A study on retail store image attributes and its formation for organized gem and jewellery retail outlet with reference to Pondicherry

One of the retail strategies to attract customers retailers uses store image as an important determinants. Building store image is mixture in nature with varieties of components. For the existing Organized Gem and Jewellery Retail Outlets retailers, understanding the components perceived by shoppers while shopping helps them to manage and to provide positive store image to create Competitive advantage. Next to sustain in retailing unorganized retailers must transform their outlets into Organized one as the Gem and Jewellery Industry is witnessing changes. This paper will provide valuable points for the transformation to the Unorganized retailers. An empirical study was conducted to identify the Store Image Component perceived by shoppers for Organized Gem and Jewellery Retail Outlet. Through an extensive literature review a well structured questionnaire was prepared to identify whether image components is based on Functional, Psychological and Emotional. Factor analysis employed to identify the dimensions of Retail Store Image and its Components perceived by shoppers. Correlation analysis also preformed to find the relationship between the factors. Functional, Psychological and Emotions dimensions items contribute shoppers for selecting retail outlet (Organized Gem and Jewellery Retail Outlet) while buying. This paper helps retailers to focus on the selected store items to attract and to retain customers. Further this paper will provide insight to the unorganized Gem and Jewellery retailers to transform their retail outlet into Organized.