• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.73-98
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• 2019

As information and communication technology continue its remarkable development, the exchange of information online becomes as prevalent and frequent as face-to-face communication in daily life. Therefore, the management and application of WOM (word of mouth) practices will become more important than ever to companies. Currently, there are various types of communication channels for online WOM, and each channel has its own unique traits. Most of the previous research studies online WOM by examining the information inside a single communication channel, but this research chooses two different communication channels and analyzes the effects of online WOM with each channel's unique characteristics. More specifically, this research focuses on the expectation that the effects of information from Twitter and blogs on product sales may differ because Twitter and blogs, two different communication channels for online WOM, have their own unique traits. Our particular aim is to perform an in-depth examination on the effects of communication channel's volume and valence on product sales, two important attributes of online WOM. Furthermore, while most of the empirical research focuses on online WOM and analyzes its effect on markets of temporary experience goods, such as movies and books, this research highlights focuses on the automobile market, a durable goods market. The results of our analysis are as follows: First, regarding blogs, a positive valence significantly and positively affects the sales of products, and this result indicates that consumers are influenced more by the emotional aspect of a product presented in a post than by the number of blog posts. Second, regarding Twitter, the volume of online WOM significantly and positively affects sales, an indication that as the number of posts increase, the sales increase. Through this research, we suggest that even those firms that sell durable goods can increase sales through the management and application of online WOM. Moreover, according to the characteristics of communication channels, the effects of online WOM on sales differ. As a practical implication of this research, we suggest that companies can and should create marketing strategies appropriate to their targeted communication channels.

• Human Ecology Research
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.449-463
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• 2021

The aim of this study was to analyze the perceptions and entering status of small business online fashion retailers on portal shopping and fashion shopping malls. Case studies were conducted on a total of 10 research samples. The results were as follows: first, regarding the strategic factors of online fashion stores, 'price competitiveness' is important, especially in portal shopping and low-cost brands; 'product assortment' is important but not essential in all platforms; and 'differentiation' is important to continuously secure loyal customers in fashion shopping malls. Customer satisfaction leads to customer loyalty, and customer loyalty affects the sales conversion rate and brand growth of online sales channels. Factors that promoted sales activities in online sales channels were exposure, advertisements, SNS, events, special exhibitions, and events. Hindrance factors were low price competition, overheated competition, and the MD of sales channels. Second, the research samples used multiple online sales channels, including portal shopping malls and fashion shopping malls, in addition to their own malls. The selection factors were platform reputation and commission, branding, and customer inflow through exposure. Portal shopping malls were perceived as providing easy access, advertising/customer communication, exposure/search, price competitiveness, scalability, and intense competition, whereas fashion shopping malls were perceived as providing a brand image and concept, brand promotion, high commissions, difficult entry, and low profits. The factors for success in portal shopping malls were exposure/search, price competitiveness, and brand recognition, whereas the factors for success in fashion shopping malls were differentiation, brand, exposure/advertisement, product assortment, and MD.

• Knowledge Management Research
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.45-64
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• 2016

As the digital retail environement becomes prevalent, consumers are given greater opportunities to make purchases across physical and digital boundaries. Prior research emphasizes that the attractiveness of the digital or online channel is relatively determined by spatial specifics of physical locations. The overall market trend combined with prior research suggests that understanding spatial specifics becomes a key to managing both offline and online sales performance together. In this study, we focus on geographic variation in sales performance through offline and online channels and aim to investigate the channel-level sales difference between central and subsidiary areas. To this end, we obtain sales data of skincare and makeup products from a leading cosmetic company. Next, we examine spatial autocorrelations in data and then employ the spatial error models to study the effects of spatial specifics. The empirical findings are as follows. First, there are significant differences in category-specific and channel-level sales between central and subsidiary areas. Second, Moran's I statistics demonstrate the spatial autocorrelations of each variable. Third, spatial error models outperform simple regression models with lower AIC values. Finally, spatial specifics play a greater role in understanding online sales in subsidiary areas whereas they exert greater influence on offline sales in central areas. We believe our study advances the related theory and knowledge of multi-channel retailing and also contributes practically to location-dependent multi-channel strategies and sales data analytics.

