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SHOPPING HABITS OF CONSUMERS AT SHOPRITE UGANDA
BY
BANYA DOUGLAS
REG NO: 2015/HD06/1002U
0703-860047
SUPERVISOR’S NAME:
DR. CATHY I. MBIDDE
A RESEARCH PROJECT SUBMITTED TO THE COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND
MANAGERIAL SCIENCES, SCHOOL OF BUSINESS IN PARTIAL FUFILLMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION OF
MAKERERE UNIVERSITY
NOVEMBER, 2018
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DEDICATION
I dedicate this research report to God without whom my life would not be possible.
This material is dedicated to my dear parents Anne and Charles Banya who tirelessly supported
my education and training.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I highly appreciate the support and guidance received from all individuals and institutions which
made this research successful.
I extend special thanks to my supervisor, Dr. Cathy I. Mbidde, who gave the articulate direction
the study required.
I am indebted to my interviewees the few customers of Shoprite Uganda who fully responded to
my research questions and gave me most of the information I needed based on their experiences.
I am grateful for the cooperation extended by the MBA class of 2015.
Further, I commend my mother Anne Banya for challenging me to be better constantly during
my entire education.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION ............................................................................................................................. i
APPROVAL .................................................................................. Error! Bookmark not defined.
DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................... iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................................... iv
LIST OF TABLES ........................................................................................................................ vii
LIST OF APPENDICES .............................................................................................................. viii
ABSTRACT ................................................................................................................................... ix
CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................................. 1
1.0 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................... 1
1.1 Background to the study ........................................................................................................ 1
1.2 Problem statement ................................................................................................................. 2
1.3 Purpose of the study .............................................................................................................. 2
1.4 Objectives of the study .......................................................................................................... 2
1.5 Research questions ................................................................................................................ 2
1.6 Scope of the study ................................................................................................................. 3
1.7 Significance of the study ....................................................................................................... 3
1.8 Organization of the research report ....................................................................................... 3
CHAPTER TWO ............................................................................................................................ 5
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW ......................................................................................................... 5
2.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 5
2.2 How often consumers shop at supermarkets ......................................................................... 5
2.3 Reasons why consumers shop at certain supermarkets ......................................................... 6
2.4 Challenges faced by consumers while shopping at different supermarkets .......................... 9
2.5 Strategies to improve shopping habits at supermarkets ...................................................... 10
2.6 Summary ............................................................................................................................. 15
CHAPTER THREE ...................................................................................................................... 16
3.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY............................................................................................ 16
3.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 16
3.2 Research design ................................................................................................................... 16
3.3 Study population ................................................................................................................. 16
3.4 Sampling.............................................................................................................................. 16
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3.4.1 Sample size ................................................................................................................... 16
3.4.2 Sampling techniques and procedures ........................................................................... 16
3.6 Data collection..................................................................................................................... 17
3.6.1 Data sources .................................................................................................................. 17
3.6.2 Research instrument ..................................................................................................... 17
3.8 Data processing and analysis............................................................................................... 17
3.9 Ethical considerations ......................................................................................................... 18
3.10 Trustworthiness of the study ............................................................................................. 18
3.11 Limitations of the study..................................................................................................... 19
CHAPTER FOUR ......................................................................................................................... 20
4.0 PRESENTATION, INTERPRETATION AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS ................... 20
4.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 20
4.2 Biographical data................................................................................................................. 20
4.3 How often consumers shop at Shoprite ............................................................................... 22
4.4 Reason why consumers shop at Shoprite ............................................................................ 23
4.5 The challenges consumers face while shopping at Shoprite ............................................... 27
4.6 Ways to improve shopping habits at Shoprite ..................................................................... 29
CHAPTER FIVE .......................................................................................................................... 32
5.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ............................................................. 32
5.1 Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 32
5.2 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 32
5.2.1 About how often consumers shop at Shoprite .............................................................. 32
5.2.2 About the reason why consumers shop at Shoprite ...................................................... 32
5.2.3 About the challenges consumers face while shopping at Shoprite ............................... 32
5.2.4 About ways to improve shopping habits at Shoprite .................................................... 32
5.3 Recommendations ............................................................................................................... 32
5.3.1 About how often consumers shop at Shoprite .............................................................. 32
5.3.2 About the reason why consumers shop at Shoprite ...................................................... 32
5.3.3 About challenges consumers face while shopping at Shoprite ..................................... 33
5.3.4 About ways to improve shopping habits at Shoprite .................................................... 33
5.4 Areas for further research .................................................................................................... 33
REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................. 34
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APPENDICES ................................................................................................................................. a
Appendix I: Consent form ........................................................................................................... a
Appendix II: Interview Guide .................................................................................................... b
LIST OF TABLES
Table 4.1: Summary of biographical data 20
Table 4.2 Reason why consumers shop at Shoprite 23
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LIST OF APPENDICES
Appendix I: Consent form a
Appendix II: Interview Guide b
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ABSTRACT
The study explored shopping habits of consumers at Shoprite Uganda. The purpose of the study
was to explore shopping habits of consumers at Shoprite Uganda. The study adopted a cross-
sectional descriptive research design which was qualitative in nature. The study population were
all shoppers in Ugandan supermarkets and a sample size of only ten consumers participated who
were selected using the convenience sampling technique.
Primary data was collected using the interview guide while secondary data collected from
various academic articles, journals, reports and textbooks on the internet. Data was analyzed
using content analysis which involved extracting themes and subthemes from the participants.
It was found that consumers as Shoprite shop weekly, monthly and during events. They shop at
Shoprite for reasons of convenient shopping experience, affordable prices, wide product
attributes and customer experience. They are challenged by the ignorance of some employees,
long queues, closure of some payment points/ tills, absence of some items and limited staff.
Shoprite can improve the shopping habits of its consumers if it increases the stock, lowers its
prices further, improve its customer care, deploy skilled staff, introduce an online shopping
platform and have more local suppliers in Shoprite.
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CHAPTER ONE
1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the study
Shopping habits are behaviors that people exhibit related to what they buy, why they buy and
how much they spend (McKinsey, 2015).According to Hager (2013), shopping for consumable
items is a need in today’s commercialized world. Hager adds that people have to consume
something every day, whether it is delivered to them or it requires them to get out of their
comfort zone and go out there to purchase it from places like supermarkets. Supermarkets are in
a dynamic and highly competitive industry and it’s becoming more so, with the economy
seemingly emerging from the downturn, industry leaders are looking for a heightened
understanding of shoppers’ mind-sets (Hodson, Blischok, & Ego, 2012).
Consumers’shopping is usually done two to three times a week and sometimes even daily (Gray,
2013; McKinsey, 2015).Different retail channels compete with one another from the consumers’
points of views and service being the main factor, supermarkets compete with close,
neighbourhood stores and convenience stores because shoppers tend to prefer close
neighbourhood stores close to home or at a distance with free parking possibilities (McKinsey,
2015). The 2015 Retail Industry Report noted that due to increased competition from a variety of
retailers, Uganda experienced a rapid change in retail businesses with numerous stores, grocery
stores inclusive, opening and closing, many offering consumers convenience, substantial
discounts and promotions in a bid to drive foot traffic to their stores and strengthen consumer
loyalty (Knight Frank Research, 2015).
New Vision (2017) showed that the number of supermarkets facing business foreclosure in
Uganda is increasing, from international brands like Metro Cash and Carry, Shoprite (Naalya
branch), Uchumi, to Nakumatt. In 2017, Nakumatt Holdings Limited struggled for a lifeline in a
financially-constrained market while Shoprite supermarket adopted a new expansion plan to
boost its presence (The Observer, 2017). The Observer revealed that in September 2008, South
African retail giant, Shoprite Holdings, was named by a Planet Retail Report as the leading
supermarket chain in Africa. Shoprite operates 2,689 outlets in 15 countries across Africa and the
Indian Ocean Islands (New Vision, 2017). New Vision added that Shoprite launched in Uganda
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in the year 2000 with the clock tower centre branch along Ben Kiwanuka Street. Uganda
Business News (2017) indicated that Shoprite opened a second store at Lugogo Mall in 2004,
and a third in Naalya at Metroplex Shopping Mall in 2011. Only two of those stores are still
operating after the Naalya store closed in 2015 (Uganda Business News, 2017).Big eye (2017)
noted that most Ugandans do their shopping at small family stores known as Dukas near their
homes. Big eye (2015) added that supermarkets are popular among trendy aspirants and the
progressive affluent who make only 17% of the population. Big eye (2017) recommended that
supermarkets ought to understand the Ugandan market and its behaviours.
