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Retail Service Quality of Big Bazaar Retail Store Thiruvananthapuram: An

Empirical Study

Article · January 2016

DOI: 10.5958/2249-7315.2016.00524.4

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 Asian Journal
Asian Research Consortium of Research in
Social Sciences
and
Asian Journal of Research in Social Sciences and Humanities
Vol. 6, No. 7, July 2016, pp. 1487-1496. Humanities
ISSN 2249-7315 www.aijsh.com
A Journal Indexed in Indian Citation Index
DOI NUMBER:

Retail Service Quality of Big Bazaar Retail Store

Thiruvananthapuram: An Empirical Study

R. Satheesh Kumar*; Dr. T. Vetrivel**

*Assistant Professor,
School of Management,
Nehru College of Engineering and Research Centre,
Thiruvilwamala, Thrissur, Kerala, India.
**Professor and Head,
Department of Management Studies,
Velalar College of Engineering and Technology,
Erode, Tamilnadu, India.

Abstract
In an organised retail sector, retail service quality is the primary facet to gain or retain large
number of customers. This study is carried out to identify the retail service quality gap in Big
Bazaar retail store in Thiruvananthapuram. Survey conducted through questionnaire has 120
responses. Out of 120, 107 responses were administered for data analysis through SPSS 20.0
package. Retail Service Quality with respect to Big Bazaar retail store is measured through
different statistical tools like Mean, Standard deviation, Friedman’s Ranking Test and Compare
Means in terms of five dimensions of RSQS. This enabled the researcher in suggesting the retail
store operators in five dimensions of retail service quality to ensure that the best retail service
quality is offered to the customers.

Keywords: Retail Service Quality Scale, Gap Score, Organised Retail Store, Expectation,
Perception.

I. Introduction
An organized retailing has been thriving to provide more comforts and conveniences while serving
the customers which comprises of departmental stores, malls, supermarkets, hypermarkets and

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discount stores. In retailing, service quality is not quite same as some other item/service
surrounding (Finn and Lamb, 1991; Gagliano and Hathcote, 1994). Dabholkar, Thorpe and Rentz
(1996) contributed to the Retail Service Quality Scale (RSQS) for estimating the service quality of
retail sector which has five dimensional models. With the view of SERVPERF, RSQS incorporates
28-scales, of which 17 items are from SERVPERF and 11 are created by subjective exploration.
The Retail Service Quality Scale makes out of five measurements, to be specific: (1) Physical
aspects, (2) Reliability, (3) Personal interaction, (4) Problem-solving, (5) Policy. Hence, this study
is focused on to measure and analyse Retail Service Quality of Big Bazaar retail store at
Thiruvananthapuram.

II. Review of Literature

Finn & Lamb (1991) have advised that SERVQUAL in retail setting should be used with a lot of
concern. The studies identified with RSQS additionally demonstrate that the scale has no suitability
over the retail stores, and it should be totally altered and experienced SERVQUAL in various sort
of retail supplies (department stores and discount stores) particularly in Indian market. Their
assenting issue examination was not capable to offer a good quality robust to the planned five-
factor arrangement of SERVQUAL for any of these profitable arrangement creation, they bring to a
close note that the gadget could not be utilized as a suitable compute of service quality in sell
corporation with no alteration.

Azhagan & Nagarajan (2011) examined that "the greater part of the clients favor organized retail
area as a result of more tangibles and understanding towards its clients. To hold and draw in new
clients, the organized retail division must enhance client's service level and must give certification
towards its client."

William & Prabakar (2012) reasoned that the client view of retail service quality is an imperative
fragment to the rising and the current retailers in the business sector as the study uncovers the
impression of service quality affected by the different nature with different clients even as a
percentage of the general components like personal cooperation and physical viewpoints are the
measurements of the client’s recognition which stays steady and basic to all the client on a lion's
share premise so, the retail outlets need to edge their own techniques so as to draw in the clients on
a more longer basis.

As per Uusitalo, 2001, retail credits allude to an arrangement of store and item properties.
Purchaser view of store qualities are impacted by retail organization, sort of the items, social
quality, shopping aim and client base. Client’s insight on item credits differs as per item nature and
financial nature of the shopper. As all the investigations were finished regarding service, quality
estimation and RSQS observed that it has the restricted application over the diverse retail settings in
the Indian connection. Subhashini Kaul (2005) in the investigation contends for further research
and broad scale adjustment before scales enhance in different nations, for example, the RSQS are
connected in the Indian setting. The extent of examination is there to investigate the impression of
service quality measurements for diverse retail parts.

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III. Research Methodology

3.1 Objectives of the Study

 To identify the retail service quality gap in Big Bazaar retail outlet in
Thiruvananthapuram.

 To know about the shopper’s preference (Reasons) to select a particular retail store.

