Store cards are generally much easier to obtain than most other credit systems, and are therefore afforded less respect than, for example, bank credit cards. Many consumers who adopt store cards are not necessarily competent to manage the credit limits that are so generously approved. Overspending thus seems almost inevitable. Evidence to substantiate concerns about store card use will be useful to alert consumers about responsible use of store cards and will support the basic sentiments of consumerism, i.e. to enhance consumer education and to properly inform and protect consumers. The intention is to compare the most important reasons provided for the adoption of store cards and buyer behaviour, as well as satisfaction with store cards of two dissimilar groups of store cardholders, based on the premise that exposure to and experience with large shopping malls and related facilities would be influential. Store cardholders' control of credit limits and use of supplementary store card services are correlated with satisfaction with the commodity. The research is exploratory and descriptive in kind. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data during August to October 2006: 267 questionnaires were retrieved. A remarkable congruence in the reasons why store cards were acquired by the two samples was evident. Both valued the convenience of store card use and were impressed by the open‐ended revolving credit options. Additional incentives, however, seemed of limited importance. Noticeable differences between the samples are mostly related to the financial consequences of store card use. Impulsive buying and poor planning were blamed for a continual increase in store card installments. This coincides with Soman and Cheema's conclusion that less experienced consumers tend to optimize a credit limit as an indication of their future earnings potential. More experienced store cardholders seemed significantly more satisfied with the facility than their counterpart. Rapid reuse of store cards after settlement of accounts indicates difficulty to quit using the facility. This supports the notion that self‐control over spending is effortful. The consequent challenge to retailers would be to exercise greater caution with the approval of credit limits to encourage more responsible use of store credit accounts.

Consumers' use of and satisfaction with store cards Opsomming Navorsing dui daarop dat die gebruik van kredietfasiliteite soos bank-en winkelkaarte by betaalpunte wêreldwyd toeneem. Ongelukkig het dit tot 'n toename in slegte skuld bygedra wat ingrypende gevolge vir huishoudings en ekonomië inhou. Sommige beweer dat sekere vorms van krediet, veral winkelkaarte, te maklik toegestaan word en dat verbruikers hierdie fasilitiete tot hulle eie nadeel misbruik. Hierdie navorsing is gegrond op 'n vermoede dat minder ervare verbruikers, byvoorbeeld diè in Afrikalande wat eers in onlangse jare aan groot winkelsentra en verwante fasilitiete blootgestel is, gevaar kan loop om hierdie fasiliteite te misbruik omdat dit so geredelik aan hulle toegestaan word.'n Vergelyking is gedoen van twee verskillende groepe winkelkaarthouers se retrospektiewe evaluering van hulle koopgedrag asook hulle beheer oor kredietlimiete en gevolglike tevredenheid met winkelkaarte. Die navorsing was verkennend, beskrywend van aard. 'n Gestruktureerde vraelys is gebruik en data is gedurende Augustus 2006 ingesamel: 100 respondente uit Gabarone en Francistown in Botswana (steekproef B) en 167 respondente in Tshwane, RSA (steekproef RSA) is betrek deur middel van gerieflikheidsteekproefneming.Betekenisvolle verskille tussen die twee steekproewe hou meestal verband met hulle kredietstatus en onvermoë om betalings vol te hou. Meer as 80% van die minder ervare steekproef het die duurder betaal opsie gebruik, dit wil sê betalings oor die maksimum betaaltermyn wat rente insluit, versprei omdat hulle gesukkel het om maandelikse paaiemente by te bring. Hoewel die meerderheid van beide steekproewe toegegee het dat stygings in maandelikse paaiemente aan impulsiewe aankope te wyte was, was dit nie vir die meer ervare steekproef ‚n probleem nie. Die meerderheid van hulle het steeds die rentevrye ses maande betaalperiode benut. Beide steekproewe was tevrede met winkelkaarte en het aangedui dat hulle sonder huiwering weer die fasiliteit sou bekom indien hulle opnuut 'n keuse kon uitoefen. Albei steekproewe het aangedui dat hulle winkelkaarte as 'n betaalmiddel sal aanbeveel omdat dit gerieflik is om te gebruik, rentevrye krediet bied en handig is tydens krisistye. Resultate toon dat winkelkaartgebruikers dit moelik vind om van die fasiliteit afstand te doen as hulle daaraan gewoond is. Nadat kaartrekeninge afgelos is begin verbruikers die fasiliteite redelik gou weer gebruik wat bevestig dat dit moelik is om selfkontrole oor aankoopgedrag uit te oefen en dat kaarthouers vir hulleself streng reëls behoort te stel om aankope te beheer. 'n Toename in die maandelikse paaiemente Alet C Erasmus and Kethuswegape Lebani 59 van beide steekproewe en die feit dat hulle erken dat impulsiewe aankope en swak beplanning die belangrikste redes is daarvoor, bevestig 'n feitlik onvermydelike gevolg van kaarteienaarskap. Winkelkaarte behoort dus met groter omsigtigheid toegestaan te word en kredietlimiete behoort gereeld gekontroleer te word om onverantwoordelike gebruik daarvan te ...