Attributes of young consumers' favorite retail shops: a qualitative study

Purpose: The study attempts to identify the common attributes of the physical retail outlets favored by Hong Kong youths and to assess the relative importance of "hard" and "soft" aspects of the retail marketing mix in appealing to this consumer segment. Design/methodology/approach: A convenience sample of 89 Hong Kong youngsters aged 15 to 21 were asked to describe their favorite shops and explain why they favored them. They were asked to take pictures of their favorite shops and participate in a face-to-face interview. Findings: The two types of shop most frequently named were food outlets and apparel retailers. The attractiveness of these stores was mainly based on product or service quality and price, but location and the behavior of the shop assistants were also cited as influential. Ranking as "my favorite shop" was a combination of tangible qualities and intangible services. Research limitations/implications: The convenience sample used probably was not representative of all young people in Hong Kong. Practical implications: The results reinforce the conclusion that Hong Kong retailers need to emphasize sales training and management in order to create an appealing shopping experience for young consumers. Originality/value: This has been the first study to explore in detail the attributes of young Chinese consumers' favorite retail shops.