 To study the organized retail stores and its services in general and in particular to Big
Bazaar retail store in Thiruvanthapuram.

3.2 Sources of Data and Data Analysis

Survey conducted through questionnaire has 120 responses. Out of 120, 107 responses were
administered for data analysis through SPSS 20.0 package.

3.3 Statistical Tools Used for Analysis

1. Mean

2. Standard Deviation

3. Friedman’s Ranking Test

4. Compare Means

3.4 Limitations of the Study

1. Findings of the study cannot be generalised to the other places other than
Thiruvananthapuram.

2. Study is restricted to 107 valid samples.

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IV. Retail Service Quality Scale Application to the Retail Store

Table. No- 1: Demographic Profile of the Respondents

Demographic Factors Frequency Percentage
Area of Residence
Urban 54 50.5
Rural 53 49.5
Total 107 100
Gender
Male 58 54.2
Female 49 45.8
Total 107 100
Age
Up to 25 24 22.4
26-30 16 15
31-35 15 14
36-40 33 30
Over 40 19 17.8
Total 107 100
Educational Qualification
School Level 19 17.8
Undergraduate 32 29.9
Postgraduate 20 18.7
Professional 25 23.4
Others 11 10.3
Total 107 100
Employment Status
Government 20 18.7
Private 27 25.2
Business 6 5.6
Home Maker 39 36.4
Professional 14 13.1
Student 1 0.9
Others - -
Total 107 100
Monthly Income (in ’000)
Below Rs.20,000 35 32.7
Rs.20,000-30,000 31 29
Rs.31,000-40,000 5 4.7
Rs.41,000-50,000 12 11.2
Above Rs.50,000 24 22.4
Total 107 100
Type of Family Frequency Percentage
Joint Family 42 39.25
Nuclear 65 60.75
Total 107 100
Number of Members in the Family
Below 3 Members 49 45.8
3 – 6 Members 25 23.4
Above 6 Members 33 30.8
Total 107 100
Respondents opinion about whether they buy from neighborhood kirana stores
or not.
Yes 94 87.85
No 13 12.15
Total 107 100
Respondents’ average monthly grocery bill from kirana stores
Below Rs.500 12 11.2
Rs.500-1000 20 18.7
Rs.1001-1500 19 17.8
Rs.1501-2000 48 44.9
Above Rs. 2500 8 7.5
Total 107 100
Source: Primary Data

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Interpretation
It is inferred from Table.No-1 that, 50.5 percent of the respondents’ area of residence is urban and
rest 49.5 percent of respondents belongs to rural area. 54.2 percent of respondents are male and rest
45.8 percent of respondents are female. Majority of respondents (22.4 percent) are belongs to the
age category of less than 25 years and 14 percent of respondents are in the age group of 31 to 35
years. 29.9 percent of respondents have an educational qualification of under graduate and followed
by 23.4 percent of respondents are practicing professionals.

As far as concerned with present employment status of the respondents, 36.4 percent are
homemakers and least 0.9 percent is student. 32.7 percent of respondents have monthly income of
below Rs.20000 and 29 percent of respondents are in the monthly income band of Rs.20000 to
Rs.30000.

It is also clear from the above table that, 60.75 percent of respondents are living as nuclear family
and rest of the respondents are living as joint family. 45.8 percent of respondents said that their
family consists of below three members and 30.8 percent of respondents said that their family
consists of above six members.
87.85 percent of respondents said that they usually buy from neighborhood kirana stores and rest of
the respondents does not buy from neighborhood kirana stores. 44.9 percent of respondents have an
average monthly grocery bill of Rs.1501 to Rs.2000 in kirana stores and 11.2 percent of
respondents have a least average monthly grocery bill of belowRs.500 in kirana stores.

Table. No- 2: Details about Respondents’ Choice of Retail Store, Distance,

Grocery Bill, Frequency of Visit
Respondents’ choice of retail store other than kirana stores Frequency Percentage
More 12 11.2
Spencer’s 20 18.7
Reliance Fresh 19 17.8
Big Bazaar 48 44.9
Others 8 7.5
Total 107 100
Distance between respondents’ home and organized retail store (in KM)
Below 2 KM 14 13.1
2 KM- 4 KM 19 17.8
5 KM-6 Km 41 38.3
Above 6 KM 33 30.8
Total 107 100
Respondents’ average monthly grocery bill from organized retail stores
Below Rs.2000 17 15.9
Rs.2000-3000 32 29.9
Rs.3001-4000 28 26.2
Rs.4001-5000 26 24.3
Above Rs.5000 4 3.7
Total 107 100
Respondents’ frequency of visit to retail stores in a month
Once in a week 29 27.1
Once in a two week 8 7.5
Once in a month 12 11.2
Occasionally 29 27.1
Frequently 29 27.1
Total 107 100
Source: Primary Data

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Vol. 6, No.7, pp. 1487-1496.

