Linking customer loyalty to customer satisfaction and store image: a structural model for retail stores
- 655 Downloads
- 10 Citations
Abstract
Customer loyalty has become a major concern for retail stores across the globe. A loyal customer is a source of competitive advantage through repeat purchase and positive word of mouth. India is on the verge of a retail revolution with the government planning to allow the entry of foreign retail giants to set up shops in India. The specific objective of this research was to develop an empirical model linking customer loyalty to customer satisfaction and store image. Based on the data collected from customers with leading supermarkets in India, a structural model was developed explaining 76.2 % of the variance in the customer loyalty. The study validated the measurement model of customer satisfaction and studied its impact on customer loyalty. The store image was also seen to have a positive impact on customer loyalty through the mediating variable customer satisfaction.
Keywords
Customer satisfaction Customer loyalty Store image Retail stores India Structural equation modelsReferences
- Anderson E, Mittal V (2000) Strengthening the satisfaction-profit chain. J Serv Res 3:107–120Google Scholar
- Anderson EW, Sullivan MW (1993) The antecedents and consequences of customer satisfaction. Mark Sci 12(Spring):125–143Google Scholar
- Anderson EW, Fornell C, Lehmann DR (1994) Customer satisfaction, market share, and profitability: findings from Sweden. J Mark 58(3):53–66CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Anton J (1996) Customer relationship management: making hard decisions with soft numbers. Prentice-Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJGoogle Scholar
- Arnold SJ, Oum TH, Tigert DJ (1983) Determinant attributes in retail patronage: seasonal, temporal, regional, and international comparisons. J Mark Res 20:149–157CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Baltas G, Papastathopoulou P (2003) Shopper characteristics, product and store choice criteria: a survey in the Greek grocery sector. Int J Retail Distribution Manag 31(10):498–507CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Bentler PM (1990) Comparative fit indexes in structural models. Psychol Bull 107(2):238–246CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Bentler PM, Bonnett DG (1980) Significance tests and goodness of fit in the analysis of covariance structures. Psychol Bull 88:588–600CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Bitner M (1992) Servicescapes: the impact of physical surroundings on customers and employees. J Mark 56(2):57–71CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Bloemer JMM, Kasper, HDP (1995) The complex relationship between consumer satisfaction and brand loyalty. J Econ Psychol 16:311–329 Google Scholar
- Bloemer J, De Ruyter K, Peeters P (1998) Investigating drivers of bank loyalty, the complex relationship between image, service quality and satisfaction. Int J Bank Mark 16(7):276–286CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Bolton RN, Drew JH (1991) A longitudinal analysis of the impact of service changes on customer attitudes. J Mark 55:1–9CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Bolton RN, Drew JH (1994) Linking customer satisfaction to service operations and outcomes. In: Rust RT, Oliver RL (eds) Service quality: new directions in theory and practice. pp 173–200Google Scholar
- Brown JD (2001) Segmentation correlates for small grocery chain preference. J Food Prod Mark 6(4):53–62CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Chernev A (2006) Decision focus and consumer choice among assortments. J Consumer Res 33(1):50–59CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Churchill GA Jr, Surprenant C (1982) An investigation into the determinants of customer satisfaction. J Mark Res 19(November):491–504CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Clottey T, Collier D, Stodnick M (2008) Drivers of customer loyalty in a retail store environment. J Serv Sci 1(1):35–48Google Scholar
- Cox AD, Cox D (1990) Competing on price: the role on retail price in shaping store-price image. J Retail 66:428–445Google Scholar
- Desai KK, Talukdar D (2003) Relationship between product groups’ price perceptions, shopper’s basket size, and grocery store’s overall store price image. Psychol Mark 20(10):903–933CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Dick AS, Basu K (1994) Customer loyalty: toward an integrated conceptual framework. J Acad Mark Sci 22(99–113):15pGoogle Scholar
