumer contentment.
Another aspect worthy of examination pertains to the supermarket proprietor in the context of economic variables, including elevated inflation rates, evolving customer tastes and preferences, buyer conduct, fierce market rivalry, and the rapid pace of economic transformation within Nigeria.
In correlation with the aforementioned, individuals involved in the realm of supermarket commerce are faced with a multitude of choices that must be made in order to achieve prosperity in their enterprise. It is imperative to ensure the comprehensive execution of decisions, leaving no room for any potential gaps in implementation. Decisions of this nature encompass the discernment of the specific product assortment to be procured, the rationale behind its procurement, and the strategic determination of the optimal location for the establishment. Decisions of such nature necessitate a comprehensive analysis of the stocks to be undertaken. The supermarket industry presents itself as a formidable and precarious venture, thereby encompassing both a formidable challenge and a substantial risk.
A supermarket that fails to acknowledge the veracity concealed beneath its outward appearance must bear responsibility for the eventual emergence of a calamitous event.
Hence, in light of the fiercely competitive landscape of supermarkets, diverse marketing strategies are employed to garner the patronage of customers, encompassing self-service options.
Therefore, the principal objective of this investigation is to examine the ramifications of self-service on the operational efficacy of supermarkets.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Presently, the number of corporate supermarkets operating in Abakaliki metropolis has increased tremendously, but has it resulted to a more effective and efficient rendering of service to customers?
The underlying problem here is not just rendering of service but rendering them to make customers feel they are recognized.
Traditional, customers are known to shop in the supermarket where they are most convenient. The convenient is derived from wide range of goods displayed in the shop, which make it possible for the customer to have easy access to the goods he wants to buy.
A lot of challenges now face the corporate supermarkets to improve on their sales performance. One of such challenges is how well customers are being treated.
The problems encountered from self service include shrinkage and deterioration of product because of customers handling.
Survival of the fittest is now going on in corporate supermarket especially in Abakaliki urban. Were more supermarkets are spreading up and old ones expanding. For the fittest to survive they must employ those managements skill responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying customers which are at the fore-front of the corporate thinking while the techniques permit the concept to be successfully implemented.
Recognizing the above attributes there exist some unsalted issues about self service in supermarkets. These are:
-
That self service is not only a determinant factor in attracting customer to a particular supermarket.
-
That other marketing activities or services like low prices, discounts, delivery, guarantees, credit, display contribute more to sales volume than self service operations.
-
That the general arrangement of supermarket scare some customers who prefer to shops in the local markets. The consistence of customers handling of product deteriorate the quality of such products.
Hence, it is very pertinent to carryout a research to verify how far the variables mentioned above affect self service strategy in supermarkets.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The objectives of this study are as follows:
-
To find out whether customers actually prefer self service strategy to the traditional haggling system.
-
To determine whether self service strategy leads to increase in sales volume.
-
To determine whether supermarket perform better than shops that do not adopt self service strategy.
-
To determine whether supermarket in Abakaliki offer the same dynamic service as the foreign ones.
HYPOTHESIS
The following hypothesis will be tested.
Ho: Consumers have no positive perception of self service offered by Cyril supermarket.
Hi: Consumers have positive perception of self service offered by Cyril supermarket.
Ho: Self service strategy adopted by Cyril supermarket does not impact positively on the sales volume of the shop.
Hi: Self service strategy adopted by Cyril supermarket impact positively on the sales volume of the shop.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
It is a truism that in any field of human endeavour, improvement are achieved by learning about what people do, why they do them, with what impacts (negatively or positively) and if there is need for adjustment. The impact of self service on the sales performance of Cyril supermarket is no exception.
The findings of this study shall be useful in the successful marketing of goods and services by supermarkets that are involved.
The finding will also be of immense beneficial as a sources of knowledge to proprietors of supermarkets since not much work has been done in equating the amount of self service done in supermarket and the financial seduces achieve.
Usage of self service as a sales strategy has helped Cyril supermarket proprietors know to a certain extent the reasons behinds the rejection or acceptance of self service offered to their customers which ginger them towards satisfied or unsatisfied financial needs.
The benefit also extend to academicians and customers. The academicians will benefit because it will widen their horizon of knowledge regarding the motivating factors behind self service as the sales strategy of some particular supermarkets.
This study is a complex, multidimensional one. It will add to the existing stock of knowledge in administrative science and literature as regards self service in supermarkets to meet up with the trend of changes in marketing society.
The researcher reason for embarking on this study is to help managers to know areas where there is need for improvement on the performance of supermarket in Ebonyi state and equally suggest ways for improvement. It shall also spot high the benefit of self service in the performance of supermarket.
Moreover, the researcher will benefit immensely from embarking on the study due to the knowledge he will acquire from embarking in the project wrk.
1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The scope of this study is in all supermarket in Nigeria with Cyril supermarket as a case study.
1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS
The following terms used in this study should be taken to mean the following.
Marketing
Marketing is a societal process by which individuals and groups obtain what they need and want through creating, offering and freely exchanging, products and service of value with others. (Kotler 2002: 9).
Product
A product is something that is viewed a being capable of satisfying needs and wants.
Services
Services is any act or performance that one party can offer to another that is essentially intangible and does not result in the ownership of anything. (Kotler 2002: 444).