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Consumer loyalty is generally considered the ultimate goal of relationship marketing. Although accepted definitions of loyalty include both behavioral and attitudinal aspects, the fact is that little is known about the components of behavioral and attitudinal loyalty and their relationship. In addition, hedonic and utilitarian attitudes are important antecedents of consumer behavior that can be manifested in behavioral loyalty. However, little is known about the relationship between hedonic and utilitarian attitudes and different loyalty components. To investigate the above mentioned theoretical gaps, this study identifies and tests several components of attitudinal and behavioral loyalty in a comprehensive model. This model investigates the effect of various hedonic and utilitarian attitudes, and trust, on each attitudinal and behavioral loyalty component. Moreover, it looks at the relationship of each attitudinal loyalty component to each behavioral loyalty component. In the proposed model, attitudinal loyalty components are (1) relationship satisfaction, (2) continuance commitment, (3) affective commitment, and (4) identification, and the behavioral loyalty components are (1) repurchase intention, (2) word-of-mouth (WOM), and (3) cooperation. The survey approach was implemented to collect data in a pretest (80 participants), a pilot study (177 participants), and a main study (1028 participants). Results of the analyses, using Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), confirmed that consumer’s hedonic and utilitarian attitudes affect behavioral loyalty directly, and indirectly through the mediation by trust and attitudinal loyalty components. / February 2016

Omnichannel has become a central part of future retailing and is expected to be implemented by multiple brands. Omnichannel is an extension of multichannel enquiring complete integration between channels. As customers’ demands changes and demonstrate switching of brands, maintaining loyal customers’ in the evolving retail market with unlimited options is a continuous challenge. There are indicators of omnichannel retailing increasing customer satisfaction but there is no research investigating how it could affect brand loyalty, either through attitudinal loyalty, behavioural loyalty or a combination of both. This research aims to explore how implications of omnichannel retailing could facilitate the demanded satisfactory shopping experience and lead to embarked brand loyalty. A qualitative method was chosen to explore this phenomenon by using primary, secondary data and conducting of in-depth interviews. The results shows that omnichannel is an significant factor facilitating a satisfactory shopping experience, in turn inflicting attitudinal loyalty, but there were vague signs of behavioural loyalty. Thus, omnichannel was not considered the main factor affecting brand loyalty due to lack of expressed commitment to repurchase, hence omnishoppers rarely surpasses the step of satisfaction to fully becoming brand loyal.

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The aim of this study is to investigate whether club card loyalty have an impact on customers store loyalty. A secondary purpose is to distinguish which attributes of a loyalty card that ICA’s customers prefer, with the focus on the variables; direct- versus indirect rewards, monetary- versus nonmonetary rewards, necessary- versus luxury rewards and immediate- versus delayed rewards.

Drawing from signaling theory, this study investigates the processes through which corporate image (CI) for quality affects attitudinal loyalty. The research hypotheses are examined using data from a cross-sectional survey and two scenario-based experiments. Overall, findings across these three studies suggest that the effects of CI upon loyalty are channeled through customer satisfaction and perceived value. The effects of CI on perceived value and loyalty are stronger relative to the effects of employee interaction quality (IQ) when IQ is measured as an overall evaluation. However, when employee IQ is measured in reference to a specific service encounter, it becomes a stronger driver of perceived value and loyalty relative to CI. Regardless of the context of measurement (i.e., overall evaluation vs. a specific service encounter), employee IQ exerts a stronger influence on customer satisfaction than CI. CI negatively moderates the effect of employee IQ on customer satisfaction and loyalty, rendering the effect of employee IQ upon customer evaluations less critical for service providers with stronger CIs. The findings highlight the relevance and importance of CI as a signal of unobservable quality, which should be measured and closely monitored by management. Managers should also recognize the central role of customer satisfaction, especially in channeling the effects of IQ upon loyalty, and therefore, design policies that enhance frontline employee ability and motivation to deliver satisfying customer experiences.

Drawing from signaling theory, this study investigates the processes through which corporate image (CI) for quality affects attitudinal loyalty. The research hypotheses are examined using data from a cross-sectional survey and two scenario-based experiments. Overall, findings across these three studies suggest that the effects of CI upon loyalty are channeled through customer satisfaction and perceived value. The effects of CI on perceived value and loyalty are stronger relative to the effects of employee interaction quality (IQ) when IQ is measured as an overall evaluation. However, when employee IQ is measured in reference to a specific service encounter, it becomes a stronger driver of perceived value and loyalty relative to CI. Regardless of the context of measurement (i.e., overall evaluation vs. a specific service encounter), employee IQ exerts a stronger influence on customer satisfaction than CI. CI negatively moderates the effect of employee IQ on customer satisfaction and loyalty, rendering the effect of employee IQ upon customer evaluations less critical for service providers with stronger CIs. The findings highlight the relevance and importance of CI as a signal of unobservable quality, which should be measured and closely monitored by management. Managers should also recognize the central role of customer satisfaction, especially in channeling the effects of IQ upon loyalty, and therefore, design policies that enhance frontline employee ability and motivation to deliver satisfying customer experiences.