1.2 Problem statement
Shoprite retained two of its stores after its Nalya store closed in 2015 (Uganda Business News,
2017, August 29).Daily Monitor (2017) and Big eye (2017) asserted that someone seeking to
open up supermarkets in Uganda ought to face the fact that we don’t have people who frequent
supermarkets to do large scale shopping. The grocery retailing market in 2015 however became
increasingly complex and competitive (Knight Frank Research, 2015). The study aims to analyze
the shopping habits of consumers in Shoprite as a way to understand the consumers better.
1.3 Purpose of the study
This purpose of the study was to explore shopping habits of consumers at Shoprite Uganda.
1.4 Objectives of the study
1. To find out how often consumers shop at Shoprite
2. To find out why consumers shop at Shoprite
3. To find out the challenges consumers face while shopping at Shoprite
4. To find out ways to improve the Shoprite shopping experience
1.5 Research questions
a) How often do consumers shop at Shoprite?
b) Why do consumers shop at Shoprite?
c) What are the challenges the consumers face while shopping at Shoprite?
d) What are the ways to improve shopping experience at Shoprite?
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1.6 Scope of the study
Subject: The research explored shopping habits of consumers at Shoprite as a subject, followed
by how often consumers shop at Shoprite, why they shop there, challenges consumers face while
shopping at Shoprite and then finally strategies to improve shopping habits at Shoprite.
Geographical coverage: The research was conducted at Shoprite Lugogo and Shoprite Clock-
tower in Kampala-Uganda. This was because these are the two oldest branches of Shoprite.
Time: The study focuses on the period 2015-2017 where the research problem is evident.
1.7 Significance of the study
The study will help Shoprite managers to know how often consumers shop at the supermarket so
as to plan for the customers accordingly.
The study will help Shoprite managers to find out why consumers shop at Shoprite better
understanding its strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
The study will help Shoprite managers to know the challenges consumers face while shopping at
Shoprite so as to find solutions to them.
The study will help Shoprite managers to know the different ways to improve shopping habits of
consumers at the supermarket.
Finally, the study will add to the existing knowledge of literature on shopping habits and can
serve as a reference material for further studies by future scholars.
1.8 Organization of the research report
Chapter one presents the introduction of the study with the purpose to explore shopping habits of
consumers at Shoprite Uganda.
Chapter two describes the literature review, separated into the four research objectives of the
study, that is, how often consumers shop at Shoprite, why they shop there, challenges consumers
face while shopping at Shoprite and then finally strategies to improve shopping habits at
Shoprite.
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Chapter three is the research methodology in which the study adopted a cross-sectional
descriptive research design with a sample size of only ten participants using the convenience
sampling technique and an interview guide.
Presentation, interpretation and discussion of findings in chapter four indicate that consumers
shop at Shoprite once a week, once every two weeks, once a month, during big celebrations or
functions and once in a while. Consumers shop at Shoprite due to ample parking spaces, variety
of products, competitive price offering, good floor layout, fresh item, nice bread, good customer
care, convenient shopping experience, unique items, continuous promotions and share
information about their prices and many more. The challenges consumers face while shopping at
Shoprite were the ignorance of some employees, excessive security checks and long queues.
Improving shopping habits at Shoprite will involve: increasing stock, deploying more cashiers at
the checkout points and lowering prices.
It was concluded in chapter five that consumers shop at varying times at Shoprite, face a number
of shopping challenges that need to be addressed in various ways to improve its shopping habits
in Shoprite. Recommendations were made based on the four objectives of the study.
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CHAPTER TWO
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
The chapter presents a review of literature on how often consumers shop in supermarkets, why
consumers shop at certain supermarkets, the challenges consumers face while shopping at
supermarkets and ways to improve shopping habits at supermarkets. McKinsey (2015) explained
that shopping habits are the ways in which consumers behave when buying goods and items
from certain places.
2.2How often consumers shop at supermarkets
Using the retail management theory, Chuang-Wen, Chih-Chiang, Yi-Ling, Hao-Hua &Ming-
Syan(2012) noted that shopping experience typically aims to maximize either efficiency or
entertainment and to many people, shopping is a form of entertainment. Chuang-Wen et al.
(2012)added that time spent shopping in a store is proportional to the amount of money spent at
that store and therefore an excessive amount of time spent shopping can lead to overspending
and personal financial crisis.
Some people shop during the weekend and others during the week days, with the peak shopping
times, (busiest time at grocery stores) being either mornings, afternoons or evenings, although
time of arrival and departure at the grocery stores is also important to note (Freedman, 2012).
According to Nadeau, Wasmer, and Zeng (2014), the measure of time spent selecting and
acquiring goods and services (shopping) is divided into three broad categories: consumer goods
and services (time spent shopping other than for groceries, gas, and food; time spent researching
purchases; and waiting time); Groceries, Gas, and Food (time spent shopping for groceries, gas,
and food); and travel time (travel associated with shopping).
Time and money are interchangeable since time may be converted into money by working. The
customers spend different time ranges per purchase depending on the size of the retail chain
(Ipsos Agency, 2015; Berčík, Paluchová, and Horská, 2016).
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2.3Reasons why consumers shop at certain supermarkets
From the various sources that are shown in the paragraphs that follow, this is the summary of
reasons why consumers shop at certain supermarkets:
Shopping destination
Ambient factors
Design factors
Social factors
Value seeking factors
Overall capacity
Perceived price
Good traffic flow
Store convenience
Store layout and product designs
Courtesy
Friendliness and politeness of staff
Quality of fruits and vegetables
Neatness and cleanliness of the store
Accuracy of shelf tags,
Expiry date of products sold
Shopping destination (neighborhood, out of town, town center or local shops), convenience
(availability of products, access and parking, trouble-free), perceptions of the length of the walk
from car-park to shops and back again, habit of staying on preferred routes, threat of online
shopping, and physical shopping experiences are critical factors that creates consumers’ value by
being able to see and feel (customer service interactions with shop employees, fashion/clothing
and so forth, Hart et al., 2013). However, Bohl (2012) highlighted the following physical store
environment: ambient factors - that is background conditions that exist below the level of our
immediate awareness [air quality (temperature, humidity and circulation/ventilation), noise
(level/pitch), and scent and cleanliness]; design factors - that is, stimuli that exist at the forefront
of our awareness [aesthetic (architecture colour style, materials décor, scale shape, texture,
pattern) and functional (layout, comfort, signage, accessories)]; and thirdly social factors - that
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is, people in the environment [audience or other customer(s) (number, appearance, behavior) and
service personnel (number, appearance, behavior)].
Value seeking factors, frugal behaviours attributed to the recession causes consumers to shop
around for the best grocery deals, clip coupons, private-label products, consume leftovers, reduce
their pantries to the items they consume regularly and cook at home rather than eating
out(Hodson et al., 2012). Other top line factors are: prices; customer reviews; internet
appearances in search engines (Google) (Freedman, 2012); and effort exerted in locating
products and prices in the grocery store (Nadeau et al., 2014). Overall capacity (selling space) or
space has captured the wallets of many shoppers across the nation (Hodson et al., 2012).
Perceived price, defined as “What you get, for what you pay”, is key because shoppers who are
price conscious and sensitive to prices select supermarkets for purchasing household items.
