대형마트의 농수산물 시간 가격할인에 관한 연구 (The Optimal Level of Time Sale Discount:The Case of Fresh Foods at Discount Stores)

서지정보

· 발행기관 : 한국유통학회
· 수록지 정보 : 유통연구 / 24권 / 2호 / 91 ~ 112페이지
· 저자명 : 김건아, 양승룡

초록

소매 유통업체는 시간에 따라 가격을 할인하는 시간 가격할인(time sale) 마케팅을 빈번하게 활용하고 있다. 시간 가격할인의 목적은 크게 재고처리와 매출 증대로 구분되며, 각 목적을 달성하기 위해 구매 시점별 가격할인율에 차이를 둠으로써 가격 차별화 마케팅을 시행한다. 그러나 시간 가격할인 마케팅을 사용할 때 과도한 가격할인은 상품의 이미지를 떨어뜨리는 등 부정적인 효과가 나타날 수 있다. 따라서 소매 유통업체의 시간 가격할인 마케팅을 효과적으로 운영하기 위해서는 소비자들의 시간 가격할인에 대한 인식과 구매 시점별 요구할인율을 분석하고, 이를 토대로 최적 가격할인율을 적용하는 것이 중요하다.
본 연구의 목적은 최적 가격할인율을 도출하는 방법을 제시하고, 대형마트를 대상으로 시간대별 최적 가격할인율의 수리계획법을 통해 도출하는 데 있다. 소비자 설문 분석결과, 대부분 소비자는 시간 가격할인에 대해 인지하고 구매 경험이 있으나, 품질 및 브랜드 가치의 하락 효과가 있을 것으로 우려하는 소비자가 많았다. 이는 시간 가격할인에 있어 최적 가격할인율을 적용하는 것이 중요함을 의미한다. 분석결과, 소비자들은 마감 시간이 임박할수록 가격이 비탄력적인 것으로 분석되었다. 또한, 최적 가격할인율은 현행 가격할인율보다 높은 수준인 것으로 나타났다. 현재 대형마트의 가격할인율은 최적 수준이 아니며 현재 가격할인 수준보다 할인율을 높이는 것이 소비자의 구매를 증가시키고, 매출을 높일 수 있을 것으로 분석되었다. 본 연구에서 사용한 최적 가격할인율 도출 방법은 대형마트나 소매업체의 시간 가격할인 전략을 보다 효과적으로 디자인하는데 도움이 될 것이다.

영어초록

Time sale is a frequently used marketing tool for food retailers. The goal of time sale is twofold: optimal inventory control and sales volume. The purpose of time-sale as a tool of inventory control can decrease the inventory cost. On the other hand, time sale promotes sales by setting different discount rate at each point of time through the impulse shopping of consumer. And retailers can maximize profit through price differentiation strategies over time.
However, an excessive discount rate can also result in negative effects. It may detract the image of the goods and it also triggers the customers to doubt on the quality of the goods. Therefore, one must determine the optimal price discount rate for the time that reflects the consumer’s willingness to pay. It is very important not only to help maximize the profit of retailers, but also to increase consumers’ utility.
In this study, we conduct an interview with supervisor and professionals of hypermarket on the target product that is used for the time sale marketing in order to grasp the time sale operation status. Based on the results of the consumer survey, we estimate demand functions and optimal price discount rates. The result of the study can provide useful information to retailers in finding the optimal price differentiation strategies for each time interval.
There are many kinds of researches done previously on finding the optimal price discount rate, but it is hard to find the research suggesting the optimal price discount rate reflecting customers’ willingness to pay on their purchasing point of time. This study derives the demand function by the purchasing point of time and presents the optimal price discount rate through the research result.
This study tries to determine the optimal price discount rate by time from two optimization models, 1) Revenues Maximization 2) Profit Maximization, by using the demand function of purchasing point of time. Let be the normal price without time sale discount. When the price discount rate of a specific purchase time at t is , the sales quantity of the product is determined by equation (2). At this point, is the intercept term of demand function by purchasing point of time and is the coefficient value of the price.
































































































































formula (2)

Revenues maximization was measured by using the demand function reflecting purchasing point of time. In the case of cost minimization, it is assumed that all remaining items after the time sale are discarded. Therefore retailers’ cost can be divided into sales loss of unsold fresh food and disposal cost. Finally, profit maximization function takes both revenue and cost into consideration. However, the cost minimization function is not presented separately in the paper, but it is used to calculate profit maximization function.
The results show that consumers are less sensitive to the quality of fresh foods sold through time sale than the quality of fresh foods without time sale. From table 2, the result implies that most of the consumers are insensitive to the quality of fresh foods on time sale. On the other hand, there are some 37% of consumers who are sensitive to the quality of the products. The purpose of this article is to investigate the optimal discount rate which can be attractive to both of our consumer groups who are sensitive and insensitive to the quality of the products on time sale. Therefore, finding out the optimal discount rate of time sale product enables retailers to take into consideration consumer’s preference in the process of profit maximization.
Based on the average discount rate required by time, we estimate the price elasticity and demand function in response to different purchasing time which reflects consumers willingness to pay. The result shows that the demand becomes price inelastic as the closing time approaches. Even though the discount rate drops rapidly, consumption responding to the time sale increases at the speed which is slower than the reduction of price due to time sale. The reason behind the price of time sale products being inelastic is that utility from price reduction is smaller than the one from quality reduction as the closing time approaches. Using the econometric analysis, the result implies that consumers consider both price and quality of time sale products when buying which is in line with the result from the consumer survey.
The main results of this study are as follows. First, we investigate consumers' preference of time sale products. According to the result of the consumer survey, the most important thing to consider is the price when purchasing a time sale product, but the importance of quality is also highlighted. Second, we estimate the demand functions of purchasing point in time for three categories. Using econometric analysis, the closer the deadline was, the more inelastic the price was. Finally, we used the mathematical optimization model to measure the optimal price discount rate for maximizing revenue and maximizing profits. The result implies that the higher discount rates compared to the one in current price policy need to be applied in order to maximize the profit and revenue.
Research results suggest that time-sales representatives need to determine the optimal price discount rate to reflect consumers' willingness to pay under the profit maximization as a way for effective time-sale marketing.
There are various constraints and limitations in our research. However, it is the first attempt to derive the optimal price discount rate reflecting consumers' willingness to pay. And this result will be beneficial to all retailers of hypermarkets and consumers. In the future, our research will further develop the present model.
The results in table 3 imply that the consumer’s intertemporal preference has an influence on the willingness to pay for the time sale products. The analysis for the consumers’ demand discount rates shows that as the store closing time approaches, the required discount rate increases.
Using the estimated demand functions, we estimate the optimal discount rate of the three categories of agricultural products. The calculation result is presented in table 5. The difference between price policy that is implemented by the hypermarkets and the optimal discount rate under the revenue maximization falls into the range of 22.8% to 28.6%. Regarding the optimal discount rate under the profit maximization, the difference in the range becomes larger from 22.8% to 52.2%. The difference between the optimal discount rate under profit and revenue maximization is that profit maximization considers the minimizing waste disposal cost. The current price policy does not optimize time sale discount rate. Thus, the result suggests retailers to present higher time sale discount rate in order to maximize the profit. If the optimal discount rate by the profit maximization function is applied, the profit increases by 136.2% to 227.2% than the current discount rate.

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