The Differential Roles Of Product Brand Image And Store Brand Image In Retail Loyalty: A Self-Concept Image Congruity Perspective

Abstract

The effects of self-concept congruity constructs on retail loyalty have received various attentions in the marketing literature. However, to date, few studies have simultaneously investigated the differential roles of product brand image congruity and store brand image congruity in the creation of retail loyalty between different retail store types. To address this gap, two empirical models are proposed and tested to assess the differential effects of these congruity constructs under the context of two different types of retail stores (i.e., The Gap, Macys). Results show that, for retailers who predominately carry merely their own store-brand named products (i.e., The Gap), product brand image congruity plays a central role in the creation of retail loyalty. However, for retailers that offer a wide array of manufacturer named products (i.e., Macys), findings indicate that both congruity constructs, particularly store brand image congruity, serve significant roles in the creation of retail loyalty. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.