- Doyle P, Fenwick I (1974–1975) How store image affects shopping habits in grocery chains. J Retail 50(4):39–52Google Scholar
- Eugene S, Baker-Prewitt JL (2000) An examination of the relationship between service quality, customer satisfaction and store loyalty. Int J Retail Distribution Manag 28(2):73–82CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Fornell C, Johnson MD, Anderson EW, Cha J, Bryant BE (1996) The American customer satisfaction index: nature, purpose and findings. J Mark 60:7–18Google Scholar
- Gagliano KB, Hathcote J (1994) Customer expectations and perceptions of service quality in retail apparel specialty stores. J Serv Mark 8(1):60–70CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Garton PA (1995) Store loyal? A view of ‘differential congruence’. Int J Retail Distribution Manag 23(12):29–35Google Scholar
- Giese JL, Cote JA (2000) Defining consumer satisfaction. Academy of Marketing Science Review, vol 1, pp 1–24. ABI/INFORM Global database (Document ID: 434042051). Accessed 20 May 2008Google Scholar
- Gomez MI, McLaughlin EW, Wittink DR (2004) Customer satisfaction and retail sales performance: an empirical investigation. J Retail 80(4):265–278CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Gourville JT, Soman D (2005) Overchoice and assortment type: when and why variety backfires. Mark Sci 24(3):382–395CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Hair JF Jr, Anderson RE, Tatham RL, Black WC (1998) Multivariate data analysis, 5th edn. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle RiverGoogle Scholar
- Hatcher L (1994) A step by step approach to using the SAS system for factor analysis and structural equation modelling. SAS Institute Inc, CaryGoogle Scholar
- Hee-Su K, Yoon CH (2004) Determinants of subscriber churn and customer loyalty in the Korean mobile telephony market. Telecommun Policy 28(10):751–765Google Scholar
- Ho R (2006) A handbook of univariate and multivariate data analysis and interpretation with SPSS. Francis and Taylor, Boca RatonCrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Hoch SJ, Bradlow ET, Wansink B (1999) The variety of an assortment. Mark Sci 18(4):527–546CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Huber F, Herrmann A, Wricke M (2001) Customer satisfaction as an antecedent of price acceptance: results of an empirical study. J Prod Brand Manag 10(3):160–169CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Huddleston P, Whipple JM, van Auken A (2004) Food store loyalty: application of a consumer loyalty framework. J Target Meas Anal Mark 12(3):213–230CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Iacobucci D, Ostrom A, Grayson K (1995) Distinguishing service quality and customer satisfaction: the voice of the consumer. J Consumer Psychol 4(3):277–303CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Joreskog KG, Sorbom D (1989) LISREL 7: a guide to program and applications, 2nd edn. SPSS, ChicagoGoogle Scholar
- Kasper H (1988) On problem perception, dissatisfaction and brand loyalty. J Econ Psychol 9(3):387–397Google Scholar
- Knox SD, Denison TJ (2000) Store loyalty: its impact on retail revenue: an empirical study of purchasing behaviour in the UK. J Retail Consumer Serv 7:33–45CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- King CW, Ring LJ (1980) Market positioning across retail fashion institutions: a comparative analysis of store types. J Retail 56(1):37–55Google Scholar
- LaBarbera PA, Mazursky D (1983) A longitudinal assessment of consumer satisfaction, dissatisfaction: the dynamic aspect of cognitive process. J Mark Res 20:393–404Google Scholar
- Lumpkin JR, McConkey CW (1984) Identifying determinants of store choice of fashion shoppers. Akron Business Econ Rev 15(4):36–55Google Scholar
- MacMillan K, Money K, Downing S, Hillenbrand C (2005) Reputation in relationships: measuring experiences, emotions and behaviors. Corp Reput Rev 8(2):214–232CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Maddox RN (1977) Consumers’ satisfaction with supermarkets: a factor analytic study. In: Day RL (ed) Consumer satisfaction, dissatisfaction and complaining behavior. Division of Research, School of Business, Indiana University, Bloomington, pp 163–166Google Scholar
- Miranda MJ, Konya L, Havrila I (2005) Shoppers’ satisfaction levels are not the only key to store loyalty. Mark Intell Plan 23(2):220–232CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Mitchell VW, Kiral RH (1998) Primary and secondary store-loyal customer perceptions of grocery retailers. British Food J 100(7):312–319Google Scholar