Higher level prices at stores creates an impression on shoppers that the merchandise at the store
are higher quality products and the store has upscale patterns whereas lower level prices at stores
makes impression on shoppers that the retailer has substandard products. (Das, 2014; Fareed,
Tariq, Naeem and Waqar, 2016).
With the number of vehicles and pedestrians that pass by the site (traffic flow), good traffic flow
(pedestrian traffic and vehicular traffic) and accessibility optimizes store performance. The site
with the highest pedestrian traffic does not necessarily mean potential customers and retailers
should be able to convert the traffic into sales while vehicular traffic dictates that a location
needs to be appealing to customers who drive there and not heavily congested although in down
town areas, closeness to mass transportation is important particularly for people who do not own
cars and commute to work (Cosmas et al., 2013; Levy & Weitz, 2012).
The amount and quality of parking facilities are critical for evaluating a shopping centre and
specific site within the centre in that customers are discouraged if spaces are not enough or too
far from the store, and for too many open spaces, the shopping centre can be perceived as being
unpopular, while congestion (excess level of traffic) results in customer delays, can make
shopping slow, irritates customers and generally discourage sales (Levy and Weitz, 2012;
Cosmas et al., 2013). Store convenience based on the location convenience, accessibility,
convenient distance to and from the store, closeness of store and other facilities which make easy
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to get products and services in the store affects customer satisfaction, store loyalty and
consumers buying decision (Fareed et al., 2016).
Store composition: that incorporates the number and size of stores in a location, affinity and
retail balance because the principle of cumulative attraction states that a cluster of similar and
complementary retailing activities will generally have greater drawing power than isolated stores
that engage in the same retailing activities. When the various stores at a given location
complement, blend and cooperate with one another, each benefits from the other’s presence and
with a strong level of affinity, the sales of each store would be greater, due to the high level of
customer traffic, than if the stores are situated apart from each other (Levy et al, 2012; Cosmas et
al., 2013). Store perceived quality that is the judgment of consumers about the degree of
excellence and superiority of products offered by retailers affects customer loyalty, frequency of
purchases, customer visits, customer retention and profitability of the store (Das, 2014; Fareed et
al., 2016). More reasons for store choice decisions are price levels, habits and routines from the
past, proximity to place of living, broad choice, variety of foods, and pleasant atmosphere
(Fareed et al., 2016).
Products assortments that includes the range of products, store layouts and product designs are
critically important for developing store image towards customer traffic, shopping environment,
consumer buying behaviour, operational efficiencies, price acceptability, purchase intention,
satisfaction, frequency of visits, time spent in store, quantity of purchase and store image in
consumer’s mind (Tafesse & Korneliussen, 2012; Fareed et al., 2016; The 2015 Consumer
Survey Report). Display of products has been found to be very important in that changing
displays of products around a store as a part of retailers display policy has been frequently
criticized by older consumers (Lesakova 2016).
Service quality is the measuring of the degree of discrepancies between the customers’
expectations, perceptions and the actual delivery of the service, as a factor is broken down into
three dimensions, that is interaction quality(communication and interaction between staff and
customers of the store); service environment quality (the overall environment and atmosphere of
the store and the availability of service facilities at the store); and outcome quality (the actual
service that shoppers or customer received at the store. Courtesy, friendliness and politeness of
staff are also key (Lesakova (2016;Tafesse & Korneliussen, 2012; Fareed et al., 2016; The 2015
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Consumer Survey Report). Customer services increases product satisfaction, convenience, and
provide special benefits (Hassan and Rahman, 2012; Jaliawala et al., 2014).
In-store environment is a vital determinant in that shoppers can be inconvenienced by narrow
aisles, poor shelf signage, shelves that are too high or too low, a lack of adequate rest and toilet
facilities, deep trolleys and freezers, very big store size, absence of seats for the aged people who
cannot walk far, queues at the pay desk, long waiting times, lack of assistance to pack my goods,
crowded stores (Lesakova (2016). Store size is a factor too (Global Grocery Retailing report,
2015).
According to the 2015 Consumer Survey Report factors identified were quality of fruits and
vegetables, neatness and cleanliness of the store, accuracy of shelf tags, expiry date of products
sold (that keep them confident of the taste, quality, nutrition, freshness and shelf life of foods),
safety outside the store (in terms of lighting, visibility, security, cleanliness and sure footing),
money saving specials, availability of organic food and big brands. Product-related factors
included clear food labels and information provided on food packaging like ingredients and
instruction, language used and the ease of opening packaging (Lesakova, 2016).
2.4Challenges faced by consumers while shopping at different supermarkets
From the various sources that are shown in the paragraphs that follow, this is the summary of
challenges faced by consumers while shopping at different supermarkets:
Limited staff to serve customers
Poor infrastructure
High duty/tax system which discourage shopping activities of residents
Limited access to the internet
According to Luce (2013), the challenges consumers faced while shopping at different
supermarkets include but are not limited to: underemployment (has increased in two-thirds of
wealthy countries and retailers also moved full-time jobs to part-time as a way to cut costs in the
face of increased competition from discounters and online retail, non-standard and insecure); low
wages (full-time work is converted to part-time work, average wages have dropped); flexibility
offers employers freedom to hire and fire workers at will to hire temporary workers so as to
keep labor costs to a minimum); outsourcing/out-contracting &franchising (cut costs and shift
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investment risk, allowed the firm to convert its fixed costs to variable costs, and search for
lower-cost production – such as shifting work from higher-wage domestic employees to lower-
wage workers in other countries and franchising allowed companies to open more stores with
little risk that led to more complex relationships between worker and employer, for example, an
employee may work for a franchised firm that relies on a low-wage, high turnover model or
engage in employment practices that squeeze the worker, such as irregular shifts, or even non-
payment of wages, the bulk of profit generally resides with the headquarters and not within the
franchise).
McKinsey & Company (2015) thought that Africa is faced with political instability and conflict
adversely affect business and policy in many countries; poor infrastructure like road systems in
Africa that makes travel within the continent prohibitively expensive and difficult; limited access
to electricity; too many local languages and low literacy rate are complicating consumer
communications; low data on economy and market research availability (some companies
sometimes extrapolate existing data on big cities to the national or regional level) yields
inaccurate insights. Limited access to the Internet (Bagnall et al., 2014) and high supermarket
duty/tax system which discourages the cross-border shopping activities of residents (Global B2C
E-commerce Report, 2016).
2.5Strategiesto improve shopping habits at supermarkets
From the various sources that are shown in the paragraphs that follow, this is the summary of
strategies to improve shopping habits at supermarkets:
Stock availability
Convenience
Attraction of additional brands and services
Free widely accessible Wi-Fi
Dedicated store-finder and brand-finder apps
Social interaction through group shopping
Cleanliness
Security
Convenient access
Good parking
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Private-label products
Smart shelves
Prioritize proximity
Keep prices low
More attention should be given to stock availability, how important information is
communicated to shoppers, convenience and attraction of additional brands and services (Hart et
al., 2013). Carry out product category relocation, that is strategically switching the locations of
up to three pairs of popular product categories with focus on small-scale changes of product
placements because it is more realistic from the retailer’s perspective (Hui et al., 2013).Good
store atmospherics, that is buying environments designed to produce specific emotional effects in
the buyer that enhance his purchase probability through consciously designed places, calculated
to produce commercially significant actions (Bohl, 2012).
With consumers continuing to value the physical interaction of shopping in town centers,
positive customer service is fundamental to encouraging continued loyalty, repeat visits, improve
the quality, consistency and value of customer service through for example consumer voted
town-wide customer excellence awards, and incentivizing staff through training, promotions,
prizes or rewards (Hart et al., 2013).
Exploit and integrate digital technology in enhancing the store customer experience to become
virtual marketplaces so that customers have the latest details regarding the availability of stores,
products, brands, services and events through for example, free widely accessible Wi-Fi and
dedicated store-finder and brand-finder apps (Hart et al., 2013). Digital and mobile marketing to
deliver targeted manufacturer-funded deals (Hodson et al., 2012). Rapidly adopt game-changing
technologies like Internet of Things, autonomous vehicles /drones, robotics, artificial
intelligence/machine learning, augmented reality/virtual reality, digital traceability, 3D printing
and block chain (Accenture, 2017). There need to be fast checkout (the 2015 Consumer Survey
Report).
