Post-COVID-19 retail customers' switching behaviour: A Case Study of Cape Town

Abstract

Shopping patterns of customers in South Africa since the outbreak of COVID-19 has shifted in more ways than one way. For instance, where and when consumers purchase household items. Because of COVID-19, many consumers continue to reassess their shopping preferences and behaviour. This research aims to determine the switching behaviour of consumers in Cape Town concerning the choices of retail outlets for groceries and household items. To date especially given the novelty of COVID-19 and the unprecedented lockdowns, the factors informing consumers' choices and the resultant behaviours remain largely unknown. The research opens the opportunity for further research into the phenomena that the pandemic has revealed. Also, the research adds to the body of knowledge of switching behaviour within the retail industry. The dissertation adopts the Theory of Planned Behaviour as a conceptual framework for the research. To more realistically test the effect of independent variables on the dependent variable (change in a retail outlet), the moderating effects of gender were also investigated. A survey design in which 158 respondents participated in the study was conducted. Quantitative data collection using a questionnaire was employed using Google Forms to comply with social distancing requirements and limit the possible transmission of COVID-19 between researcher and participants and among participants themselves if pen and paper questionnaires were used. Furthermore, several data analalytic tehcniques were used, namely, multiple regression, multinominal regression, factor analysis in addition to basic descriptive statistics and the ANOVA statistical technique.