- Newman AJ, Cullen P (2001) From retail theatre to retail food show: the shrinking face of grocery. British Food J 103(7):443–452CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Oliva T, Oliver RL, MacMillan IC (1992) A catastrophe model for developing service satisfaction strategies. J Mark 56:83–95CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Oliver RL (1997) Behavioral perspective on the consumer. McGraw-Hill, New YorkGoogle Scholar
- Parasuraman A, Zeithaml V, Berry L (1985) A conceptual model of service quality and its implications for future research. J Mark 49(4):41–50CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Parasuraman A, Zeithaml V, Berry L (1988) SERVQUAL: a multiple item scale for measuring customer perceptions of service quality. J Retail 64(1):12–40Google Scholar
- Ranaweera C, Neely A (2003) Best student paper some moderating effects on the service quality-customer retention link. Int J Oper Prod Man 23:230–248Google Scholar
- Reichheld FF (2003) The one number you need to grow. Harv Business Rev 485–491Google Scholar
- Reichheld FF, Sasser WE Jr (1990) Zero defections: quality comes to services. Harv Business Rev 68(5):105–111Google Scholar
- Rhee H, Bell DR (2002) The inter-store mobility of supermarket shoppers. J Retail 78(4):225–237CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Rust RT, Oliver RL (1994) Service quality: insights and managerial implications from the frontier. In: Rust RT, Oliver RL (eds) Service quality: new directions in theory and practice. Sage, California, pp 241–268Google Scholar
- Rust RT, Williams DC (1994) How length of patronage affects the impact of customer satisfaction on repurchase intention. J Consum Satisf Dissatisfaction Complain Behav 7:107–113Google Scholar
- Schuler M (2004) Management of the organizational image: a method for organizational image configuration. Corp Reput Rev 7(1):37–53CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Sirgy MJ (1985) Using self-conguity and ideal-congruity to predict purchase motivations. J Business Res 195–206Google Scholar
- Sirohi N, McLaughlin EW, Wittink DR (1998) A model of consumer perceptions and store loyalty intentions for a supermarket retailer. J Retail 74(2):223–245CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Sivadas V, Baker-Prewitt JL (2000) An examination of the relationship between service quality, store satisfaction and store loyalty. Int J Retail Distribution Manag 28(2):74–82Google Scholar
- Smith RE, Wright WF (2004) Determinants of customer loyalty and financial performance. J Manag Acc Res 16:p183–p205Google Scholar
- Taher A, Leigh TW, French WA (1996) Augmented retail services: the lifetime value of affection. J Business Res 35(3):217–228CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Tanaka JS (1993) Multifaceted conceptions of fit in structural equation models. In: Bollen KA, Long JS (eds) Testing structural equation models. Sage, Newbury ParkGoogle Scholar
- Tauber EM (1972) Why do people shop? J Mark 36(4):46–49CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- van Herpen E, Pieters R (2002) Research note: the variety of an assortment: an extension to the attribute-based approach. Mark Sci 21(3):331–341CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Weirs-Jenssen J, Stensaker B, Grogaard JB (2002) Student Satisfaction: towards an empirical deconstruction of the concept. Quality High Education 8(2):183–196CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Weiss AM, Anderson E, MacInnis DJ (1999) Reputation management as a motivation or sales structure decisions. J Mark 63:74–89CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Woodside AG, Frey LL, Daly RT (1989) Linking service quality, patient satisfaction and behavioural intention. J Health Care Mark 7(March):61–68Google Scholar
- Zabala I, Panadero G, Gallardo L, Amate C, Sanchez-Galindo M, Tena I, Villalba I (2005) Corporate reputation in professional services firms: reputation management based on intellectual capital management. Corp Reput Rev 8(1):59–71CrossRefGoogle Scholar
- Zeithaml VA (2000) Service quality, profitability, and the economic worth of customers: what we know and what we don’t know. J Acad Mark Sci 28(1):67–85Google Scholar
- Zeithaml VA, Berry LL, Parasuraman A (1996) The behavioural consequences of service quality. J Mark Manag 60(April):31–46Google Scholar