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Retail store loyalty is essential to the survival and success of a retailer. The intangible benefits provided by the social exchange in-store influence the way consumers consider their relationships with the retailer. However, its relationships with social proximity and cultural factors are not clear. Therefore, this article investigates the effects of specific cultural dimensions on loyalty behaviour, as well as the mediating role of social proximity on the relationship investigated.

This research is based on an empirical investigation undertaken in Thailand with a sample of 636 respondents. Two retail chains were investigated (Big C and Tesco). Structural equation modelling was used to test the research model and a series of research hypotheses.

The results reveal that uncertainty avoidance and long-term orientation have positive direct effects on loyalty, while collectivism does not. Furthermore, social proximity significantly mediates the effects of collectivism and long-term orientation on customer loyalty. These findings show that Thailand is a specific emerging market in which retail chains should adapt their loyalty programme accordingly.

The cultural differences could be used for segmentation strategy for retailers to engage customers in a relationship with the hypermarket. Social proximity is an efficient lever to build loyalty in Thailand. In addition, retailers could utilise certainty and steadiness message as a way to build shopper loyalty.

This research underlines the social, human dimension that consumers seek, which is opposed to the online purchase. Specifically, this study highlights the mediating role of social proximity between the relationship of cultural variables and loyalty in the retail context. Additionally, this research displays the direct and positive effects of culture on retail loyalty. That is, this paper enhances how culture and shopper-retail staff interaction can be managed to achieve store loyalty.

Brand experience is a key factor that helps elucidate why consumers choose a given brand among others. The purpose this paper is to investigate how previous experience with store brands affects store brand purchase intention in two emerging markets and whether the cultural context moderates the relationships between store brand positive or negative cues and store brand purchase intention.

A store-intercept survey undertaken in the Latin American context generated 769 usable responses from consumers of two metropolitan cities (Brasilia and Bogota), respectively, in Brazil and Colombia. The questionnaires were collected in four well-established retail chains by professional investigators. Structural equation modelling was used to test a series of proposed hypotheses.

Overall, this paper reveals that consumers in Latin America do care about brand experience when shopping. More specifically, the results indicate that previous positive experience with store brands has a positive effect on consumer purchase intention in both countries investigated. In Brazil, store brand price perceptions mediate rather strongly the relationship between previous experience with store brands and purchase intention. In contrast, this effect is weak in Colombia. Store brand perceived risk has significant mediation effects in Brazil, but no mediation effects in Colombia. The authors also underline heterogeneous moderation effects of the cultural context, suggesting that common perceptions of Latin America as a culturally homogeneous region are stereotypical.

Respondents were consumers of only two Latin American emerging countries (Brazil and Colombia) and shoppers of two retail chains in each country. Caution should therefore be exercised when generalising the results to other emerging markets.

The paper offers recommendations on how to standardise/adapt brand experience management in different Latin American markets. Overall, retailers should go beyond the transaction itself and establish true differentiation using different store brand ranges. However, due to differences in cultural contexts, marketing communication should adopt different approaches to each country: emphasise the price advantages of store brands in Brazil, but focus on other factors such as quality in Colombia. Because they are culturally bound, risk perceptions towards store brands should also be managed carefully. It would be possible to target premium consumer segments with standard store brands in Colombia while a more sophisticated approach is necessary in Brazil (e.g. co-branding or launching more premium store brands).

By employing three theoretical frameworks (learning theory, cue utilisation theory and culture theory), this research investigates the effect of previous experience with store brands on purchase intention in two emerging countries that are geographically close but culturally different. It highlights direct and indirect processes of brand experience and underlines significant structural path differences between the two Latin American countries investigated in terms of consumption behaviour towards store brands.

The aim of this research is to investigate the positive effects of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on loyalty to retailers through trust dimensions (competence, benevolence and integrity) taking into account socio-cultural factors (social norms and collectivism) across nations.

The authors carried out three quantitative studies (N = 948) in three countries (France, Germany and the United Kingdom [UK]). They then used structural equation modelling to test the model and hypotheses.

The results show contingent positive effects of CSR perception on customer loyalty. They underscore indirect effects of CSR on loyalty through the mediation of specific dimensions of trust (competence, benevolence and integrity). The authors also identify significant moderations such that the effects of social norms on CSR and loyalty are stronger in France/Germany than in the UK. The effects of collectivism on CSR and loyalty are stronger in France than in Germany and the UK.

Retailers can rely on CSR and trust to increase loyalty directly. When communicating CSR activities, retailers have to account for cultural differences in their main markets and adopt adjusted strategies to convince consumers about their CSR efforts. Retailers should understand the social norms of their customers in order to determine the effectiveness of disclosing CSR initiatives.

