Measuring brand equity of cosmetic chain stores by hybrid multiple criteria decision making methods

This study evaluates brand equity criteria divided into five dimensions (product, service quality, sales strategy, the professional sales personnel's ability and corporate image), using 20 indicators in a questionnaire, for analysis using the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP). Frequent patrons of cosmetics chain stores are selected as the subjects for the questionnaire‐based survey, and the data analysed using the VIKOR method to rank the preference for five cosmetics chain stores in the following order: The Body Shop, Skin Food, Etude House, Candy Shop and The Face Shop. The results of the analysis using FAHP indicate that consumers' are mostly influenced by the products sold in a cosmetics store and least influenced by the manufacturer's corporate image.