THE EFFECT OF CUSTOMER VALUE, CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, AND SWITCHING COSTS ON CUSTOMER LOYALTY: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF HYPERMARKETS IN TAIWAN

Hypermarkets play an increasingly important role in the retail industry in Taiwan. In this study hypermarket customers in Taiwan were surveyed, using switching costs as a variable, to explore the relationship between customer value, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty. The results indicate that a customer with a more positive perception of the value of products/services has a more positive evaluation of the hypermarket, greater satisfaction, and loyalty. Greater satisfaction combined with greater concern over nonmonetary switching costs also increases customer loyalty to the hypermarket. These findings may help hypermarket operators to develop their businesses further in Taiwan's competitive retail sector.