Critical review of the e-loyalty literature: a purchase-centred framework

Over the last few years, the concept of online loyalty has been examined extensively in the literature, and it remains a topic of constant inquiry for both academics and marketing managers. The tremendous development of the Internet for both marketing and e-commerce settings, in conjunction with the growing desire of consumers to purchase online, has promoted two main outcomes: (a) increasing numbers of Business-to-Customer companies running businesses online and (b) the development of a variety of different e-loyalty research models. However, current research lacks a systematic review of the literature that provides a general conceptual framework on e-loyalty, which would help managers to understand their customers better, to take advantage of industry-related factors, and to improve their service quality. The present study is an attempt to critically synthesize results from multiple empirical studies on e-loyalty. Our findings illustrate that 62 instruments for measuring e-loyalty are currently in use, influenced predominantly by Zeithaml et al. (J Marketing. 1996;60(2):31-46) and Oliver (1997; Satisfaction: a behavioral perspective on the consumer. New York: McGraw Hill). Additionally, we propose a new general conceptual framework, which leads to antecedents dividing e-loyalty on the basis of the action of purchase into pre-purchase, during-purchase and after-purchase factors. To conclude, a number of managerial implementations are suggested in order to help marketing managers increase their customers’ e-loyalty by making crucial changes in each purchase stage

Effects of Switching Barriers on Satisfaction, Repurchase Intentions and Attitudinal Loyalty

The positive effect of customer satisfaction on repurchase intentions and attitudinal loyalty has been shown in numerous studies. The effect of switching barriers on these variables, however, has been subject to much less attention from researchers. In this study we propose that switching barriers can be seen as either positive or negative, and we examine their effects on customer satisfaction, repurchase intentions and attitudinal loyalty. A LISREL analysis of the empirical data shows that negative switching barriers have negative effects on customer satisfaction and attitudinal loyalty, but a positive effect on repurchase intentions. Positive switching barriers impinge positively on customer satisfaction, repurchase intentions and attitudinal loyalty.switching barriers; loyalty; satisfaction; repurchase intentions

Consumer Culture and Purchase Intentions towards Fashion Apparel

This study examines the effectiveness of different fashion marketing strategies and analyzes of the consumer behavior in a cross-section of demographic settings in reference to fashion apparel retailing. This paper also discusses the marketing competencies of fashion apparel brands and retailers in reference to brand image, promotions, and externalmarket knowledge. The study examines the determinants of consumer behavior and their impact on purchase intentions towards fashion apparel. The results reveal that sociocultural and personality related factors induce the purchase intentions among consumers. One of the contributions that this research extends is the debate about the converging economic, cognitive and brand related factors to induce purchase intentions. Fashion loving consumers typically patronage multi-channel retail outlets, designer brands, and invest time and cost towards an advantageous product search. The results of the study show a positive effect of store and brand preferences on developing purchase intentions for fashion apparel among consumers.Consumer behavior, purchase intention, socio-cultural values, designer brands, store brands, fashion apparel, brand promotion, personalization, fashion retailing, psychographic drivers

The Effect of Loyalty Program Attributes on Customer’s Booking Choice

A loyalty program is commonly observed in our real world to establish and maintain a customer relationship. However, there is limited research information on the effect of loyalty program schemes on customers\u27 choice in an online booking context. The current study summarized the awards currently offered by major hotels and online travel agencies (OTAs) and examined: 1) customers\u27 preference toward attributes of the loyalty program, 2) within reward attributes, which contributes to an increase in consumers\u27 booking choice, 3) which attributes make customers book on hotel websites rather than on OTA websites, and 4) the interaction between customer involvement and hotel loyalty programs\u27 attributes on booking preference. The results revealed that customers prefer rewards that are related to hotel booking and immediate point redemption. Changing the reward attribute level from unrelated rewards to related rewards increased customers\u27 probability of choice. However, timing of redemption did not affect the choice. Further, the effect of related rewards on increasing the chance of booking was stronger for consumers on a high reward program tier than those on a low reward program tier. However, no interaction was found between time and customers\u27 tier of the program. Results suggest that the effect of hotel and OTA\u27s loyalty program attributes on customers\u27 choice is different from other industries\u27 loyalty programs

