Shopping behaviour and satisfaction outcomes

Abstract

Shopping behaviour is an increasingly important area of research as firms seek to understand customer motivations and their purchase behaviour further. Despite the interest in shopping behaviour, it remains to be understood how these behaviours are related to satisfaction-related outcomes. A contribution to the academic literature as well as to managerial practice is made by identifying the relationship between three types of shopping behaviour: expectation congruence, satisfaction, and positive word-of-mouth communications. Specifically, the research examines if shoppers who engage in various types of shopping behaviour have the expectations of their shopping experience met, and whether this results in customer satisfaction and loyalty to that store. The research is based on a sample of 308 Wal-Mart and Target customers. The analysis of the data was performed with path modelling where the hypothesised model was supported and shown to have predictive relevance. In addition, significant moderating effects were found by gender for the relationship between shopping behaviour and expectation congruence and for the relationship between satisfaction and positive word-of-mouth communications.

Keywords:

• shopping behaviour
• expectations
• impulsive-careless
• price conscious
• recreational conscious
• satisfaction

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Eric P. Jack

Eric P. Jack is the associate dean in the School of Business at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA. He received his PhD from the University of Cincinnati. His research interests include operations strategy with special emphasis on flexibility, quality management, and supply-chain management. His research has been published in various journals, including Journal of Operations Management, Production and Operations Management, Business Horizons, International Journal of Management Reviews, International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, and Journal of Services Marketing. His work experience includes 21 years as a US Air Force officer where his responsibilities at various international locations involved facility planning, design, construction, and maintenance.

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Thomas L. Powers

Thomas L. Powers is research professor of marketing in the School of Business at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, USA. He received his PhD from Michigan State University. Prior to his academic career, he was a marketing manager with Ford Motor Company. He has published more than 150 journal articles and conference proceedings, and serves on a number of journal editorial boards. He has received several awards for teaching and research, and has been both an American Marketing Association and Academy of Management Doctoral Consortium Fellow. He has also been a Senior Fulbright Scholar, teaching and conducting research at the Pontifica Universidade Catolica in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.