Interpretation

It is evident from Table.No-2 that, Big Bazaar is the preferred choice of retail chain stores by 44.9
percent of respondents and Spencer’s is the next preferred choice of retail chain stores by 18.7
percent of respondents. 38.3 percent of respondents’ residence is located 5 to 6 KM distance away
to the organized retail store and 13.1 percent of respondents said that they have below 2 KM
distance between their home and the organized retail store. 29.9 percent of respondents have an
average monthly grocery bill of Rs.2000 to Rs.3000 in organized retail stores and 3.7 percent of
respondents have the highest average monthly grocery bill of above Rs.5000 in organized retail
stores. Frequency of visit to the retail stores by 27.1 percent of respondents in a month is once in a
week and same 27.1 percent of respondent visits occasionally and at frequent intervals respectively.
7.5 percent of respondents said that their frequency of visit to the retail stores is once in a two
week.

Table.No- 3: Reasons for Selecting the Particular Retail Store

S.No. Reasons Friedman’s Mean Rank

1 Convenient store location and accessibility 6.03 3
2 Spacious and secured parking area 6.32 2
3 Good store ambience and atmosphere 5.06 8
4 Store operating hours 5.44 5
5 Staff co-operation and courteous 4.13 10
6 Larger varieties and deep assortment of merchandise 4.97 9
7 High quality fruits and vegetables 5.32 6
8 Merchandise quality 5.28 7
9 Affordable and moderate price 5.70 4
10 Fast check out /no waiting for billing 6.78 1
Source: Primary Data

Interpretation

According to the Friedman’s ranking, fast check out or no waiting for billing stood first rank as a
reason for selecting the particular retail store by the respondents with Friedman’s mean score of
6.78. Spacious, secured parking area and convenient store location & accessibility stood second and
third reason respectively for selecting the particular retail store. Staff co-operation and courteous
has the least Friedman’s mean score of 4.13 which stood as tenth reason for selecting the particular
retail store. Larger varieties and deep assortment of merchandise is the next least reason for
selecting the particular retail store.

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Table. No- 4: Area of Residence Wise Dimensional Gap of Retail Service

Quality

Dimensions of Retail Service Quality Area of Residence

Urban Rural Total
Expectation Mean 1.905 1.942 1.943
I. Physical S.D 0.354 0.304 0.304
Aspects
Perception Mean 1.938 1.957 1.947
S.D 0.242 0.204 0.223
Total Expectation Mean Score – Total -0.004
Perception Mean Score = Gap Score
Expectation Mean 1.98 2.0 2
S.D 0.14 0.242 0.242
II. Reliability Perception Mean 2 2.021 2.01
S.D 0 0.145 0.103
Total Expectation Mean Score – Total -0.01
Perception Mean Score = Gap Score
Expectation Mean 2.039 2.039 2.039
S.D 0.280 0.240 0.240
III. Personal Perception Mean 2 1.977 1.989
Interaction S.D 0 0.149 0.104
Total Expectation Mean Score – Total 0.05
Perception Mean Score = Gap Score
Expectation Mean 1.921 1.862 1.863
IV. Problem S.D 0.392 0.423 0.423
Solving Perception Mean 1.804 1.956 1.88
S.D 0.401 0.362 0.387
Total Expectation Mean Score – Total -0.017
Perception Mean Score = Gap Score
Expectation Mean 2.0 2 2
S.D 0.282 0.299 0.299
V. Policy Perception Mean 1.978 2.022 2
S.D 0.147 0.263 0.212
Total Expectation Mean Score – Total 0
Perception Mean Score = Gap Score
Source: Primary Data

Interpretation

It is inferred from the above table that, Retail Service Quality dimension of physical aspect has
respondent’s highest perceived mean of 1.947 than an expected mean score of 1.943 and dimension
of reliability has respondent’s highest perceived mean score of 2.01 than the expected mean score
of 2, followed by dimension of problem solving has respondent’s highest perceived mean of 1.88
than the expected mean score of 1.863. Dimension of policy has the equivalent perceived mean
score to expected mean score of 2. It is evident that, only in the dimension of personal interaction
has the lowest perceived mean of 1.989 than the expected mean score of 2.039.

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Vol. 6, No.7, pp. 1487-1496.

Table. No- 5: Respondents’ Plan to Return to the Store

Respondents’ plan to return to the store Frequency Percentage

Yes 98 91.6
No 9 8.4
Total 107 100
Source: Primary Data

Interpretation

91.6 percent of the respondents said that they return to retail stores in future and 8.4 percent of the
respondents said that they do not return to retail stores.