Background: Brand loyalty is a rather old concept and has become a central part of everybrand and there are many factors that need to be considered when choosing strategies in orderto achieve this. However, even though the concept itself is rather set-in stone the research onhow brands archive this in different contexts is constantly in motion, for instance it has beenshown that a brand's Country-of-Origin has effects on consumers purchase intent and attitudeswhich are crucial factors within Brand loyalty.  Purpose: The Purpose of this paper is to explain what effect COO has on brand loyalty of Swedish consumers. Methodology: For this research a quantitative method was used. The research wasexplanatory, and a cross-sectional research design was chosen. After this a questionnaire wasconstructed and shared through two platforms in order to collect the data that was needed forthe research. Findings: Both our hypotheses from the proposed model were rejected, therefore theresearcher could conclude that Country-of-Origin has no effect on brand loyalty of Swedish consumers. Conclusion: Even though both hypotheses were rejected, did the research contribute withknowledge that COO has no significant effect on brand loyalty since such research has notbeen done before. However, the research also contributes with knowledge towards previousresearch, where it has been shown that perceived quality from a country has an effect onconsumers' purchase intent and attitudes. Whereby, our test showed that it also has an effecton brand loyalty when tested alone without the country image.

Background      Catering to customer needs and wants by, at the same time, reaping maximum profits has, since the beginning of trade, been a tricky task for companies. Customer-segment pricing, i.e. offering lower prices to different target group segments, and its retail manifestation, student discounts, cater to students’ budgetary constraints, serving not only their particular needs but in return offering the company the possibility to reap long term profits from loyal students. High levels of price sensitivity among students provide companies a welcome point of action to address students and make them both attitudinal and behavioural loyal customers by means of financial incentives. The Mecenat card grants students access to those discounts – but does it help to make them loyal? Purpose            The purpose of this thesis lies in the exploration and description of a potential relationship between customer-segment pricing, i.e. student discounts and the formation of student loyalty. This exploration shall further be accompanied by a thorough analysis of the Mecenat card as a loyalty program and its ability to evoke student loyalty within the student body of Jönköping International Business School. Method             The research interest was served best by conducting qualitative prior to quantitative research. The focus groups allowed for a first insight into the topic and students’ opinions. These findings were then described by means of content analysis and further processed in quantitative research. An electronic survey was used to collect data from a sample drawn out of the total population of JIBS students. The data then was processed by means of descriptives, correlations, T-tests and factor analysis. Conclusion        Students at JIBS are a highly profitable customer segment, willing to be both attitudinal and behavioural loyal to stores that cater to their budgetary constraints by offering student discounts. The Mecenat card, however, due to low awareness and usage levels within the student body does not facili-tate, but rather hinders, the development of student loyalty. Thus, the find-ings were also processed into managerial implications that could help im-prove the service, such as improvements in communication

Purpose: The aim of the study is to investigate if card loyalty increases attitudinal and behavioral loyalty of the customers, with a loyalty program (LP) membership.   Theoretical approach: The thesis is based on previous literature on loyalty programs and customer loyalty. The conceptual model proposed in the study ties card loyalty to the two loyalty dimensions of customer loyalty: attitudinal and behavioral loyalty.    Design/methodology: The study is conducted through a quantitative research design where data is collected through a survey. The self-reported questionnaires are sampled from social media users with active loyalty program membership with Coop. Findings: The empirical data from the 93 qualified questionnaires and the data analysis, indicate a significantly positive influence between both card loyalty and attitudinal respectively behavioral loyalty. Furthermore, the findings indicate that composite loyalty is present in the researched setting, since a strong correlation between attitudinal and behavioral loyalty was found. Although, the two-tailed correlation led to a revisiting of the conceptual model, since behavioral and attitudinal loyalty could also influence card loyalty.   Practical implications: The findings of the study provide academic implications by showcasing LP effectiveness and create a methodology for regional LP research. The results also provide managerial implications for managers who contemplate updating or implementing a LP. Originality/value: The study adds to loyalty program literature by investigating how card loyalty influences customer loyalty, within a sparsely researched nation with a regional focus.