Using a cross-cultural perspective, this article extends and enriches knowledge on the relationship between CSR, social norms and loyalty in retailing in different cultural settings. It also underscores the role of trust in building loyalty across nations.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors influencing customer loyalty to shopping centres across different emerging countries. Specifically, it seeks to determine how the cultural context moderates the direct effects of shopping centre perceived value and customer satisfaction on customer loyalty.

A shopping centre-intercept survey was conducted among 244 consumers in Morocco and 203 consumers in Tunisia. The proposed model was analysed using partial least squares path modelling.

The results demonstrate the impacts of perceived utilitarian and non-utilitarian value on customer satisfaction with a shopping centre, both moderated by the cultural context. Specifically, utilitarian, hedonic and relaxation values exert stronger influences on satisfaction in Tunisia than in Morocco; but socialisation value has a stronger impact on it in Morocco than in Tunisia. The influences of value dimensions on customer loyalty to the shopping centre do not vary between Tunisia and Morocco.

With these results shopping centre developers and retailers can develop more efficient strategies to target Maghreb emerging countries. For example, they should focus on factors that may increase the utilitarian, hedonic and relaxation values offered by shopping centres in Tunisia but address factors that facilitate socialisation value in Morocco.

By using a cross-culture perspective, this paper extends and enriches knowledge on shopping centre patronage in Maghreb countries. Also, it considers two non-utilitarian values (socialisation and relaxation), which are relevant in Maghreb countries.

International retailers operating in different emerging countries should figure out how their store image is perceived across these countries and whether they should adapt or standardise the retail offer. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how store image is perceived across different emerging markets and how it relates to customer knowledge cues and personal characteristics.

A store-intercept survey undertaken in Brazil and Vietnam generated 505 usable responses from customers of two metropolitan cities (Brasilia and Hanoi), respectively, in Brazil and Vietnam. The questionnaires were collected in Extra (Brazil) and Big C (Vietnam) retail chains belonging both to the same group (Casino, France).

Overall, this paper reveals that emerging market customers assess positively modern retail stores and are concerned about services, merchandise, and store layout when shopping. More specifically, the results indicate differences and similarities between Brazilian and Vietnamese customers in terms of store image attributes, store image dimensions, and overall store image. Moreover, customer knowledge of retailers affects store image perceptions at different levels in both countries. Also, significant differences arise across age, gender, and education in both countries, but not across household income categories.

Respondents were customers of only two emerging markets (Brazil and Vietnam) and shoppers of two retail chains (Extra and Big C). Caution should therefore be exercised when generalising the results to other emerging markets.

The paper shows both differences and similarities in store image perceptions in different emerging countries. Because store layout is more positively rated in Brazil than in Vietnam, retailers should be careful to that attribute. In both countries, to improve assortment perceptions, managers might focus on first price (budget) store brands, which can help diversify the assortment and attract less wealthy customers. The service dimension also demands careful management, but personnel training should mirror the local culture.

This research highlights differences and similarities between Brazilian and Vietnamese customers in terms of store image perceptions. It shows that store image mechanisms are similar in emerging countries as in developed countries. Furthermore, the paper is the first to relate store image perceptions to customer knowledge cues in emerging countries.

This study investigates how price, promotion and consumer characteristics affect consumer choice of high over medium- and low-equity cosmetic brand under different macroeconomic conditions.

The study uses purchase records from MarketingScan's Behaviour Scan panels (a GFK – Mediametrie Company) covering the period from 2008 to 2009. The panel analysed represents a sample of 2,149 households representative of the national population.

Results indicate that regular price and relative brand price increase high-equity cosmetic brand choice over both low- and medium-equity brands, while reference price decreases it. Brand feature promotion activity and joint promotion positively affect high-equity cosmetic brand choice, whereas display promotion decreases it. In comparison to medium-equity cosmetic brands, gender and education slightly increase high-equity cosmetic brand choice, while age decreases it. Surprisingly, household income does not affect high-equity cosmetic brand choice. The effect of regular price decreases over worsening macroeconomic conditions. However, the effect of relative brand price decreases between low and moderate contraction periods, but increases between moderate and high contraction times. Feature promotion is effective only when the contraction is moderate, while the negative effect of display promotion is stable over time.

The paper underlines the moderating role of macroeconomic conditions on the relationship between pricing decisions as well as promotion activity and consumer choice of high-equity cosmetic brands.

This research seeks to investigate how in-store mobile use affects store loyalty directly or indirectly via the mediation of store value and whether social influence moderates such relationships.

Based on a sample of 862 actual customers from a market research company panel, we used structural equation modelling to test a series of research hypotheses.

The results show a positive but weak effect of in-store smartphone use on loyalty. This effect is significantly mediated by the store’s hedonic and symbolic value dimensions, but not by its utilitarian value. This research also uncovers significant moderation effects of social influence on the relationships investigated. The effect of in-store smartphone use on store loyalty is stronger when social influence is lower. However, the effects of hedonic and symbolic store value are stronger when social influence is higher.

