The relationship among image, satisfaction and loyalty – innovative factor of competitiveness for shopping centers
Author:Ioana-Nicoleta Abrudan, Ioan Plăias and Dan-Cristian Dabija
JEL:M31, M10
DOI:
Keywords:consumer satisfaction, cognitive, affective, conative and behavioural loyalty,
image, retail, shopping centers, innovation, competitiveness
Abstract:
Currently, most markets are characterized by high competition among shopping centers.
Under these circumstances, the evolution in the competitiveness and performance of the
centers is increasingly linked to the success in the innovation of current activities, which is
aimed at improving their image and increasing customer satisfaction and loyalty. The
purpose of the present research is to study the influence of innovation activities through the
image components on behavioural loyalty, mediated by satisfaction (affective loyalty) and
conative loyalty. The authors aim to investigate, using a questionnaire survey among the
customers of Cluj-Napoca shopping centers, the relationship among the components of
image and satisfaction and the various types of loyalty.
The conclusions of the structural equations modelling reveal that most components of the
image (assortment, price, loyalty policy, décor, service and communication) directly and
positively influence satisfaction, and that satisfaction and conative loyalty mediate the
relationship between image and behavioural loyalty. The results reveal important
managerial implications from the point of view of innovative actions of shopping centers,
which can contribute to attracting and keeping customers, these contributing not only to
creating loyal patrons, but also to increasing their competitiveness and to achieving better
positioning.