ABSTRACT

The importance of relationship marketing (RM) as a strategic driver of strong long-term customer relationships is widely recognized. However, we still know little about when retail managers should invest in relationships to generate increased returns. Drawing on RM theory, this study aims to examine how perceived relationship investment (PRI) influences customer loyalty through the mediation of perceived value in a retail setting. It also explores the moderating role of consumer relationship proneness (RP) in the PRI–perceived value relationship. This study empirically assessed the theoretical model using a partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) approach. The results reveal that PRI directly influences perceived value and customer loyalty. Perceived value mediates the effect of PRI on customer loyalty. RP moderates the PRI effects. Based on these results, retail managers can develop strong long-term relationships by directing their efforts toward relationship-prone consumers in order to enhance perceptions of relationship investment, which leads to enhanced perceptions of value, thus improving customer loyalty.

摘要

关系营销 (RM) 作为强大的长期客户关系的战略驱动力的重要性已得到广泛认可。然而，我们仍然对零售经理何时应该投资于关系以产生更高的回报知之甚少。借鉴 RM 理论，本研究旨在检验感知关系投资 (PRI) 如何通过零售环境中感知价值的中介影响客户忠诚度。它还探讨了消费者关系倾向 (RP) 在 PRI 感知价值关系中的调节作用。本研究使用偏最小二乘结构方程建模 (PLS-SEM) 方法对理论模型进行了实证评估。结果表明，PRI 直接影响感知价值和客户忠诚度。感知价值调节 PRI 对客户忠诚度的影响。RP 调节 PRI 效应。基于这些结果，零售经理可以通过将他们的努力引导到有关系倾向的消费者身上来建立牢固的长期关系，以增强对关系投资的感知，从而增强对价值的感知，从而提高客户忠诚度。