Benefit segmentation of the container shipping market in Turkey

Balci G., Çetin İ. B.

MARITIME POLICY & MANAGEMENT, cilt.47, sa.6, ss.797-814, 2020 (SSCI) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 47 Sayı: 6
  • Basım Tarihi: 2020
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1080/03088839.2020.1729436
  • Dergi Adı: MARITIME POLICY & MANAGEMENT
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, Aerospace Database, Aquatic Science & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), Business Source Elite, Business Source Premier, Communication Abstracts, EconLit, Environment Index, Geobase, Metadex, PAIS International, Pollution Abstracts, Public Affairs Index, DIALNET, Civil Engineering Abstracts
  • Sayfa Sayıları: ss.797-814
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: Segmentation, b2b marketing, container shipping, benefit segments, factor analysis, cluster analysis, CUSTOMER SEGMENTATION, RELATIONSHIP QUALITY, CLUSTER-ANALYSIS, SERVICES, DIFFERENTIATION, SATISFACTION, CRITERIA, LOYALTY
  • Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Marketing policies have gained more importance in container shipping as the industry experiences challenges arising from commoditization. Market segmentation is fundamental to marketing policies, yet it needs a detailed analysis in container shipping. Accordingly, this paper aims to explore homogenous customer groups in container shipping by conducting a segmentation analysis, which can help container lines apply more efficient marketing policies. A survey study is conducted on 356 shippers in Turkey. The study develops five reliable and valid selection criteria factors and applies cluster analysis based on the selection criteria factors. The cluster analysis produces a total of six benefit segments which are differentiable. The segments are significantly identified by the demographic characteristics of shippers. The paper suggests several implications for the marketing policies of container lines.