The impetus for this study arose from a preliminary scanning of the literature which revealed that black township retailers in South Africa were at a disadvantage because of their lack of knowledge of operating a retailing business.
In order to determine what these township retailers should know of marketing in order to be successful, an extensive literature review of the basic components of marketing was undertaken. Subsequently, the marketing perception of township retailers belonging to black business associations in the Gauteng province was investigated. This was accomplished by means of a primary research investigation in various traditionally black areas in Gauteng, with the assistance of the Bureau of Market Research, Unisa. Personal interviews were conducted with the aid of a structured questionnaire, covering the basic components of marketing.
The research results reveal various prominent gaps in the black township retailer's perception of marketing. The most significant findings are that successful township retailers have certain unique characteristics and perceptions and follow specific marketing practices. For example, those retailers who are successful, keep an extended product range, train their staff, have self-service store operations and accept their role in society at large. These findings were used to develop a plan for success in black township retailing in South Africa.
South Africa - Retailing - Black Business - Race Relations - Marketing Knowledge - Black Business Associations - Black Retailers - Black Consumers
Michael CANT is a Professor of Marketing in the Department of Business Management, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa. He is the Head of Marketing in the Department of Business Management at Unisa. He has presented papers on small business development and related issues at many international conferences, most recently in Singapore and Seoul, and published articles in various scientific journals. He is the co-editor of three prescribed books and co-author of several prescribed books for marketing students at undergraduate level. He is also a marketing consultant.
Annekie BRINK is an Associate Professor of Marketing in the Department of Business Management, University of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa. Annekie BRINK is the Deputy Head of Marketing in the Department of Business Management at Unisa. She has presented papers on small business research, in particular the disadvantaged black South African retailers, at local and at international conferences in Sweden and Brazil. She is the co-author of three prescribed books for marketing students at undergraduate level.She is also a marketing consultant.
Author Name (Year), “Title”, in: The International Scope Review, Volume Number, Issue Number, TSCF Editions, Brussels.
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