Creating consumer attachment to retail service firms through sense of place

Abstract

Fostering attachment between consumers and organizations is developing into a cornerstone of relationship marketing strategy. However, little is known about how an organization can develop strong emotional ties with consumers. Our research addresses one aspect of this gap by showing that in atmosphere dominant service firms, sense of place leads to place attachment, which in turn plays a critical role in driving desirable customer behaviors. In Study 1 we demonstrate that sense of place influences the strength of consumers’ attachment to a service location, which ultimately has positive effects on consumers’ behaviors. In Study 2, we identify characteristics that influence the sense of place dimensions and extend the model to better account for the dynamics of social relationships that develop within a service firm. This research provides an initial investigation into how organizations can better manage the service place and provides a rich framework for future research on managing attachment with service consumers.