This research is carried out in one country (France). It focuses on social influence through in-store mobile phone use; it would also be useful to consider physical social influence.

Retailers should position their stores on specific value dimensions and use social influence appropriately to improve loyalty. For instance, utilitarian value should be offered to customers with low social influence. To prevent negative social influence, retailers could develop “controlled” social influence through their own private mobile app to favour interaction.

This research underlines the critical role of store value and social influence on the relationships between smartphone use and store loyalty. It shows that the effects of value dimensions (utilitarian, hedonic and symbolic) on loyalty differ depending on social influence level.

Brands can build meaningful, effective connections with consumers through digital influencers. This paper aims to understand the factors determining digital influencers’ success concerning brand-related (i.e. intention to follow influencer advice) and influencer-related (i.e. intention to recommend the influencer) outcomes. We present a conceptual model derived from established theories and psychological reasoning, identifying influencer authenticity and perceived value as important antecedents. We present satisfaction with the influencer and influencer credibility as the psychological mechanism explaining why antecedents transform into favorable outcomes.

With structural equation modeling and two studies (N1 = 814; N2 = 685) relying on active followers from two countries (the UK and India), this paper examines the direct and indirect effects of the value and authenticity of digital influencers on followers’ behavioral outcomes and the cultural context’s potential moderating effect.

Authenticity and value of digital influencers positively affect intention to follow influencer advice and recommend the influencer. Such effects are mediated by follower satisfaction and influencer credibility. The effects of influencer authenticity and value on intentions to follow and recommend are not stronger in India than in the UK.

We contribute to the literature by presenting a theoretically informed framework capturing the antecedents of successful influencers and the importance of differentiating brand-related and influencer-related outcomes. Furthermore, our studies highlight that research findings about influencers’ impact may not be generalizable to other cultural contexts.

Despite the numerous works on multifaceted relationships between customers and brands, such relationships remain complex and poorly understood in retailing. This research analyses the direct effects of brand images (hedonic, symbolic and functional) on three specific relationship variables (brand trust, brand attachment and brand social identification). It also investigates their indirect effects on three types of loyalty (cognitive, affective and normative) in retailing.

This paper is based on quantitative research involving 417 respondents. It uses structural equation models to test relevant research hypotheses.

The results show that hedonic brand image affects brand attachment, while functional brand image influences brand trust. Symbolic brand image has similar effects on the three relationship variables (attachment, trust, identification). Moreover, the relationships between brand image dimensions and brand loyalty types are positively mediated by attachment, trust and brand identification. Therefore, the authors highlight a more complex process in customer–brand relationships than previously thought.

This article focusses on the cosmetic retail sector. It would be interesting to empirically test/extend the model in other industries/sectors. Future studies could also include brand attitude in their research model.

To strengthen affective loyalty, retail managers should focus on both hedonic image and brand attachment (e.g. emphasise the brand personality traits that refer to both affect and hedonism). To develop normative loyalty, they should improve symbolic brand image and facilitate customer brand identification.

This research provides a new three-dimensional model of customer relationships with brands to account for the dynamic nature of customer loyalty in retailing. It shows how three dimensions of brand image (hedonic, functional and symbolic) affect three types of loyalty (affective, cognitive and normative) through the mediation of three specific relationship variables (brand attachment, brand trust and brand identification).

Although they are increasingly offered by mass retailers in Asia, store brands (SBs) are not well understood in Asian countries. The purpose of this paper is to investigate how store and brand-level factors affect consumer usage of SBs in an Asian emerging country.

A consumer survey, based on sample of 445 respondents, is undertaken in two competing modern retail chains in Vietnam. Structural equation modelling is used to test the research hypotheses. A latent interaction variable was created to test the moderation of store familiarity.

Results indicate that SB price image, consumer attitude towards SBs and SB perceived value influence most strongly SB usage in Vietnam, whereas store image perceptions have no direct effect on it. Some investigated relationships differ across store formats. Overall, store familiarity has a weak direct effect on SB usage, but its interaction effects differ depending on store format.

The study is limited because it investigated only one Asian country and two retail chains. Besides, it did not account for effect of product categories on SB usage.

Findings indicate that a positive store image is not sufficient to increase consumer usage of SBs in Vietnam. Retailers should be especially careful when designing retail outlets in this market, where consumers seem attached to traditions. Results highlight the importance of taking measures to develop more positive attitudes towards SBs. Also, store familiarity has a weak effect on SB purchase and should therefore be monitored more carefully by retail chains operating in Vietnam.

This research is the first to address Vietnamese consumer usage of SBs. In contrast to their counterparts in other emerging countries, Vietnamese consumers do not strongly rely on store image when purchasing SBs. Their focus is rather on brand perceived value. These results challenge conventional wisdom that attributes a low utilitarian value orientation to Asian consumers.