A Conceptual Framework of Reverse Logistics Impact on Firm Performance

This study aims to examine the reverse logistics factors that impact upon firm performance. We review reverse logistics factors under three research streams: (a) resource-based view of the firm, including: Firm strategy, Operations management, and Customer loyalty (b) relational theory, including: Supply chain efficiency, Supply chain collaboration, and institutional theory, including: Government support and Cultural alignment. We measured firm performance with 5 measures: profitability, cost, innovativeness, perceived competitive advantage, and perceived customer satisfaction. We discuss implications for research, policy and practice

Modeling the Psychology of Consumer and Firm Behavior with Behavioral Economics

Marketing is an applied science that tries to explain and influence how firms and consumers actually behave in markets. Marketing models are usually applications of economic theories. These theories are general and produce precise predictions, but they rely on strong assumptions of rationality of consumers and firms. Theories based on rationality limits could prove similarly general and precise, while grounding theories in psychological plausibility and explaining facts which are puzzles for the standard approach. Behavioral economics explores the implications of limits of rationality. The goal is to make economic theories more plausible while maintaining formal power and accurate prediction of field data. This review focuses selectively on six types of models used in behavioral economics that can be applied to marketing. Three of the models generalize consumer preference to allow (1) sensitivity to reference points (and loss-aversion); (2) social preferences toward outcomes of others; and (3) preference for instant gratification (quasi-hyperbolic discounting). The three models are applied to industrial channel bargaining, salesforce compensation, and pricing of virtuous goods such as gym memberships. The other three models generalize the concept of gametheoretic equilibrium, allowing decision makers to make mistakes (quantal response equilibrium), encounter limits on the depth of strategic thinking (cognitive hierarchy), and equilibrate by learning from feedback (self-tuning EWA). These are applied to marketing strategy problems involving differentiated products, competitive entry into large and small markets, and low-price guarantees. The main goal of this selected review is to encourage marketing researchers of all kinds to apply these tools to marketing. Understanding the models and applying them is a technical challenge for marketing modelers, which also requires thoughtful input from psychologists studying details of consumer behavior. As a result, models like these could create a common language for modelers who prize formality and psychologists who prize realism

The Effect of Relational Constructs on Relationship Performance

We examine the effect of relational constructs, such as satisfaction, trust and commitment on relationship performance (that is, positive word-of-mouth communication and the margin provided by each customer) of customers of an insurance company. A central issue concerns the effect of duration on the associations between relational constructs and relationship performance. Our empirical results provide strong evidence of duration dependent effects of satisfaction and trust, but we find only weak evidence of such effects on performance.Insurance industry;Performance;Relationship duration;Relationship marketing

The Theoretical Underpinnings of Customer Asset Management

Most research in customer asset management has focused on specific aspects of the value of the customer to the company. The purpose of this article is to propose an integrated framework ? called CUSAMS -- that enables service organizations to comprehensively assess the value of their "customer assets" and to understand the influence of marketing instruments on them. The foundation of the CUSAMS framework is a careful specification of key customer behaviors that reflect the length, depth and breadth of the customer-service provider relationship: duration, usage, and cross-buying. This framework is the starting point for a set of theoretically based propositions regarding how marketing instruments influence customer behavior within the relationship, thereby influencing customer value. Then, building on prior research, we provide two empirical examples of how the CUSAMS framework can be used to conduct financial analyses of the return on investment from marketing expenditures designed to influence behavior and increase the value of the customer base. The framework and propositions provide the impetus for a research agenda that identifies critical issues in customer asset managemen

Family Planning Market in India

This literature review captures existing knowledge across a range of products and players in India's family planning market. The product scope covers condoms, oral contraceptive pills, injectable contraceptives, intra-uterine devices, and male and female sterilization.The broad reach of this analysis brings diverse perspectives together to provide a complete picture of the current state of the market. The review can be particularly useful for field practitioners, donors, and other players looking to understand the current state of discovery in the India family planning market