Transaction Marketing and Shopper Behavior in Nairobi's Top-Tier Supermarkets: The Moderating Role of Shopper Demographic Characteristics
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47604/ejbsm.4000Keywords:
Transaction Marketing, Shopper Characteristics, Shopper Behavior (SB)Abstract
Purpose: Shopper demographic characteristics represent measurable population data to identify and operationalize distinct market entities. They therefore play the critical role of matching a firm's internal capabilities with the needs of the audience it seeks to serve for business success. Recent global shifts from static to fluid segmentation, generational cohorts and trend consumption, and consumer sophistication in emerging economies increasingly suggest that legacy segmentation methods are insufficient. The specific purpose of the research is to investigate the extent to which these legacy segmentation methods are relevant in the Kenyan supermarket industry. The specific purpose of the research is to investigate the extent to which shopper demographic characteristics are moderators of transaction marketing and shopper behavior in top-tier supermarkets in Nairobi.
Methodology: A supermarket intercept using descriptive cross-sectional research is employed. Data were collected using the 5-point Likert scale from a sample of 372 randomly selected respondent were examined using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques with the aid of Hayes 2022 PROCESS macro (model 1)
Findings: The findings indicate that total explained variance across all five models ranges from 26% -30%. The significant increment in variance ΔR2 is in Model 1= (.03) and Model 4 = (.02). The predictive power of transaction marketing on shopper behavior is not uniform and is based on age and education. Model 2 had a non-significant interaction term, whereas Models 3 and 5 indicate that shopper demographic characteristics do not explain additional changes, suggesting therefore there is no need to customize marketing strategy based on gender, income and household.
Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: These findings advance marketing exchange and consumer behavior theories by establishing a nuanced, conditional framework for retail interactions. Moreover, while this study primarily focused on a general orientation towards supermarkets, it acknowledges that other factors within these environments also shape shopper behavior beyond mere moderators. Future research should explore other behavioral mechanisms. Practically, a hybrid operational model that merges traditional demographic segmentation with marketing automation is recommended. By tailoring marketing channels to the specific age and educational frames of the target population, retailers can enhance predictive accuracy, optimize shopper decision processes, and streamline business operations.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Sheila W. Kimani, Dr. Winnie Gacugu Njeru, Prof. Mary Wanjiru Kinoti, Dr. Raymond Maingi Musyoka
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