The retailer brand personality - behavioral outcomes framework: Applications to identity and social identity theories.

摘要

This research aims to examine a framework to test the relationships between consumers' perceptions of a retailer's brand personality and outcome variables (i.e., positive word-of-mouth about and patronage intention toward the retailer) by applying identity and social identity theories to reveal possible factors influencing these relationships in both department and discount retailer image formats. This research hypothesized that retailer brand personality should influence consumers' behavioral outcomes through private and public forms of self-congruity.;In addition, considering the unique, tangible nature of a store's environment, this research suggested that retailer brand identity (RBI), a consumer's perception of oneness with a retailer brand, should play an important role in the retailer brand personality-behavioral outcomes framework by mediating the influences of both private and public self-congruities on various behavioral outcomes. Moreover, the relationships among two forms of self-congruity and perceived RBI should be moderated by the shopping conspicuousness situation and consumer shopping involvement .;To test the study's hypotheses, this research used a 2 (retailer image format) X 2 (shopping situation conspicuousness) between-subjects quasi-experimental design. Results revealed that each dimension influenced the behavioral outcomes of Word-of-Mouth and Patronage Intention differently and that overall RBI was an important factor in the retailer brand personality-behavioral outcomes framework. Moreover, the relationship between Public Self-congruity and overall RBI was found to be stronger in the high Shopping Conspicuousness Situation whereas the relationship between Private Self-congruity and overall RBI was found to be stronger in the department store image format. Theoretical and managerial implications of these findings and limitations of the study are provided.