Encourage the social interaction through group shopping (family and friends in existing virtual
and local community networks) to encourage longer visits and greater spending (Hart et al.,
2013). Educate consumers on food preparation, storage, expiration dates, in-store television
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displays, online contests and safe food handling in ideal settings to improve their shopping
experience and helps gain their loyalty to the grocery stores (Gunders, 2012). In-store
educational and entertaining events (Sands et al., 2015) and use improved signage, themed
events and awareness-raising marketing campaigns can help turn retail cold-spots into hot-spots
(Hart et al., 2013).
Location-based mobile apps (via the shopper’s Smartphone) can be used to deliver in-store
targeted promotions to increase shoppers’ in-store travel distances and add new product
categories into his or her planned list (Danaher et al., 2011, Hui et al., 2013). A multichannel
retailing capability of integrating in-store, online, and digital mobile offerings to meet shoppers’
differing needs, supported by the appropriate back-office systems and supply chain capabilities
in order to improve in-store experience to defend their traditional business (Hodson et al., 2012).
Deep shopper understanding and reacting to their ongoing behaviour by enhancing shopper
loyalty programs and developing new capabilities around data analytics (Hodson et al., 2012).
Europe, Middle East and Africa research and consulting (2013) revealed that, cleanliness,
security, convenient access and good parking need to be maintained. Unlock the power of
transformative business models in physical and digital spaces to shift consumer spending from
products to services and embrace value proposition that will evolve from being a distribution
channel to that of a platform for discovery, engagement, experience, frontline engagement, new
collaborations and hubs for social interaction (Accenture, 2017).
New private-label products (beyond national-brand clones) can differentiate the banner in
shoppers’ minds and deliver distinctive value. In parallel, new merchandising platforms
developed in collaboration with suppliers promise to increase shopper conversion at the shelf and
drive basket size (Hodson et al., 2012).
Redefine and build key future capabilities to predict the needs of individual consumers thus
accelerating expectations of consumers (Accenture, 2017) and understanding of your shopper
demographics through research (Acosta, 2016).
Integrate health & wellness by offering a variety of natural and organic options, including ready
to eat so as to support the connection of diet and health with education throughout the store
(Acosta, 2016). Offer affordable, restaurant-quality prepared and ready-to-eat food at the grocery
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store with a seating area (Acosta, 2016).Good parking facilities with optimal level of congestion
for customers (Levy and Weitz, 2012; Cosmas et al., 2013).
Offer online shopping experience by making mobile accessibility a more critical element of the
customer experience (Accenture, 2016). Cultivate relationships with manufacturers, service
providers, in-store food service providers and partners that align with your strategy and vision
(Acosta, 2016).
Accommodate mobile payments; here the consumers use a mobile phone to transfer money or
funds from one party to another in exchange for goods or services (Vučkovac et al., 2017).Adopt
self-service technologies, that is, technological interfaces that allow customers to coproduce a
service without employee interaction which will cut costs and improve customer experience
through convenience and speed (Vučkovac et al., 2017).
Store background music is an important element of store atmosphere which directly influences
consumer impulse buying behavior such that consumers spend more money and stay longer in
stores (Nishanov et al., 2016). Smart shelves are sensor equipped for inventory control and
managing out of stock levels (Acosta, 2016).
Store scent (pleasant aroma) directly influences consumers’ emotions to spend more time
looking through merchandise, which will result in impulse buying (Mohan, 2013; Nishanov et
al., 2016). Promotional signage gives information about special offers and price discounts
offered in the stores. Increased price promotions and coupons increases consumers’ impulse
buying tendency (Mururganantham, 2013; Nishanov et al., 2016). Having ambassadors and
concierges, entertainment can also be instruments for creating a truly inviting atmosphere and
compelling shopping experience (Acosta, 2016).
Adopt a differentiation strategy, whether it’s service, price, variety, convenience, key category
focus, technology or something else entirely so as to be known for this (Acosta, 2016). Clear and
concise labeling to impact consumer choice and influence behavior (Hager, 2013), offer seat and
good lighting within the store to senior and older consumers (Lesakova, 2016), offer click and
collect in-store or get home delivery and mobile apps can help shoppers plan, manage their
pantries, track promotions and even fill their carts before arriving at the store (Acosta, 2016).
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Hawksworth et al. (2015) proposed that advertising and marketing should focus on demography
(target population); Brand portfolio management; Brand extension; reconciling ‘addressability at
scale’ with the proven scale economies of broadcast ‘messaging’; and ensure band advertising is
not direct marketing. However, Global B2C E-commerce Report (2016) suggested providing
transparency to shoppers by showing them the fully-landed costs upfront which helps decrease
shopping cart abandonment; Offering Delivered Duty Paid (DDP) shipping options creates an
even smoother experience for the shopper ensuring they will not incur additional charges on the
shipment at the time of delivery; offer shoppers a user-friendly global returns process with focus
on creating a top-notch customer experience that keeps consumers happy throughout the entire
shopping process; focusing on the entire process not only ensures repeat business, but also
increases the chances that customers will share the good news about their shopping experience;
global expansion (global e-commerce by having access to shoppers worldwide at all times); and
partner with experts in the shipping and logistics industry that offer new solutions and
technologies to make cross-border selling easier than ever before.
Luce (2013) encouraged unions to adopt the following: increase union density in the retail
industry, including full-time retail employees of various occupations, as well as part-time,
seasonal, and temporary employees so that unions find ways to organize precarious workers;
explore innovative programs such as the Retail Action Project (RAP) in New York City which is
a worker centre formed with the support of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW)
to provide services to members, from skills training and career assistance, to fighting wage theft
and also work with community allies and other unions to support legislative campaigns, such as
living wage ordinance, the paid sick days ordinance and assisting workers to organize in their
workplace; organizing through establishing national, and in some cases, international networks
of retail workers and retail supply chain workers to share information and work together on joint
campaigns, including addressing the increasing share of temporary workers in the field and deal
with abusive practices; increase public awareness campaigns about the issue of precarious work
through social media, demonstrations, days of action, public hearings, and more; propose high-
road strategies to employers or employer associations that could benefit both the firm and
workers so that employers that raise wages will recover some of the cost of those wages via other
gains – in particular, lower turnover, higher productivity and reduced absenteeism and as a
result, reduced costs for hiring, training and supervision by increased staffing levels (when stores
15
are understaffed, customers tend to make fewer purchases since customers need staff to help
them find products, help with purchases, and keep checkout lines short); and skill training and
career paths (provide employees with a well-rounded set of skills needed in the modern sales
environment that combines in-person sales with on-line technical knowledge and career paths
that opens the way for entry-level retail workers to stay in the industry, and possibly the firm.
Cross-training allows workers to move between tasks and occupations, making them more able
to build a career in the industry and stay longer with a particular firm.
According to McKinsey & Company (2015), the possible strategies are: prioritize proximity;
keep prices low and make sure consumers know; prioritize over productivity; make the business
case to manufacturers; educate policy makers on the benefits of modern trade; consider
partnering with the traditional trade (growth strategy for modern-trade players involves
partnerships with—rather than competition against—the traditional trade); adopt a city-based
strategy (concentrate on getting to scale in cities or city clusters); tailor the offers to local needs
and preferences; and build a large, well-equipped sales force. Make payment systems electronic
on mobile phones so as to connect worldwide in financial markets and information technology
(Bagnall et al., 2014). Deloitte (2017) highlighted that policy tools that ought to be tried to spur
growth and employment include fiscal stimulus (including massive investments in
infrastructure), tax cuts, tax reform, deregulation, freer trade, restrictions on trade, more
migration, and less migration so as to have a new approach.
