Examining the roles played by a store satisfaction-love framework in shaping the influence of store loyalty programs

Purpose This study aims to investigate how the influences of store loyalty programs on store loyalty and store relations can be mediated by the store satisfaction-love framework. Design/methodology/approach The survey data were collected from selected retail stores using stratified random sampling. The hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling. Findings The results indicate that the impacts of store loyalty programs on store loyalty and store relations are mediated both by store love and store satisfaction. Practical implications This study’s findings help practitioners by empirically demonstrating that the combined cognitive satisfaction of consumers with store loyalty programs and affective store love mediate the influences of loyalty programs on consumer loyalty toward the store and on the consumer–store relation. Therefore, cognitive satisfaction with loyalty programs alone cannot create strong loyalty and a customer relationship. Cognitive satisfaction with various loyalty programs must be converted into affective store love for the mediation to be significant and effective. Originality/value This research adds value to the domain of store loyalty research by empirically establishing the mediating role played by the cognitive satisfaction-affective love framework in shaping the influences of loyalty programs designed by store management on the final store loyalty and customer–store relationship.