Emerging from my youth – intra-cohort segmentation
International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management
ISSN: 0959-0552
Article publication date: 3 June 2019
Issue publication date: 3 June 2019
Abstract
Purpose
Using the millennial cohort the purpose of this paper is to assess differences in shopping mall behaviour between three intra-cohorts groups: adolescents (13–17), emerging adults (18–23) and young adults (24–30+).
Design/methodology/approach
Using a self-administered questionnaire, respondents were recruited through random customer intercepts at a major shopping mall in a capital city in Australia using a team of trained research assistants. After initial descriptive between group examinations, discriminant analysis was applied to verify group membership.
Findings
Results show significant differences between groups. Attitudes based upon mall attributes varied significantly, along with expenditure and other behaviour. The study provides evidence of transitional differences within a generational cohort as mall consumers mature.
Research limitations/implications
It serves as a focus for researchers to more actively consider intra-cohort segmentation relating to other generational cohorts.
Practical implications
Findings show that emerging adults to be moving away from attending the mall, which means, this group may be lost if retailers are not more proactive in attracting them or at least maintaining them. Coupling this with the group’s transition towards young adulthood, and the fact that these young adults are less likely to go to the mall there is a degree of urgency to develop strategies to keep this transition group engaged if financially feasible.
Originality/value
This research is important to ongoing theoretical perspectives of cohort theory and life cycle positions through its application to a more nuanced examination of the millennials cohort.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Erratum: It has come to the attention of the publisher that the article Robin Pentecost, Suné Donoghue and Park Thaichon, ‘Emerging from my youth – intra-cohort segmentation’ published in the International Journal of Retail and Distribution Management, Volume 47, Issue 5, contained an affiliation error for the author Suné Donoghue. This error was introduced in the editorial process and has now been corrected in the online version. The publisher sincerely apologises for this error and for any inconvenience caused.
Citation
Pentecost, R., Donoghue, S. and Thaichon, P. (2019), "Emerging from my youth – intra-cohort segmentation", International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, Vol. 47 No. 5, pp. 571-588. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJRDM-06-2018-0113
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited