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The influence of loyalty programme membership on customer purchase behaviour

Article Information:

Title:

 The influence of loyalty programme membership on customer purchase behaviour

Author(s):

Lars Meyer-Waarden

Journal:

European Journal of Marketing

Year:

2008 

Volume:

42 

Issue:

1/2 

Page:

87 - 114


DOI:

10.1108/03090560810840925

Publisher:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Document Access:

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Abstract:

Purpose – In the retailing sector, consumers typically patronize multiple outlets, which leaves outlets striving to earn a greater portion of consumer expenditures. The purpose of this paper is to improve theoretical and empirical knowledge about the impact of retailing loyalty programmes on customer purchasing behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach – The effects of two loyalty programmes on customer behaviour are studied through marketwide panel data on supermarket purchases.

Findings – The impact of loyalty programme membership on customer purchase behaviour is significant.

Research limitations/implications – All behavioural indicators show that members and non-members of loyalty programmes demonstrate significantly different purchase behaviours, irrespective of other factors. The purchase intensity of cardholders, in terms of total and average shopping baskets, share of purchases, purchase frequency and inter-purchase time, is significantly higher than that of non-members throughout the entire three-year period and the trading areas. The findings require confirmation in other retailing sectors before they may be considered fully generalisable.

Practical implications – Retailers may apply the findings in their attempts to segment their target market, which enables them to allocate their marketing expenditures more effectively.

Originality/value – The study contributes to more “generalisable” knowledge by investigating marketwide scanner panel data about competitive purchasing, loyalty programmes and store locations.

Keywords:

Consumer behaviour, Customer loyalty, Customer relations, Loyalty schemes

Article Type:

Research paper

References:

67 references

Article URL:

www.emeraldinsight.com/10.1108/03090560810840925

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