• Knowledge Management Research
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.109-132
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• 2015

We examine offline and online channel sales of experience goods, and compare and contrast the sales patterns of existing products and new products between channels. To this end, we obtain the channel-specific time-series sales data from the leading company selling beauty products, both offline and online. By applying the Vector Autoregressive Model, we empirically find out how the relationship between existing products and new products changes between the shopping channels. Our empirical findings are as follows. First, the sales effects from existing products to new products are significantly positive at both offline and online channels, and this positive effect is greater in the offline channel than in the online channel. Second, the influence of new products on existing products is more positive in the offline channel than in the online channel. Third, the impact of existing products sales on new products sales is greater than that of new products on existing products. Lastly, the inertia effect, the effect within the same shopping channel and the same selling product, is significantly positive in the offline channel but not in the online channel, and this asymmetric inertia effect emerges as we focus on experience goods. Moreover, the impulse response function analysis provides the three important implications. First, companies should pay attention to the same channel but different types of products. Second, the offline channel is more vulnerable to market shock than the online channel. Third, new products sales vary by existing products sales to the greater extent, compared to the opposite relationship. We believe our study contributes theoretically and practically to the fields of marketing and knowledge management.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.205-216
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• 2020

This study seeks to empirically analyze the effects of core self-evaluation and adaptive selling behavior on sales performance for female salespersons engaged in door-to-door sales through the face-to-face channel in the wellness industry. This study seeks to examine the importance of adaptive selling, through, salespeople derive appropriate strategies in response to market changes. For female salespeople who use face-to-face channels, this study empirically investigated the relationship between core self-evaluation and adaptive selling, and effects on sales performance. A 31-item survey was constructed, based on prior research. We selected six door-to-door sales companies in South Korea and conducted one-to-one interviews with female salespeople in the Seoul metropolitan area and analyzed 208 pieces of significant data. Results demonstrated that among the core self-evaluation factors for female salespeople, self-esteem, self-efficacy, and neuroticism had an effect on adaptive selling factors, while locus of control did not. These factors were found to affect sales performance through the mediating role of adaptive selling. Improvements in the adaptive selling capabilities of female salespeople in charge of face-to-face channels positively affected sales performance. Management efforts are required to enhance self-esteem, self-efficacy, or neuroticism. These results suggest that companies should support enhancing individual adaptive selling capabilities of their salespeople.

• Journal of Information Technology Applications and Management
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.81-95
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• 2016

Software export is very important for developing the domain software industry. Up to now, the study related in this issue is not enough even if exports are not activated. In our study, we treated and analyzed the three SME cases that have each successful record in recent years focusing to sales channels establishment and product localization. This study was done by interviewing the marketing directors mainly, and applied email exchanges, phones, and document analyses. Some implications can be addressed for the potential SME software exports. In the perspectives of sales channels building, the trust for product and firm itself is needed to have a good offshore partners. These are required to make the good relationship with partners, brand value's diffusion, and technical competency. As for product localization, the customization is important to meet the needs for local users effectively. So it is desirable to accept the advisory suggestions from the local consulting experts or representative customers. And the joint export strategy using the platform by linking some related products is effective for SME's software product's export.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.89-99
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• 2018

