Private and national brand consumers' images of fashion stores

Purpose - The present study aims to investigate the role of brand store image in the context of private and national fashion brands. The study examines two issues: do private brand consumers differ from national brand consumers in their perception of the attributes they value in their store image? And, do fashion consumers in general differ in their perception of the attributes they value in a store image? Design/methodology/approach - Data were collected through a field survey comprising 395 respondents: 195 private brand consumers and 200 national brand consumers. Findings - Findings indicate that the two groups of consumers do not differ in their perception of store image. Cluster analysis reveals two groups of consumers: "Brand Store Image Enthusiasts" who are high in their perception of their brand store image attributes, and "Brand Store Image Indifferent" consumers who are low in their perception of their brand store image attributes. The first group was also found to have greater brand loyalty. Practical implications - Different marketing strategies are offered to each fashion sector. In addition, distributors in the fashion industry should build a strategy for Brand Store Image Enthusiasts who are high in their perception of all three brand store attributes. It is essential to point out the psychological meaning of the brand when appealing them. Originality/value - The study contributes to the consumer behavior literature by tying the well- established construct of brand store image to the fashion sector in the context of private and national labels.