COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF HYPERMARKET AND GENERAL CONSUMERS

Abstract

In more than a generation, grocery-shopping in Singapore has evolved from roadside stalls, wet markets, provision shops, mini-marts to supermarkets in the neighbourhood. With the opening of Singapore's first hypermarket at Suntec City in October 1997, households here are introduced to a new concept of grocery-shopping. However, Singapore consumers may not yet be accustomed to this concept of out-of-neighbourhood markets, bulk-buying, less frequent shopping trips, driving to the grocery store, travelling further to buy groceries etc. As consumers make another transition to a higher rung in the shopping hierarchy, this research examines the acceptance of hypermarkets, behaviour, preferences and characteristics of consumers in general and the new breed of hypermarket consumers in specific. A comparison between the two is made and analysed statistically. Their implications on marketing management and future hypermarket developments are discussed. Differences are observed in their shopping frequency, expenditure, distance travelled, travel mode, grocery stores patronised, number of cars in household and demand for hypermarkets. However, no significant differences are recognised in their household size, income, type of residence, preferences, distance and locational preference for hypermarkets. Meanwhile there are implications for marketing managers to adjust their marketing strategies to accommodate consumer changes and target their marketing efforts more specifically. Future hypermarkets should be located in proximity to consumers' home, within 20 minutes travelling time and accessible by car, while there is less necessity for them to be in proximity to consumers' workplace, shopping, eating and entertainment amenities. Keywords: grocery-shopping, hypermarket consumers, general consumers, consumer behaviour, consumer preferences, household characteristics, hypermarket acceptance.