Investigates various benefits and challenges that retail firms perceive in global sourcing, and how those benefits and challenges differ in terms of firms' demographic and managerial characteristics. Data were collected from 148 apparel retail firms. Three benefits factors (competitive advantage, quality assurance and service enhancement) and four challenge factors (logistics, regulations, cultural difference and country uncertainty) were identified. The types and levels of benefit factors a firm achieved from global sourcing were significantly different in terms of the product type and import volume. The challenge factors associated with global sourcing were also different in terms of the product type, percentage of imports, experience, and regions of sourcing. Information provided by this study expands our understanding of sourcing activities by apparel retailers which have significant presence in the global sourcing landscape in the USA.

The study implemented 419 mall-intercept interviews with people who are 55 or older in large malls in three metropolitan cities in the United States. The five subdimensions of mall-shopping motivation of older consumers were identified under two dimensions: Consumption-oriented mall-shopping motivation (service consumption, value consumption, and eating) and experiential mall-shopping motivation (diversion and aesthetic appreciation). The structural model revealed significant effects of social interaction, loneliness, and mall-shopping motivations on mall spending. Outcomes suggest that a mall can be a place to reduce older consumers' loneliness and that retailers in the mall can attract and make older consumers spend more by emphasizing value consumption and service consumption. Results also provide the implication for Psychology & Marketing, Vol. 22(12)

The increased ethnic diversity of the U.S. population and especially the rapid growth of Asian American markets make it critical to assess the importance of developing marketing strategies specifically targeted to these particular ethnic market segments. These circumstances naturally call for an investigation of differences and similarities among various segments within the market to examine whether undifferentiated or diferentiated target marketing is necessary to reach various Asian American subgroups. This study examined the decision‐making patterns for purchasing social clothes of three major Asian American consumer groups (Chinese, Japanese, and Korean). Results showed that the three groups display distinct reference group influence, media influence, and store attribute importance and that these patterns differ depending on the level of acculturation. The findings also suggested implications for various marketing and advertising strategies aimed at the three Asian American consumer markets.

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Suggests that a significant trend affecting American society today is the dramatic rise in the number of persons aged over 65. Consequently, retailers are interested in knowing how this segment can be best served in the marketplace. Outlines a study which utilized person perception theory to examine how retail sales personnel's perceptions relate to elderly consumers' satisfaction. Results indicate that elderly consumers viewed older sales personnel more positively than they viewed younger sales personnel. Also reveals that retail sales personnel's perceptions of elderly consumers' marketplace preferences and satisfaction were significantly different from those reported by elderly consumers. In addition to the theoretical implications, findings provide retailers with valuable information for improving their service to elderly consumers.