2.6 Summary
Literature about how often consumers shop at supermarkets and challenges faced by consumers
while shopping at different supermarkets was scarce. There was substantial literature on reasons
why consumers shop at certain supermarkets and strategies to improve shopping experiences at
the supermarkets. The current study expanded knowledge on this topic of study, finding out how
often consumers shop in Shoprite Uganda, why consumers shop at Shoprite Uganda, the
challenges consumers face while shopping at Shoprite Uganda and ways to improve shopping
habits at Shoprite Uganda.
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CHAPTER THREE
3.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction
This chapter presents the research design, the study population, the sample size, the sampling
techniques and procedures, the data collection methods, the data processing and analysis, the
ethical considerations, limitations of the study and the chapter conclusion.
3.2 Research design
Research design is the blue print of collection, measurement and analysis of data (Pandey and
Pandey, 2015).Peersman (2014) added that a descriptive design is one that describes
characteristics of a population such as consumers, salespeople, organizations or market areas
with accuracy. This study adopted a descriptive cross-sectional research design; this design was
chosen as the study sought personal views, opinions, attitudes, and perceptions about shopping
habits at Shoprite Uganda. Cross sectional designs are those that involve the collection of
information from any given sample of population elements only once (Peersman, 2014).
3.3Study population
Target population are all the members of a real or hypothetical set of people, events or objects to
which we wish to generalize the results of our research (Pandey et al., 2015). The target
population for this research was all shoppers in Shoprite, the case being Shoprite; participants
were required to have shopped from the supermarket at least twice.
3.4 Sampling
Sampling is the process of selecting a sample from the population (Pandey et al., 2015).
3.4.1Sample size
A statistical sample is a miniature picture or cross –section of the entire group or aggregate from
which the sample is taken (Pandey et al., 2015). Sample size of the study required was ten
participants, requirements of the sample were: was having been a customer of Shoprite since
2015 to date and willingness participate in the interview.
3.4.2Sampling techniques and procedures
A sampling technique is the method used in selecting a representative part of a population for the
purpose of determining parameters or characteristics of the whole population (Gentles et al.,
17
2015). The study utilized convenience sampling technique by taking only ten respondents.
According to (Peersman, 2014), convenience sampling is one that uses individuals who are
available during the collection of data for the study.
3.6 Data collection
This study employed both primary and secondary data for the study.
3.6.1 Data sources
Primary data
This is one collected either through experiment or through survey (Pandey et al., 2015). The
researcher used an interview guide to collect primary data that provided answers to the research
questions of the topic of the study.
Secondary data
According to Melissa (2014), secondary data is collected by someone else for another primary
purpose. The researcher studied the relevant literature including newspapers, professional
journals, magazines, internet reports and relevant text books etc in a bid to get literature on
shopping habits in Uganda, then extracted different information that was used in both the
literature review and discussion of findings.
3.6.2 Research instrument
A semi-structured interview guide was used to collect data. Alshenqeeti (2014) noted that an
interview provides a qualitative researcher with detailed descriptions of individuals and events in
their natural settings. The interview guide had four sections, that is, biographical data, how often
shopping is done at Shoprite, challenges faced while shopping at Shoprite and suggestions to
improve shopping at Shoprite.
3.8 Data processing and analysis
After data collection, the data was cleaned and edited for analysis. The data was processed by
content analysis as a qualitative method by bringing out the themes and subthemes from findings
in line with the four study objectives. Lowry (2015) described that content analysis is a
nonreactive or unobtrusive data collection method that enables researchers to overcome some of
the weaknesses of survey research, such as low response rates, sampling errors, or unclear
question wording.
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3.9Ethical considerations
According to the Directorate of Research and Graduate Training, Makerere University (2011),
ethics of the research refers to the morals of the investigation or intervention as regards the
minimal abuse, disregard and safety, social and psychological wellbeing of the person,
community and / or animals i.e. how the principles of consent, beneficence and justice are
handled in the study.
This research followed the professional standards below as stipulated by the Directorate of
Research and Graduate Training, Makerere University (2013):
• Honesty in respect with actions and responses to the actions of others.
• Refrain from infringement of intellectual property rights and fabrication of results.
• Openness in discussing work with other researchers and the public.
• Addressed the needs of the country.
• Timely and accurate.
• Met the condition relating to publication and the ownership of intellectual property.
• Honesty about conflict of interest issues when reviewing the work of others.
• Ethical approval from the ethical committee.
• No plagiarism, misquotation or misappropriation of the work of others.
• Acknowledgement of copyrighted material used in his research report.
3.10Trustworthiness of the study
According to Alshenqeeti (2014), trust as the extent to which the research guarantees objectivity,
accuracy and honesty. There was deployment of a comprehensive transcription technique and
counting in qualitative research were the modalities to guarantee trustworthiness. The researcher
applied the following trustworthiness strategies as recommended by Anney (2014):
Truth value strategy to establish confidence and genuineness in the findings
Applicability strategy to determine the applicability of the findings of the inquiry
Consistency strategy to know if the findings were consistent with the similar (same)
participants in the same context
Neutrality strategy to know if the findings came solely from participants and the
investigation was not influenced by the bias, motivations or interests of the researcher.
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3.11Limitations of the study
The following were the constraints and how they were mitigated during the study:
Implication of the study was limited only to Shoprite; other supermarkets in Uganda were left
out. The researcher compared the finding with literature on shopping habits around the world
through a discussion of findings.
The study considered only Kampala and other cities were not included, this is because Shoprite
is located in Kampala. The researcher used an interview guide to collect as much information as
he could from each of the respondents about their personal views, opinions, attitudes, and
perceptions about shopping habits at Shoprite Uganda.
The survey used an interview guide to collect data from respondents, other methods like
questionnaires could have been used to get authentic information. The researcher kindly asked
the respondents to be honest and he considered trustworthiness in the study. He interviewed the
participants by himself to avoid reporting errors.
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CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 PRESENTATION, INTERPRETATION AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS
4.1 Introduction
This chapter presents the findings of the study, the interpretation and discussion of findings on
how often consumers shop at Shoprite, why consumers shop at Shoprite, the challenges
consumers face while shopping at Shoprite and the ways to improve shopping habits at Shoprite
are also given.
4.2 Biographical data
Ten participants were involved in the study and their biographical data in terms of gender, age,
highest education qualification and marital status is presented below in Table 4.1.
Table 4.1: Summary of biographical data
Participant Gender Age Highest education qualification
Marital
status
A Male 40 Master’s in Business administration Married
B Male 65 Bachelor of Commerce Married
C Male 33
Bachelor of Science in Information
technology Single
D Female 45 Bachelor of Arts in Arts Married
E Female 27 Diploma in Procurement Married
F Female 27 Bachelor of Arts in Economics Single
G Female 30 Bachelor of Science in Economics Married
H Male 25 Bachelor of Computer Science Single
I Male 24 Bachelor of Arts in development studies Single
J Female 65 Secondary school level Married
Source: Primary data.
4.2.1 Gender
During the interviews, all the ten participants were required to state their gender. The study
revealed that five participants A, B, C, H and I were male while five participants D, E, F, G and J
were female. This implies that male and female shop equally; however, studies by Mohamad, Al
Katheeri, and Salam (2015) and Nordvall (2014) revealed that females shop more than males.
21
4.2.2 Age
Each of the participants needed to tell the length of time that he or she had lived or existed, the
study revealed that the oldest participants (B and J) were 65 years old, followed by participant D
who was 45 years, then participant A was 40 years old, participant C was 33 years old,
participant G was 30 years old, participants E and F were each 27 years old, participant H was 25
years old, and the youngest participant I was 24 years old. Hence, the majority of the shoppers
were aged between 24 years to 40 years. According to Hernandez, Jimenez and Martın (2011),
the average age of online-shoppers is continuously rising. In addition, Mohamad et al. (2015)’s
study also revealed that majority (48.9%) of online shoppers were aged between 22 years to 40
years.
4.2.3 Highest education qualification
Each participant was required to acknowledge the maximum degrees, diplomas, certificates,
professional titles and so forth that he or she has acquired whether by full-time study, part-time
study or private study, whether obtained from their home country or abroad. The highest
education qualification was a Masters degree and the lowest was a secondary level education.
Only one participant A had a Master’s in Business administration, six participants had bachelors’
degrees in different areas as: participant B had a Bachelor of Commerce, participant C had a
Bachelor of Science in Information technology, participant D had a Bachelor of Arts in Arts,
participant F had a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, participant G had a Bachelor of Science in
Economics, participant H had a Bachelor of Computer Science, participant I had a Bachelor of
Arts in development studies. One participant E had a Diploma in Procurement; one participant J
had a secondary school level education, which was the lowest education qualification amongst
all. Therefore, majority of the participants had at least attained a Bachelors degree. This finding
is supported by Aniza, Rahayu, Omar and Sallehuddin (2015) who revealed that 62.1% of on line
shoppers had a first degree level.
4.2.4 Marital status
They study needed to know the participant’s situation with regard to if one is single, married,
separated, divorced, or widowed. The majority, six participants A, B, D, E, G and J were married
22
and only four participants C, F, H and I were single. Aniza, Rahayu, Omar and Sallehuddin
(2015) agree that 35.3% were single and 63.4% were married (majority).
4.3 How often consumers shop at Shoprite
From all the ten participants, three themes on how often consumers shop at Shoprite emerged
these were: weekly, monthly and event.
a) Weekly shopping
The participants A, D, E, F, G, and I indicated that they shop on a weekly basis. They mentioned:
Participant A: I shop once a week
Participant D: I shop once every two weeks
Participant E: I shop weekly for edible things like bread and chicken
Participant F: I shop once in a while
Participant G: I shop once a week on my way back home
Participant I: I shop every Saturday of the week
According to Mohamad, Al Katheeri, and Salam (2015) however, shopping time was graded in
such a form that 15.1% shop in morning, 21.7% shop in the afternoon, 30.3%shop in the
evening, and 32.9% shop at any time. Albrecht, Hattula and Lehmann (2016) show that shopping
is mostly done on Wednesday mornings, moderately done on Friday evenings and least done on
Saturdays. Ahmed, Su, Rafique, Khan, and Jamil (2017) indicate that shopping is done 24 hours
a day and 7 days a week.
b) Monthly shopping
The participants C, H and I indicated that they shop on a monthly basis. They mentioned:
Participant C: I shop once a month
Participant H: I shop once a month
Participant J: I shop once a month
Pechey and Monsivais (2015) indicate that the low-cost supermarket groups had on average a
slightly higher number of trips to supermarket per month. Saleem, Khan, Ekhlaque, Sanober,
Shah and Surti (2018) explain that 59% respondents didn’t have the need to purchase anything
after having shopped for the entire month, while 41% felt that there was still the need to shop for
certain things even after their monthly shopping. According to Resende (2017), the month that
has the most sales is December.
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c) Event shopping
Only participant B shops during events, this participant indicated, “I shop on big celebration days
like Christmas, Easter and when we have family visitors and functions. Batinga, Pinto and
Resende (2017) note, “Christmas can be considered one of the main events that increase sales
and consumption.” Pechey and Monsivais (2015) add that event shopping is the biggest peak
season for supermarkets and Ahmed, Su, Rafique, Khan and Jamil (2017) conclude that special
plans are made for such days especially Christmas.
4.4 Reason why consumers shop at Shoprite
A content analysis identified four main reasons why consumers shop at Shoprite namely,
convenience, affordable prices, wide product attributes and customer experience. A discussion of
the four reasons why consumers shop at Shoprite follows in the subsequent sub sections.
Table 4.2 Reasons why consumers shop at Shoprite
Participant Why prefer Shoprite
A
It’s on my way back home from work, they have a variety of products, they have
competitive prices, they are located next to other services like ATM machines, restaurants
and internet cafés (Lugogo),
B
it is cheaper when shopping in bulk, it is convenient because it is near my place of
residence, there is a convenient parking, normally meet lost friends and so I find it
exciting
C
the floor layout, they have nice cheap food and fresh bread, spacious outlet that makes it
easy to reach items,
D
they have available parking spaces, they have a variety of products on the shelves, they
offer a laid back shopping experience that allows me to relax (keep calm), no long queues
E customer service is good, it has nice things and I have never found them expired
F It has a variety of products and fair prices
G
They have fresh vegetables, bread, sugar, milk, packed chicken, pork without bones, etc., I
went there for a music system once, I go there for drinking water, for clothes, shoes and
sandals
H They are near the taxi park with taxies to my home, they have low prices, nice bread,
I
relatively low prices, they have continuous promotions, they share information about their
prices
J
they have nice brown bread, they are near the taxi park for convenience, offer low prices,
good customer care and they welcome me when I arrive, one can tour the supermarket
without buying, good air conditioning, they have unique items
Source: Primary data
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a) Convenient shopping experience
The first main theme, convenience was identified by the participants as one of the reasons they
shop at Shoprite. Convenience in this case means the state of being able to proceed with
something without difficulty. It is about the quality or situation that makes something easy or
useful for someone by reducing the amount of work or time required to do something which in
this case is shopping. Convenience is noted by four participants who stated the outlet is on their
way back home from work, near the Taxi Park or place of residence.
As noted by the participants:
Mr A: It’s on my way back home from work. They are located next to other services like
ATM machines, restaurants and internet cafés.
Mr B: It is convenient because it is near my place of residence. There is a convenient
parking. Normally I meet lost friends and so I find it exciting.
Mr H: They are near the taxi park with taxies to my home.
Ms J: They are near the taxi park for convenience.
It was confirmed by Hart et al. (2013) that the length of the walk from car-park to shops and
back again, the habit of staying on preferred routes are reasons to choose supermarkets. Cosmas
et al. (2013) and Levy et al. (2012) added that closeness to mass transportation is important
particularly for people who do not own cars and commute to work. Fareed et al. (2016) also
emphasised that closeness of store, and other facilities make it easy for customers to get products
and services in a store.
Participant A noted that Shoprite is on the way back home from work and Participant B said that
it is near my place of residence. Participant H and J revealed that it near the taxi park for
convenience. Participant A added that the Lugogo branch is located next to other services like
ATM machines, restaurants and internet cafés.
Participant B revealed that Shoprite has ample parking spaces, this is why participants called it a
convenient parking. Levy & Weitz (2012) and Cosmas et al. (2013) proposed that the amount
and quality of parking facilities are critical for evaluating a shopping centre and specific site
within the centre in that customers are discouraged if spaces are not enough or too far from the
25
store, and for too many open spaces, the shopping centre can be perceived being unpopular,
while congestion (excess level of traffic) results in customer delays, can make shopping slow,
irritates customers and generally discourage sales. Hart et al. (2013) found out that convenience
(availability of products, access and parking, trouble-free) is considered by shoppers.
b) Affordable prices
Affordable prices are about products being priced reasonably, and consumers having enough
money to buy them, it is having a price that is not too high. Participants A, B, C, H, I, F and J
highlighted that the prices are lower than other supermarkets. Participant B said, “It is cheaper
when shopping in bulk.” C says the food is cheap. Almost all participants highlighted that the
prices in Shoprite are lower than other supermarkets. In agreement, Hodson et al. (2012) had
noted that one top line factor is price. Das (2014) & Fareed et al. (2016) explained that perceived
price, defined as “What you get, for what you pay”, is key because shoppers that are price
conscious and sensitive select specific supermarkets for purchasing household items. Das (2014)
&Fareed et al. (2016) added that higher level prices at stores creates an impression on shoppers
that the merchandise at the store are of higher quality and the store has upscale patterns whereas
lower level prices at stores makes an impression on shoppers that the retailer has substandard
products at its store.
c) Wide product attributes
Extensive products as highlighted by participants A, D and F, as it is in Shoprite, Fareed et al.
(2016) agreed that variety of foods in supermarkets is essential to customers. Tafesse &
Korneliussen (2012), Fareed et al. (2016) and The 2015 Consumer Survey Report noted a high
range of products as an important factor.
