Marketing management strategies in roadside craft markets in Umkhanyakude municipal area, KwaZulu-Natal.

Abstract

This study explored processes, marketing and management styles employed by stall holders at the roadside markets of Umkhanyakude municipal area. The first aim of the study was to find types of traditional artifacts that are commonly sold at the roadside markets. The second aim was to find out if the members of roadside markets were aware of their target market. The third aim was to uncover the marketing strategies employed and the understanding of their principles by the respondents in relation to the success with their sales. Nine roadside markets were visited out of which only seven were willing to be investigated. From each roadside market 50% of the members present at the time of research formed the sample for this study. Focus group discussions were held with the management committees. These discussions were looking at the management and policy issues followed by roadside markets when employing the marketing principles in their daily operations. The research was conducted by using personal observations of the roadside markets by the researcher, focus group discussions which involved discussions between the researcher and the management structures of the various roadside markets, attending meetings to enable a critical understanding of the level at which the markets operate, and a questionnaire that was administered to the stallholders of the seven markets. The combination of qualitative and quantitative research provided a framework of how the roadside markets operate in promoting and selling their products to customers. A questionnaire translated into Isizulu was used and the results were analyzed using the SSPS model. Findings suggested that the roadside markets have their marketing strategies of which some are basically the marketing mix and some originate from their way of life. The members of the roadside markets have a lesser understanding of the marketing strategy in relation to product development and packaging, costing and pricing, promotion and target market awareness. The management teams of the markets with an understanding of business management knowledge were instrumental in contributing to better performance of the markets. Management committees that had been exposed to capacity building and training showed better skill levels compared to those that had not had the exposure.