This study explored South African female consumers’ value perceptions as well as their needs
for traceable information on exotic crocodile leather accessories. The Wiedmann, Hennigs
and Siebels' Luxury Value Perception Scale (2007) and the Consumer Decision-making
Process (Solomon & Rabolt, 2004:354) served as conceptual framework for the study.
A questionnaire was distributed across South Africa and completed by willing participants.
All participants were South African citizens, females of varyin g cultural backgrounds,
including: African, Caucasian, Indian, Asian and Coloured individuals. The Consulta
Research (Pty) Ltd used their extensive database of female consumers for sampling purposes.
They managed to collect three hundred and thirty seven (337) completed and usable
questionnaires. The Spearman's Correlation Coefficient, descriptive statistics, as well as
exploratory factor analysis were used for data analysis.
The results indicate that respondents to this questionnaire were not willing to pay marketrelated
prices for exotic crocodile leather accessories. Findings of this study uncovered five luxury value perceptions as opposed to the four originally recognised by Wiedmann et al.
(2007), namely Functional, Social, Financial, Individual gifts and Individual pleasure value
perceptions.
Of these luxury value perceptions, respondents indicated that the functional value perception
was the most important to them. Traceable intrinsic and extrinsic-related attributes which
can have an impact on decision-making by consumers were also explored. Results indicate
that respondents found intrinsic-related attributes moderately important when deciding to
purchase an exotic crocodile leather accessory. With regard to extrinsic-related product
attributes, results indicate that most respondents found these extrinsic-related attributes
moderately important. The notable exception was the position brand-holders held on child
labour, which was indicated as important by most respondents.
Results further indicated weak-positive, but statistically highly significant relationships
between functional value perceptions and the importance of intrinsic-related as well as
extrinsic-related information. Weak-positive, but statistically highly significant relationships
were also conversely found between financial value perceptions and the importance of
intrinsic and extrinsic-related information.
There was a weak but statistically highly significant relationship between the individual giftvalue
perception and the importance of extrinsic-related information as well as, conversely, a
weak-positive statistically significant relationship between individual gift-value perceptions
and the importance of intrinsic-related information.
Purchase intent is an important determinant when consumers make decisions. Research
results for this study have, however, indicated that respondents had a weak purchase intent
for exotic crocodile leather accessories. Most respondents reported that they would never, at
any time, buy an exotic crocodile leather accessory. Neither would they at some stage have
the intention to buy an exotic crocodile leather accessory, or have a purchase interest for an exotic crocodile leather accessory.
Finally, results show that there was a weak-positive, but statistically highly significant
relationship between the importance of extrinsic-related product attributes and purchase
intent.
Results of this study make positive contributions towards the decision-making of various role
players within the exotic crocodile leather accessory industry. Role players such as farmers,
manufacturers, distributers, retailers and marketers can all benefit from the results. Based on
the results of this study, recommendations for industry and future research are made.
Dié studie ondersoek Suid-Afrikaanse vroueverbruikers se waardepersepsies asook hul
behoeftes aan navolgbare inligting oor eksotiese krokodilleerbykomstighede. Die Wiedmann,
Hennigs and Siebels's Luxury Value Perception Scale (2007) en The Consumer Decisionmaking
Process (Solomon & Rabolt, 2004:354) dien as die konseptuele raamwerk vir dié
studie.
'n Vraelys is dwarsoor Suid-Afrika versprei en voltooi deur vrywillige deelnemers. Alle
respondente was Suid-Afrikaanse burgers, vroue van 'n verskeidenheid etniese herkomste,
waarby ingesluit: Afrikaan, Kaukasiese, Indiese, en kleurlingindividue. Consulta Research
(Pty) Ltd het van hul uitgebereide databasis van vroueverbruikers in hul steekproef gebruik
gemaak. Hulle het daarin geslaag drie om honderd sewe en dertig (337) voltooide en
bruikbare vraelyste te bekom. Die Spearman’s Correlation Coefficient se beskrywende
statistiek en oorsigtelike faktore-ontleding is gebruik in die data-analiese.
Die bevindings dui daarop dat respondente op die vraelys nié bereid is om markverwante pryse te betaal vir eksotiese krokodilleer-bykomstighede nie. Verdere bevindings in dié studie
het vyf luukse waardepersies blootgelê, teenoor die vier aangedui deur Wiedmann et al.
(2007), naamlik: Funksionele, Sosiale, Finansiële, Individuele geskenke, en Individuele
plesierwaardepersepsies.
Van dié luuksewaardepersepsies het respondente aangedui dat die funksionele
waardepersepsie vir hulle die belangrikste is. Opspoorbare en navolgbare intrinsieke of
ekstrinsieke eienskappe wat 'n invloed kan hê op die besluitnemening deur verbruikers was
matig-belangrik in die besluitproses vir die aankoop van 'n eksotiese krokodilleerbykomstigheid.
Met betrekking tot ekstrinsieke produkeienskappe, dui resultate daarop dat
respondente grootliks hierdie ekstrinsieke eieskappe ook as matig-belangrik geag het. Die
opmerklike uitsondering is beleidstandpunte wat handelsmerkeienaars ten opsigte van
kinderarbeid handhaaf en wat as belangrik deur respondente bejeën is.
Resultate dui verder daarop dat swak-positiewe, maar 'n statisties hoogs belangrike verband
bestaan tussen fuksionele waardepersepsies en intrinsiek-verwante asook ekstrinsiekeverwante
beskouings. Verder is ook aangedui dat hoogs belangrike verbande tussen finaniële
waardepersepsies, individuele geskenkwaardepersepsies en die belangrikheid van intrinsieke
en ekstrinsieke inligting teenwoordig is.
Daar was 'n swak, maar hoogs belangrike verband tussen die indivuele geskenkwaardepersepsie
en die belangrikheid van ekstrinsieke-verwante inligting asook die
omgekeerde statisties-belangrike, swak-positiewe verband tussen individuele geskenkwaardepersepsies
en die belangrikheid van intrinsiek-verwante inligting word beklemtoon.
Die aankoopvoorneme is 'n belangrike oorweging in verbruikers se besluitneming. Resultate
in hierdie studie, dui egter daarop dat verbruikers 'n swak aankoopvoorneme vir eksotiese
krokodilleerbykomstighede het. 'n Meerderheid van die respondente het aangedui dat hulle
nooit 'n bykomstigheid van krokodilleer sal koop nie. Verder sal hulle in geen stadium enige voorneme koester om 'n krokoldilleerbykomstigheid aan te skaf of belangstel om só 'n produk
te bekom nie.
Laastens dui resultate op 'n swak-positiewe, maar statisties hoogsbetekenisvolle verband
tussen die belangrikheid van ekstrinsieke produkeieskappe en koopvoorneme.
Resulate van dié studie maak 'n positiewe bydrae tot die besluitneming van verskeie
rolspelers binne die eksotiese krokodilleer-industrie. Rolspelers soos boere, vervaardigers,
verspreiders, handelaars en bemarkers kan almal baat vind by dié bevindings.
Sleutelwoorde: Vroueverbruiker van luukse bykomstighede; industrie vir luukse
krolodilleerbykomstighede; luuksewaardepersepsies; intrinsieke produkeienskappe; ekstrinsieke
produkeienskappe; aankoopvoorneme.
