Executive Summary
This article is ideal in comprehending the impact of customer perception towards floor ads in retail stores in Oman. The conceptual framework and quantitative research design used in this article are appropriate and present relevant results. The findings are consistent with the literature review. In general, the article presents comprehensive and updated information to markets on what to consider in presenting relevant and acceptable ads that appeal to positive customer expectations.
Introduction
The article, “Customer Perception towards Effectiveness of Floor Advertisements in Organised Retail”, by Shrivastava, Saini and Pinto (2014) examines the perception of Omani customers towards effectiveness of floor advertisements. This review attempts to perform a comprehensive analysis of the article in terms of its effectiveness or ineffectiveness as a scientific research. Specifically, the analysis examines the article’s title, abstract, theory, method, results, contribution and overall assessment. The review will integrate two journal articles to compare and contrast literature on customer perception and marketing communication in the context of Oman market.
Title of the Article
The article’s title is well thought out by Shrivastava et al. (2014). It presents the scope of the study and integrates its primary variables. Specifically, the authors are in order to use this title since it integrates the aspects of customer perception and relates it to effectiveness of floor advertising in the organised retail sector in Oman. The title also gives the article its context and guides the direction of the entire research. Therefore, this title is appropriate and relevant.
Abstract
The article’s abstract is comprehensive in addressing the aspects of the scope, rationale, outcomes and study contributions. For instance, the research aim, objective and rationale are summarised as an attempt to investigate how customers perceive floor ads in terms of their effectiveness. However, the research questions are not clear from the abstract. The questionnaire approach and the partial least square method are identified as tools for data collection and analysis. The outcomes are revealed to be significant at a 95% confidence interval with an exception of one variable. The research contribution is also captured. However, the abstract is silent on research limitations.
The research objective is clear and focused on understanding the perception of customers towards flood ads effectiveness within the organised retail stores in Oman. The objective is interesting since it narrows down to Muscat and has clear goals to achieve. Moreover, this objective encourages me to further read the article to establish if it was met and probable setbacks. After reading this objective, I was motivated to identify potential variables of the study that would address the goals.
Theory
Shrivastava et al. (2014) have performed a comprehensive theoretical and empirical literature review to understand the existing knowledge on customer perception of floor advertisements. For instance, the authors have correctly related the concept of Point of Purchase Advertisement Display in enhancing ambiance, customer information and advertisement promotion. This theory is discussed adequately and associated with customer attitude in terms of perception of relevance, likeability and uniqueness of an advert. The authors then narrowed down to the attributes of floor ad recall, floor ad attractiveness and floor ad persuasiveness.
The theoretical framework is clear and persuasively logical in presenting the context of floor ads in organised retail stores. For instance, Shrivastava et al. (2014) have successfully associated the Point of Purchase Advertisement Display theory with attitude attributes. However, the theoretical framework is short and does not capture the contribution of many previous authors. Although the literature review is appropriate for this study, the authors could have done a better research through integration of more theoretical frameworks. For instance, using Kotler’s consumer purchase decision theory would have made the literature review more comprehensive (Varshney, Amandeep and Aulia, 2017 p 12).
Method
Since this research was focused and broad, Shrivastava et al. (2014) were in order to use a descriptive quantitative research to capture insights of the respondents. Moreover, the quantitative research designed allowed the authors to integrate all the variables of attitude, recall, attractiveness, persuasiveness and intent towards floor-ads, which are appropriate for the hypothesis. Moreover, the conceptual framework is adequate in integrating these six dependent variables against a single independent variable as suggested by Solomon (2013). The sample of 100 respondents is appropriate for this study since it is equivalent to a sample space of more than 80, which is representational of a population.
Moreover, the least square data analysis approach ensured that the researchers were able to study the behaviour of each set of variables when related to the independent variable as suggested by Cole (2015). The study has internal and external validity derived from the PLS model. However, the researchers should have isolated customer satisfaction and loyalty to create more distinct results (Sugiati, Thoyib, Hadiwidjoyo and Setiawan, 2013 pp 67-68). In general the analytical technique of using the PLS model is appropriate for determining the coefficient paths for the research question and theory.
Results
The results flow from data analysis. For instance, for each laden variable, the authors were able to tabulate the indicators, loadings and composite reliability in a scientific manner to present dependable outcomes. As a result, the authors were able to accurately establish that flood ad effectiveness has the highest influence on any purchasing intention among the study population. The results further highlighted the variations in the variable constructs at 95% degree of confidence, which is appropriate for a scientific inference.
Shrivastava et al. (2014) have presented the results of their study in an understandable and appropriate way. For instance, the results for each test are comprehensively explained and tabulated in a clear manner. Anyone can follow the entire process of result generation and presentation without any confusion. Moreover, the results are then compared against each other using a myriad of tests to guarantee dependability and verifiability.
However, the authors have not supported the results of their study with any other previous research findings. In order to address this limitation, the authors have used different models to present alternative results explanation. Interestingly, these alternative approaches give more or less the same results.
Contribution
The article makes a value added contribution to the existing knowledge by expounding on the impact of ad presentation on customer perception towards a retail store in Oman. The findings indicated that ads have a potential of influencing the attitude of customers in terms of their perception of attractiveness, relevance and appropriateness. This article stimulates thought by presenting scientific results on the debate of marketing communication and influencing customer perception.
Therefore, the findings of this article could be used by marketers to create ads that are consistent with customer perception to optimise their response towards store brands in Oman and across the globe. Since the findings are scientific, it is in order to authoritatively confirm that this article is laden with significant information that might help in improving the packaging and presentation of floor ads for most advantageous results.
In addition, marketers might use the article findings to comprehend marketing communication and factors influencing customer behaviour in the Omani market to create customised and localised ads that are relevant to this region. Being a well researched article, this journal stimulates deep thoughts on the significance of effective marketing communication through creation of ‘ideal’ floor ads that are consistent with positive customer perception. Therefore, the article inspires marketers in Oman to comprehend the perception of their customers from the ads.
Overall Assessment
The article has comprehensively reviewed the perception of customers towards retail stores’ floor ads in the Omani market. Using quantitative research design, the authors have developed an interesting conceptual framework that accommodates six perception variables in order to establish the most influential factor. I concur with the methodology used since it allows for result verification and reliability.
Moreover, I admire how the researchers integrated the Point of Purchase Advertisement Display theory to isolate and highlight the six variables. However, I think that the article would have presented better outcome if the authors had integrated more theoretical perspectives in developing the conceptual framework. Moreover, despite the fact that this article was developed and published in 2014, the authors rather used old sources that might have not captured updated information about the topic of the study. For instance, most of the sources are from 1990s, which is almost two decades old and does not match with the current developments in customer behaviour and perception towards advertisement.
Reference List
Cole A. (2015). The implications of consumer behaviour for marketing. London: Anchor academic publishing.
Shrivastava, M., Saini, N. and Pinto, A. (2014). Customer perception towards effectiveness of floor advertisements in organized retail. International Journal of Business and Management Invention, 3(1), 11-19.
Solomon, M. (2013). Consumer behaviour: buying, having and being. London: Pearson Education.
Sugiati, T., Thoyib, A., Hadiwidjoyo, D. and Setiawan, M. (2013). The role of customer value on satisfaction and loyalty (study on Hypermart’s customers). International Journal of Business and Management Invention, 2(6), 65-70.
Varshney, S., Amandeep and Aulia, S. (2017). The impact of advertising on customer purchasing decision with reference to customer durable goods in Oman. International Journal of Managerial Studies and Research, 5(12), 11-19.