Antecedents and consequences of brand loyalty: An empirical study

The authors consider the relationships among characteristics associated with the consumer (risk aversion and variety seeking), the brand (brand reputation and availability of substitute products), the social environment (social group influences and peers' recommendations), four types of loyalty (premium loyalty, inertia loyalty, covetous loyalty and no loyalty), and four consumer-related behaviour types (word-of-mouth communication, buy alternative brand, go to different store and buy nothing). To test the hypothesised relationships a survey of Greek consumers was conducted. The findings provide general support for the postulated linkages among the above variables. Implications for marketing practice and directions for future research are discussed.