Table. No- 6: Respondents’ Preference to Refer Retail Stores to their

Neighbourhood and Friends

Respondents’ preference to refer retail stores Frequency Percentage

Yes 97 90.65
No 10 9.35
Total 107 100
Source: Primary Data

Interpretation

90.65 percent of the respondents said that they are preferred to refer retail stores to their
neighbourhood and friends and 9.35 percent of the respondents said that they are not preferred to
refer retail stores to their neighbourhood and friends.

V. Results
It is found that 50.5 percent of the respondents’ area of residence is in urban and 54.2 percent of
respondents are male. Majority of respondents (22.4 percent) are belongs to the age category of less
than 25 years and 29.9 percent of respondents have an educational qualification of under graduate.
As far as concerned with present employment status, majority of the respondents (36.4 percent) are
homemakers. 32.7 percent of respondents have monthly income of below Rs.20, 000 and 60.75
percent of respondents are living as nuclear family. 45.8 percent of respondents said that their
family consists of below three members and 87.85 percent of respondents said that they usually buy
from neighbourhood kirana stores and 44.9 percent of respondents have an average monthly
grocery bill of Rs.1501 to Rs.2000 in kirana stores. Big Bazaar is the preferred choice of retail
chain stores by 44.9 percent of respondents. 38.3 percent of respondents’ residence is located 5 to 6
KM distance away to the organized retail store. 29.9 percent of respondents have an average
monthly grocery bill of Rs.2000 to Rs.3000 in organized retail stores. Frequency of visit to the
retail stores by 27.1 percent of respondents in a month is once in a week and same 27.1 percent of
respondent visits occasionally and at frequent intervals respectively. According to the Friedman’s
ranking fast check out or no waiting for billing stood first rank as a reason for selecting the
particular retail store with Friedman’s mean score of 6.78. Retail Service Quality dimension of
physical aspect has respondent’s highest perceived mean of 1.947 than the expected mean score of

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Vol. 6, No.7, pp. 1487-1496.

1.943. 91.6 percent of the respondents said that they return to retail stores in future. 90.65 percent
of the respondents said that they are preferred to refer retail stores to their neighbourhood and
friends.

VI. Discussions
Big Bazaar is the preferred choice of retail chain stores by majority of respondents being the fact
that fast check out /no waiting for billing and spacious and secured parking area. Larger varieties
and deep assortment of merchandise and staff co-operation and courteous are found to be lack in
organised retail stores. It is suggested that organised retail stores need to take appropriate measures
to keep larger varieties and deep assortment of merchandise and improvement of staff co-operation
and courteous. It is evident that, only in the Retail Service Quality dimension of personal
interaction has the lowest perceived mean than an expected mean score. It is suggested that staff of
retail stores to have utmost care in the personal interaction and moment of truth. It is very important
for an organised retail stores to have good personal interaction with customers in order to have
repeated purchase and a positive word of mouth reference from customers.

VII. Conclusion
This present study is very relevant in today’s retailing context and will form basis for the
measurement of Retail Service Quality with respect to different organised retail store set up by
applying RSQS. Retail Service Quality with respect to Big Bazaar retail store is measured through
different statistical tools like Mean, Standard deviation, Friedman’s Ranking Techniques and
Compare Means in terms of five dimensions of RSQS. This enabled the researcher in suggesting
the retail store operators in five dimensions of Retail Service Quality to ensure that the best retail
service quality is offered to the customers.

XI. References
Finn, D.W. and Lamb, C.W., An evaluation of the SERVQUAL scale in a retailing setting, in
Holman, R. and Solomon, M.R. (Eds), Advances in Consumer Research, Association for
Consumer Research, Provo, UT, pp. 483-90, (1991).

Kaul, Subhashini, Measuring retail service quality: Examining applicability of international

research perspectives in India, IIMA Working Papers, (2005).

Uusitalo, O., 2001. Consumer Perception of Grocery Retail Formats and Brands. International
Journal of Retail and Distribution Management, 29 (5), 214-226.

Thirumal Azhagan & Dr. P. S. Nagarajan (2011), Analytical Study On Retail Service Quality Of
Organized Retail Sector In Trichy. Amet Journal of Management, July – Dec 2011,
pp 75-83.

John William & S. Prabakar (2012), A Study on Customer Perception on Retail Service Quality In
Select Organized Retail Stores in Coimbatore City. International Journal of Retail
Management and Research (ISSN 2277-4750) Vol. 2 Issue 3 Sep 2012 pp1-10.

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Vol. 6, No.7, pp. 1487-1496.

Gagliano K.B. and Jan Hathcote (1994). “Customer Expectations and Perceptions of Service
Quality in Retail Apparel Specialty Stores,” Journal of Services Marketing, 8 (1), 60-69.

Dabholkar, P., Thorpe, D. & Rentz, J. (1996) 'A Measure of Service Quality for Retail Stores: Scale
Development and Validation', Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 24 (1),
pp.3-16.

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