Abstract
This paper explains customer patronage intention by analyzing the relationships among personnel service, consumption emotion and patronage intention. The findings are as follows: (1) customers’ perceptions of the reflection and assurance of personnel service significantly influence their consumption emotion. Reflection and assurance significantly influence happiness, dominance and arousal. However, the influence of reflection is negative, meaning customers who perceive stronger reflection from service personnel feel lower consumption emotion when shopping for relaxation; (2) customers’ perceptions of the consumption emotions of happiness and arousal significantly influence their patronage intention. That is, the more happiness and arousal customers feel, the more patronage intention they exhibit; (3) Consumption emotion mediates between personnel service and patronage intention. This research not only improves understanding of customer patronage intention, but also provides management guidance for department store operators.
Highlights
The rise of online shopping has affected the operation of physical stores strongly and negatively, including department stores
The literature has failed to present practical findings that managers can apply to improve store operations. To redress these weaknesses of the literature we examine how interactions with service personnel affect customer consumption emotion, and whether the feelings associated with consumption emotion further affect customer patronage intention
Personnel service and consumption emotion are significantly related as shown in the model
Summary
The rise of online shopping has affected the operation of physical stores strongly and negatively, including department stores. The shopping habits of customers have changed. Customers browse for merchandise in stores, note the price and item number, and search online for the same items of clothing, household appliances, cosmetics, and household goods, seeking e-shops that often sell the goods much cheaper (Roland Berger Strategy Consultants, 2010). While managers of department stores are trying to attract customers by enhancing services, improving service personnel management, and upgrading store decorations, the effectiveness of these measures remains unclear. One reason is that customers believe department stores offer lifestyle models and actual shopping experiences; functions that online shopping cannot replace. Identifying how to enhance the shopping experience and make it unique is important for helping department stores attract customers.
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