This was further highlighted by the unique items, this was said by J and E. G highlighted music
systems, drinking water especially the big size, clothes, shoes and sandals. Hodson et al. (2012)
supported this by stating that private-label products in supermarkets are important to customers.
Fresh items like bread (participant C) and to participant G, this includes vegetables, bread, milk,
packed chicken, pork without bones, etc. E revealed that they offer nice things that are not
expired. Lesakova (2016) was in agreement and called this quality of fruits and vegetables as a
crucial element.
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d) Customer experience
Customer experience is about the interaction between a supermarket and the customers over the
duration of their relationship. This was noticed by E and J, participant J said “They have good
customer care and they welcome me when I arrive.” Hart et al. (2013) explained that physical
shopping experiences are critical factors for creating consumers’ value by being able to see and
feel (customer service interactions with shop employees, fashion/clothing and so forth).
Lesakova (2016), Tafesse & Korneliussen (2012), Fareed et al. (2016) and The 2015 Consumer
Survey Report agreed that courtesy, friendliness and politeness of staff is also essential to the
supermarket. Hassan and Rahman (2012) and Jaliawala et al. (2014) revealed that customer
service increases product satisfaction and convenience.
B said, “I normally meet lost friends and so I find it exciting.” D said, “They offer a laid back
shopping experience that allows me to relax and there is no long wait.” J said, “One can tour the
supermarket without buying and there is good air conditioning.” Doing shopping at Shoprite is
very exciting and relaxing. Bohl (2012) supported this by stating that physical store
environments which are the background conditions that exist below the level of our immediate
awareness like air quality (temperature, humidity and circulation/ventilation), noise (level/pitch),
and scent and cleanliness), design factors, that is stimuli that exist at the forefront of our
awareness (architecture colour style, materials décor, scale shape, texture, pattern) and functional
(layout, comfort, signage, accessories) are highly considered by customers. Fareed et al. (2016)
called this a pleasant atmosphere.
A good floor layout contributes to the customer experience, this was observed by participant C.
Participant C added “They have a spacious outlet that makes it easy to reach items”. Nadeau et
al. (2014) exerted that locating products and prices in the grocery store has to be easy to ease
customer shopping. Lesakova (2016) noted that display of products has been found to be very
important in that changing displays of products around a store as a part of retailers display policy
has been frequently criticized by older consumers. Lesakova (2016) added that shoppers can be
inconvenienced by narrow aisles, poor shelf signage, shelves that are too high or too low, a lack
of adequate rest and toilet facilities, deep trolleys and freezers and very big store sizes.
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4.5 The challenges consumers face while shopping at Shoprite
A content analysis identified four main challenges consumers face while shopping at Shoprite
namely: ignorance of some employees, long queues, paying for shopping bags, closure of some
payment points. A discussion of the four challenges consumers face while shopping at Shoprite
follows in the subsequent sub sections.
The following are the challenges consumers face while shopping at Shoprite:
a) Ignorance of some employees
The number one challenge of shopping at Shoprite is the unawareness of some their workers.
Participant A: Some employees don’t know certain item that are in the supermarket and where
they are placed.
According to Why Australia, a Benchmark Report 2017, tertiary education is standard for many
employees and this so to avoid ignorance. Aziz and Sapindal (2012) reveal that this is one of the
reasons why the federal governments embark on schemes that allow low income employees to
set up and operate their own small businesses as a major alternative revenue source. Ignorance is
a big challenge because Beneke, Hayworth, Hobson and Mia (2012) state that employees are
supposed to facilitate the sales process, provide customers with assistance in navigating store
aisles and selecting complementary items. Lack of knowledge is therefore such a big challenge
in Shoprite.
b) Long queues
Long queues as a shopping challenge was highlighted by participants A, B, F and G.
Participant A: There is traffic jam caused by security checks and therefore long lines.
Participant B: I am disturbed by the long queues at the payment counter especially during festive
seasons.
Participant F: Long queues are one of their problems.
Participant G: Some cashier points are not working hence the long queues.
Lesakova (2016) echoes that long queues at check-outs and overcrowding causes dissatisfied
consumers. Beneke, Hayworth, Hobson and Mia (2012) reveal that queue lengths and waits are a
28
real challenge. Saminadan (2013) continues that customers buy few products so as not to stay in
long queues. In that case, we can conclude that Shoprite is known for having lengthy lines.
c) Closure of some payment points/ tills
Participants A and G pointed out that some payment points are not functioning.
Participant A: Some tills are closed during rush hour, which leads to long lines.
Participant G: Some cashier points are not working.
Deloitte (2017) supported the fact that some supermarkets are too big resulting in the rush of
store closures and opting for more flexible store formats. Mohamad, Al Katheeri and Salam
(2015) added that some supermarkets closed down completely or partially to re-evaluate their
development plans, this indicates that Shoprite has shut some payment tills and it’s a problem to
its shoppers.
d) Absence of some items
Participants A, J and D highlighted that there are limited items in the supermarket.
Participant A: Some items are frequently out of stock like blueberries.
Participant J: There are limited cosmetics and perfumes.
Participant D: The vegetable section has a small range of products, the meat section offers a
very small range, the confectionary range in the bakery is small and there are very limited baby
section products.
Regina (2016) highlighted that some shoppers missed some items because of either being out of
stock or having unhelpful staff. Accenture (2017) agreed that supermarkets do not have
everything that customers want. As such, Shoprite has missing items for shoppers.
e) Limited staff
The staff are few in Shoprite and hence a challenge to customers.
Participant I: There is limited staff to help me with my customer concerns and product enquiry.
Luce (2013) explained that underemployment (most precarious work is part-time work) has
increased in two-thirds of wealthy countries and retailers also moved full-time jobs to part-time
as a way to cut costs in the face of increased competition from discounters and online retailers.
Bagnall et al. (2014) explain that some supermarkets are understaffed because they are trying to
29
cut on the wage bill yet it is harming the customers. According to Beneke, Hayworth, Hobson
and Mia (2012), inadequate staff is common among small outlets and not the big ones. Luce
(2013) added that low wages are offered by supermarkets, full-time work is converted to part-
time work, average wages have dropped, and this kind of flexibility offers employers freedom to
hire and fire workers at will while hiring temporary workers so as to keep labor costs at a
minimum. Therefore Shoprite employs few staff hence a disadvantage to its shoppers.
4.6 Ways to improve shopping habits at Shoprite
A content analysis identified four main ways to improve shopping habits at Shoprite namely,
increase stock, deploy more cashiers at the checkout points, open up branches in the out skirts of
the city, desist ignorant employees, lower prices further, offer incentives to clients and improve
the customer care. A discussion of the four ways to improve shopping habits at Shoprite follows
in the subsequent sub sections.
The following are the ways to improve shopping habits at Shoprite:
a) Increase stock
The stock in Shoprite needs to be increased.
Participant A: Shoprite should stock up more of the popular items and other items like blue
berries.
Participant C: There is need for an increase in the variety of the products that are shelved.
Hart et al. (2013) similarly suggested that more attention should be given to stock availability.
Freedman (2012) calls upon grocery stores to ensure that they have more items that the
consumers can take in a day. To accomplish more, it is essential that Shoprite increases its stock.
b) Lower prices further
It was noted that prices need to be reduced in Shoprite.
Participant B: Let them reduce the prices, back to school prices should become the norm.
Acosta (2016) proposed that there is need for adopting a differentiation strategy, whether it’s
service, price, variety, convenience or even technology. According to McKinsey & Company
(2015), stores should keep prices low and make sure consumers know. Shoprite needs lesser
prices for that reason.
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c) Improve the customer care
The customer care needs to be worked on.
Participant C: Customer care needs to be increased especially at the food counter where some of
the lady staff gets overwhelmed.
