Alternative Modes of Measuring Store Image: An Empirical Assessment of Structured versus Unstructured Measures

Abstract

Store image has been measured frequently by means of structured scales. Some researchers exhort against the use of structured scales for the measurement of this construct and recommend the use of unstructured measures instead. They argue that structured scales are inadequate for capturing the “gestalt” associated with the perception of a store image. This research attempts, for the first time, to investigate empirically the relative efficacy of the structured scales and the unstructured measures of store image. The results reveal that the two types of measures have similar properties and that the structured scales are more correlated with a set of self-reported behavioral measures. Thus practitioners should feel more comfortable utilizing structured, semantic differential scales to assess their store image.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jhinuk Chowdhury

Jhinuk Chowdhury (Ph.D., University of Florida) is an associate professor of marketing at the University of North Texas. Dr. Chowdhury’s research interests include strategic marketing and behavioral issues in channels of distribution. His articles have appeared in the Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of Marketing Management, Journal of Managerial Issues, Journal of Current Issues & Research in Advertising, Journal of Services Marketing, Journal of International Consumer Marketing, Health Marketing Quarterly, and the Proceedings of AMA Educators’ Conferences.

James Reardon

James Reardon (Ph.D., University of North Texas) is an assistant professor at the University of Northern Colorado. His research interests include retailing, measurement issues, and international channel relationships. His research has appeared in the Journal of Retailing, Journal of Marketing Theory and Practice, Journal of Marketing Management, Journal of International Advertising, Journal of Applied Business Research, International Journal of Management, and the Journal of Business and Economic Perspectives. He has also recently co-authored a textbook with Ronald Hasty, titled Retail Management.

Rajesh Srivastava

Rajesh Srivastava (Ph.D., University of North Texas) is an assistant professor at the University of Southwest em Louisiana. His research interests include behavioral issues in salesperson work environments and retailing. His research has been published in International Journal of Management and the proceedings of AMA Educators’ Conference, Academy of Marketing Science Conference, and National Conference for Sales Management.