우리나라는 세계 어느 나라보다도 빠른 고령화 현상으로 인해 전체 인구 중 노년층이 차지하는 비율이 급속히 증가하고 있다. 또한 베이비부머들은 50대에 접어들었고, 이들이 은퇴를 본격적으로 시작하는 2010년부터 20여 년간 1800만 명에 이르게 될 것이다. 따라서 고령사회에 대비하여 이들 노년층시장에 대한 기업과 소매점들의 새로운 전략이 필요한데, 노년층에 대한 점포선택행동에 관한 연구는 거의 없는 편이다.
본 연구는 노년층 소비자의 편의품(일상용품과 생필품) 구매에 있어 소매점 선택요인을 파악하는 것이며, 이를 위해 아래와 같이 세 집단으로 선택요인 변수 집단을 구분하였다. 첫째, 소매점 선택 시 중요하게 생각하는 소매점 요인 변수: 노년층 소비자가 편의품 구매 시, 중요하게 생각하는 소매점의 특성 및 서비스특징에 관한 변수(이하 F 집단). 둘째, 자주 이용하는 소매점이 보유하고 있는 소매점 요인 변수: 설문응답자가 자주 이용하는 소매점의 특성 및 서비스특징에 관한 변수(이하 G 집단). 셋째, 소매점이 일반적으로 가지고 있는 소매점 요인 변수: 설문응답자가 평소 소매점 이용 시 해당 소매점이 보유하고 있는 특성 및 서비스특성에 관한 변수(이하 H 집단).
위와 같이 ‘소매점 요인 변수’를 세 가지로 구분하여, 소매점 선택요인 변수(편리성, 위치, 물리적 환경, 서비스특성, 품질과 가격)와 노화에 따른 변화(건강, 활동성, 인지적 나이) 변수 간의 관계를 경로분석을 통해 분석하였다. 이는 노년층 소비자를 대상으로 마케팅전략을 수립하는 기업들에게 지표로 사용될 수 있을 것이다.
Korea has already passed the aging society and is entering the aged society. Currently, the elderly population is rapidly rising worldwide and their assets are also steadily increasing. This fact presents important implications to businesses interested in the elderly market. It implies that the absolute size of this market, as well as its purchasing power, is increasing. In other words, it means that servicing the elderly, or the elderly industry, is on the rise as one of the most important markets for businesses. However, on the other hand, it is also a fact that even the corporations in advanced nations have not been able to effectively penetrate the elderly market.
The reason for this is that, although the importance of the elderly market is being accepted by businesses in recent times, they lack understanding of this market and thus are unable to appropriately deal with it or have handled it in inadequate ways. In general, the elderly class has been known, according to past stereotyping, as a small group with limited economic power that does not spend a lot of money. Under such a stereotype, it is natural that the elderly market is ignored by businesses. Of course many elderly people still experience hardship under difficult economic situations, but many of them have been able to accumulate wealth from the results of rapid economic development and their numbers are quickly expanding.
As aging progresses, the elderly experience many changes in various aspects of life which they did not experience when younger, and desires based on such changes create demand for new products and services. These days the elderly market to satisfy such demand is rapidly developing and for businesses, this market is rising up as an important strategic market.
Especially the baby boomer generation is just entering their 50s and its size is not small, making up 38% of the population. They are full of desire to leisurely enjoy the remainder of their years and have the financial ability to do so. For 20 years starting in 2010 when they begin to retire in significant numbers, businesses will encounter a huge consumer group of 18 million people.
Despite this development, information about the elderly class, compared with other age groups, is very inadequate and there is virtually no knowledge about how to approach this group.
In order to prepare for an aged society, corporations and retailers that deal with the elderly need a new strategy. However, research on the elderly regarding their store choice behavior is almost non-existent.
This paper aims to identify the factors in choosing retail stores when elderly consumers purchase convenience goods, and for that purpose, classified the determinant variables into the following three groups.
1.Variables that consumers think are important when choosing retail stores: variables that deal with the characteristics and services of retail stores which elderly consumers think are important when purchasing convenience goods (every day supplies and necessities) (group F). 2.Variables that are found in retail stores frequented by the elderly: variables that deal with the characteristics and services of retail stores which are frequented by the survey respondents (group G). 3.Variables that retail stores generally possess: variables that deal with the characteristics and services possessed by retail stores which are used by the survey respondents during ordinary times(group H). The “retail store factor variables” were thus divided into three groups, and the relationship between retail store determinant variables (convenience, location, physical environment, service characteristics, quality and price) and change variables that indicate aging (health, activity, cognitive age) was analyzed through a path analysis.
Thus with health and service characteristics, all three groups have significant relationships. This explains that, in the case of health, it is a very important variable independent of group classification. Relationship between health and physical environment (F, G), health and quality and price (F, G), activity and quality and price (F, G), activity and convenience (G, H), cognitive age and service characteristics (F, H), cognitive age and convenience (F, G), and cognitive age and position (F, H) can also be considered important. Moreover, just like the relationships between health and position or cognitive age and physical environment, the independently significant H and F groups can also be considered meaningful.
Lastly, with activity and service characteristics, physical environment and activity, “quality and price” and cognitive age, health and convenience, position and activity, all three groups were found to be variables without any influence.
The result of the study will be very useful in establishing the relevant elderly marketing strategies and in providing the business opportunities of the market for elderly consumers.