The mediating role of brand trust and affect in clothing brand loyalty formation: a cross-cultural examination of U.S. and India

Abstract

This study examines the process of how consumer perception of benefits from apparel brand leads to brand loyalty and compares the process between US and India. The proposed research framework posits that consumers' perception of utilitarian and hedonic benefits from a brand increase loyalty toward the brand via the mediating role of brand trust and brand affect. Analyses of the hypotheses collectively revealed that consumers' hedonic benefit perceptions of apparel brand, rather than their utilitarian benefit perceptions, influenced the enhancement of brand trust and brand affect. Further, brand affect, rather than brand trust, influenced and mediated the development of brand loyalty of apparel brand. This study also found country moderating effects on three paths, suggesting that hedonic benefit of a brand and brand affect plays a greater role for US consumers than for Indian consumers. Academic and managerial implications were discussed based on findings.