An exploratory study of the relationship between store image, trust, satisfaction and loyalty in a franchise setting

This study aims to shed insight on how young shoppers, between the ages of 21 and 35, perceive, and relate to, franchise and corporate-owned stores in the supermarket industry. This is achieved by investigating the roles of store image, trust and satisfaction in predicting loyalty to a particular store type. By analysing empirical results, this study shows that compared to corporate-owned stores, consumers have an overall better perception of franchise stores, especially in terms of trust and customer satisfaction. Examining an integrative loyalty framework, the study shows differential effects in how Store Image elements influence customer Loyalty indirectly through satisfaction, and how Trust elements influence customer Loyalty indirectly through Satisfaction.