Hart et al. (2013) noted that with consumers continuing to value the physical interaction of
shopping in town centres, positive customer service is fundamental to encouraging continued
loyalty, repeat visits, improve the quality, consistency and value of customer service through for
example consumer voted town-wide customer excellence awards, and incentivizing staff through
training, promotions, prizes or rewards. Global Grocery Retailing report (2015) rates customer
care as one of the top recommendations to supermarket growth. Advancing customer care needs
should be emphasized at Shoprite.
d) Employ skilled staff
Occupation of skilled manpower in needed.
Participant E: Let them get cashiers that are computer literate so as to increase speed and
shorten queues.
Luce (2013) suggested skill training and career paths, that is, provide employees with a well-
rounded set of skills needed in the modern sales environment that combines in-person sales with
on-line technical knowledge and career paths that open the way for entry-level retail workers to
stay in the industry and possibly the firm. Hart et al. (2013) propose that the staff need to be
very knowledgeable of their work if the supermarket is to make more sales. Therefore, Shoprite
should hire a more skillful workforce.
e) Introduce online shopping platform
Online shopping is the way to go.
Participant E: A website/ application will simplify shopping and it’s the way to go in this digital
age.
Hart et al. (2013) proposed that supermarkets need to exploit and integrate digital technology in
enhancing the store customer experience to become virtual marketplaces so that customers have
the latest details regarding the availability of stores, products, brands, services and events
through for example, free widely accessible Wi-Fi and dedicated store-finder and brand-finder
31
apps. Hodson et al. (2012) explained that digital and mobile marketing deliver targeted
manufacturer-funded deals. Danaher et al. (2011) and Hui et al. (2013) added that location-based
mobile apps (via the shopper’s Smartphone) can be used to deliver in-store targeted promotions
to increase shoppers’ in-store travel distances and add new product categories into his or her
planned list. Hodson et al. (2012) further suggested that the need for a multichannel retailing
capability of integrating in-store, online, and digital mobile offerings to meet shoppers’ differing
needs, supported by the appropriate back-office systems and supply chain capabilities in order to
improve in-store experience to defend their traditional business. Shoprite as such, needs to
familiarize its customers with online shopping.
f) Increase staff
More manpower is required in Shoprite.
Participant G: Let each counter have someone to attend to customers. Each section should have
some attendants to help buyers to look for what they need on time.
Luce (2013) explained that customers tend to make fewer purchases since customers need staff
to help them find products, help with purchases, and keep checkout lines short. Both Ipsos
Agency (2015) and Jaliawala et al. (2014) call for enough staffing. Hence, Shoprite needs to
grow the size of its workforce.
g) Invite more local suppliers
Local suppliers need to be accommodated.
Participant H: Ugandans are proud we want to see more of our local products on the shelves.
Hart et al. (2013) suggested attraction of additional brands and services. Hodson et al. (2012)
noted that new private-label products (beyond national-brand clones) can differentiate the banner
in shoppers’ minds and deliver distinctive value. According to McKinsey & Company (2015),
there is a need to tailor the offers to local needs and preferences. Therefore, Shoprite should
encourage more indigenous traders to be its suppliers.
32
CHAPTER FIVE
5.0 CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Introduction
This chapter presents a conclusion and recommendations on how often consumers shop at
Shoprite, why consumers shop at Shoprite, the challenges consumers face while shopping at
Shoprite and ways to improve shopping habits at Shoprite.
5.2 Conclusion
5.2.1 About how often consumers shop at Shoprite
It is now clear that consumers shop weekly, monthly and during events.
5.2.2 About the reason why consumers shop at Shoprite
Consumers shop at Shoprite for reasons of; convenient shopping experience, affordable prices,
wide product attributes and customer experience.
5.2.3 About the challenges consumers face while shopping at Shoprite
Consumers at Shoprite are challenged by ignorance of some employees, long queues, closure of
some payment points/ tills, absence of some items and limited staff.
5.2.4 About ways to improve shopping habits at Shoprite
Shoprite needs to improve shopping habits by increasing stock, lowering prices further,
improving the customer care, employing skilled staff, introducing online shopping platforms,
increasing staff and inviting more local suppliers.
5.3 Recommendations
5.3.1 About how often consumers shop at Shoprite
Shoprite needs to create a program, strategy or campaign that targets weekly, monthly and event
shopping since this when most of its customers shop.
5.3.2 About the reason why consumers shop at Shoprite
Shoprite needs to maintain the convenient shopping experience, the affordable prices, the wide
product attributes and customer experience since these are the main reasons for shopping in this
supermarket.
33
5.3.3 About challenges consumers face while shopping at Shoprite
There is need to pay attention to the cause and solutions of the ignorance of some employees, the
long queues, the closure of some payment points/ tills, the absence of some items and the limited
staff.
5.3.4 About ways to improve shopping habits at Shoprite
From the researcher’s perspective, there is need for good parking facilities with optimal level of
congestion for customers. There is need to adopt self-service technologies, that is, technological
interfaces that allow customers to coproduce a service without employee interaction which will
cut costs and improve customer experience through convenience and speed. This can be a
solution to the long queues at Shoprite.
Shoprite can improve the shopping habits of its consumers if it increases the stock, lower its
prices further, improves its customer care, deploys more skilled staff, introduces online shopping
platforms and invite more local suppliers.
5.4 Areas for further research
The following are the areas that need additional investigation:
a) Shopping experience at Shoprite. This is because there is need to know if consumers enjoy
their shopping time or they just do it because they have no alternative.
b) Customer satisfaction at Shoprite. This is because there is need to know how the consumers
rate Shoprite in terms of serving their needs, the study did not cover this.
c) Shopping duration of customers at Shoprite. This is because this study only looked at the
time when consumers shop, but not how long they spend shopping. This will help the
supermarket to plan for its customers.
d) Challenges faced by Shoprite. This is because this study only focused on the challenges faced
by consumers.
34
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a
APPENDICES
Appendix I: Consent form
MAKERERE UNIVERSITY
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCES
INFORMED CONSENT
Research conducted by
BANYA DOUGLAS
Tel: 0703-860047
E-mail: [email protected]
Dear Participant,
You are selected to participate in an academic research conducted by Banya Douglas, a Master in
Business Administration student at Makerere University, Uganda.
The primary objective of this study is to assess shopping habits of consumers at Shoprite,
Uganda.
Please note the following:
1. Your participation as an interviewee is voluntary.
2. Face to face interviews will not last more than 30 minutes
3. The researcher will write notes during the interview.
4. At any point of time, you can withdraw from participation without any negative
consequences.
5. All data collected will be kept confidential and used for research purposes only.
Please sign the form to indicate that:
1. You have read and understood the above information
2. You accept to participate in the study.
……………………… …………………..
b
Participant’s signature Date
Appendix II: Interview Guide
.
MAKERERE UNIVERSITY
2nd
November, 2017
I, Banya Douglas, am currently (2017) pursuing a Masters in Business Administration at the
Makerere University. My research focuses on “Shopping habits of consumers.”
I am collecting information using an interview schedule to gauge the opinions of shoppers
regarding shopping habits of consumers at Shoprite, Uganda.
All data sources will be treated as confidential and would be used for research purposes only. No
individual participants will be identified but will be referred to as Participant A, B, C, etc.
Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Mr. Banya Douglas Dr. Cathy Mbidde
Student Supervisor
c
INTERVIEW GUIDE
Section A: Biographical data
1. What is your gender? ………………………………………………………..
2. How old are you? ……………………………………………………………
3. What is your highest education qualification? ………………………………
4. What is your marital status? ............................................................................
Section B: Shopping experience at Shoprite
How often do you shop?
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Why do you prefer shopping at Shoprite?
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Section C: Challenges faced while shopping at Shoprite
What are the challenges you experience while shopping at Shoprite?
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Section D: Suggestions to improve shopping at Shoprite
How can Shoprite improve your shopping experience?
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![[Pubcon 2009] 7 Habits of Highly Effective Shopping Carts](https://img.dokumen.tips/doc/110x75/55d54cd0bb61ebc7228b4694/pubcon-2009-7-habits-of-highly-effective-shopping-carts.jpg)