Purpose - In this study, we discuss the current status and barriers of digital transformation focused on small businesses. More specifically, this study consists of two studies. The purpose of study 1 is to investigate the effect of digitization of small businesses on the sales of stores and the number of visiting customers. The purpose of Study 2 is to examine the status and obstacles of online channels use by small businesses. Research design, data, and methodology - In Study 1, we will examine the changes in sales and visitor numbers of stores that are rapidly adapting to digital transformation among small business. For this, we utilize the actual situation of store management survey conducted by the Small Enterprise and Market Service. Specifically, multiple regression equations were used to determine whether blogs and online shopping malls were operating, and the proportion of credit cards to sales as independent variables and sales and number of visiting customers as dependent variables. Next, in Study 2, we surveyed the 15 small business owners in the latest survey on the actual situation of store management survey conducted in 2015, and conducted an in-depth interview to examine the barriers to the use of online channels by small business. Results - As a result of study 1, it is found that the small business who run the blogs have higher sales and visits than the small business who do not. However, there is no difference in the sales and the number of visiting customers between the stores that operate the online shopping malls and those that do not. Second, the higher the proportion of credit cards, the higher the sales and the number of visiting customers. In study 2, we analyzed the barriers to the expansion of online channels by in-depth interviews. Interviews show that barriers to access to online channels are limited by search neutrality, high commission burden, and low bargaining power. These problems are caused by the insufficiency of small business compared to online and mobile portal and O2O platform vendors. Conclusions - This study suggests that small business who have difficulty in establishing direct online channels need digital transformation of small business. In addition, when using such an external platform, we have identified the problems that small business face.

• Journal of Korea Society of Digital Industry and Information Management
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.109-120
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• 2021

Despite the growing online exposure of retailes, offline retail channels still outperform online channels in the total retail volume of some countries. There is much interest in the physical layout plans of retail stores to expand sales. Product placement that have a large impact on customer purchasing behavior at offline retailers influences customer movement and sales volume. But in many cases, each retailer relies on unsystematic and autonomous product placement. When multiple products are sold with one purchase, the customer's movement for shopping may be evaluated in terms of customer efficiency and additional impulse purchase. In this paper, the social network is applied to sales data of a retail store and the result is used for evaluation of product placement and customer path. The frequent sales product composition was identified using k-core from sales data in the form of shopping baskets. The location was checked for the identified compositions of products, the spatial variance was measured and the customer's path was identified. With these results, the store arrangement of products was evaluated with appropriate improvement directions. The analysis method of this paper can be an alternative analysis approach for better layout of retail stores.

• Journal of the Korea Computer Industry Society
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.269-280
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• 2007

The study aimed at examining ideas about specialty and general job satisfaction among beauty counsellors in charge of door-to-door sales and at considering current channels of practical education concerning products for beauty counsellors, its actual conditions, and correlation with the amount of sales in order to help cultivate a competitive beauty counsellor for the future. To find out general properties of subjects, both frequency and percentage were estimated. And in order to examine counsellors' understanding of channels and realities of their education and their working conditions, educational contents on practices, and educational methods and need, $x^2$(Chi-square) test, frequency analysis, t-test, and one-way ANOVA were carried out. The results can know as follows that beauty counselling in charge of cosmetics sales is a profession to need expertise and so no.

• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.59-85
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• 1997

The automobile industry in Korea has grown to the fifth in the world in terms of production capacity. In spite of the production growth, the marketing aspects such as distribution and customer service in the auto industry are still behind the world-class. Thus, the major purposes of this paper are as follows. The first is to analyze competitive structure of the industry and to compare distribution strategies of the major auto firms(Hyundai, Daewoo, and Kia). The second is to theoretically explain the transition from the vertical marketing system to the dealer system using transaction cost analysis. The third is to compare auto distribution channels in Korea with those in the U.S. and Japan. Finally, an optimal channel stucture in the auto industry is suggested after reviewing five alternative channel structures such as corporate-owned VMS, sales-specializing firm, multiplex system(VMS+limited dealer system), dual sales channel, and advanced dealer system. In the short-run, sales-specilizing firm was suggested as an optimal channel system to enhance customer satisfaction by integrating sales and customer service. In the long-run, advanced dealer system through regional differentiation was desirable for an optimal channel structure by organically integrating new car sales, used car sales, and after service to provide total marketing service to customers.