Dear respondent

You are invited to participate in a PhD study that examines how shoppers’ evaluations of omnichannel service quality across a retailer’s store, website and mobile app influence that retailer’s customer-based brand equity. Should you have any questions or concerns about the study, you can contact Joel Serman (the principal investigator) at +1 416 453 6755 or joelserman@gmail.com. The study findings will be disseminated for a Ph.D. in Business Management study at Free State University and academic journals.

 To participate in the study, you must meet the following criteria:

·        You must buy groceries at Checkers or Woolworths at least once a month.

·       You must regularly use at least two different channels (e.g., physical store, online shop, or mobile app) offered by Checkers  or Woolworths when shopping for groceries.

·       You must have purchased groceries from Checkers  or Woolworths using more than one channel to make purchases (e.g. browsing or ordering online via website or mobile app and then completing the purchase in-store, or vice versa).

·       You must be 18 years or older.

 Please read through the following information explaining the purpose of the study and participation in the study:

• The purpose of the study is to investigate the effect of omnichannel service quality on retailers' customer-based brand equity.
• This study has received approval from the General Human Research Ethics Committee of the University of the Free State Protocol ref: UFS-HSD2024/2396.
• Your participation only requires you to complete the online questionnaire that follows if you consent to participate in the study. It will take less than 15 minutes to complete the questionnaire.
• The completion of the questionnaire poses no inconvenience or any risk to a respondent. Respondents can complete the online questionnaire at a time that does not lead to loss of work time.
• Participation in the study is voluntary and you are under no obligation to consent to participation. You are free to withdraw at any time and without giving a reason during the completion of the questionnaire by clicking the ‘Exit survey’ link on any page or by closing the browser window.
• The questionnaire does not include any question that provides information that can be used to identify a respondent. Also, no respondents' personal information will be shared as such information is not required for the study.
• The electronically captured data from the completed online questionnaires will be stored on a password-protected computer.
• The findings of the study will only be used for the disclosed purposes that is the dissemination of the findings only for academic purposes.

 

Thank you in advance for your willingness to participate in the research study.

Sincerely,

 
Researcher:                                                                                

Joel Serman                                                                

Mobile: +1 416 453 6755                                                            

Email: joelserman@gmail.com     

                                                                                                                   

Promoter:     

Prof J. Nel

Department: Business Management

Faculty: Economics and Management Sciences

Tel: +27 51 4012 272

Email: Nelj@ufs.ac.za                                                                                       

INFORMED CONSENT

CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS STUDY

I, the Participant, confirm that I voluntarily agree to participate in the research study referred to as the “OMNICHANNEL SERVICE QUALITY INFLUENCING RETAILERS' CUSTOMER-BASED BRAND EQUITY” and which Study is being conducted by the Researcher, Joel Serman.

I, the Participant, further confirm that–

1. the Researcher has explained the nature, procedure, potential benefits and anticipated inconvenience of my participation in the Study;

2. I have read and understood the Study as explained in the above information sheet;

3. I have been able to ask questions and am prepared to participate in the Study;

4. I understand that my participation in the Study is entirely voluntary and that I am free to withdraw at any time without penalty (if applicable);

5. I voluntarily provide the UFS and the Researcher with my personal information and consent to the UFS and the Researcher collecting, disclosing and processing my personal information to conduct the Study and any related activities in relation thereto;

6. I hereby acknowledge and confirm that I understand the purpose for which the UFS and the Researcher may collect, store, use, delete, destroy, outsource, transfer or otherwise process, as the context and circumstances may require and as contemplated in terms of POPIA, my personal information as set out herein; and

7. I am aware that the findings of the Study will be anonymously processed into a research report, journal publications and/or conference proceedings and that my personal information will be aggregated and deidentified at such stage.

Your selected retailer will hereafter be referred to as “the Retailer.”

SQ3. If you answered “Yes,” please briefly describe your most recent shopping journey where you first engaged in-store and then completed the purchase online (via website or app). Specifically:

• What did you do in-store that influenced or led you to make an online purchase?
• What did you do online afterwards (website or app), and how did you complete the purchase?

(Example: “I checked fruit quality in-store and later ordered it for home delivery through the app.”)

Thank you for completing the survey.

If you would like to be entered into the draw for the R10,000 prize, please enter your name, email and phone number below: