TY - JOUR
T1 - Retailing Groundedness
T2 - How to improve customer experience, brand perceptions, and customer loyalty through feelings of groundedness
AU - Bruckberger, Gianna
AU - Fuchs, Christoph
AU - Schreier, Martin
AU - Osselaer, Stijn M.J.Van
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Author(s)
PY - 2023/12
Y1 - 2023/12
N2 - The retail landscape has undergone substantial disruption due to the rise of powerful online retailers and fast-evolving customer demand. This shift has prompted a need to redefine the role of physical stores as platforms for unique shopping experiences and customer interactions. In this paper, we introduce the concept of groundedness into the retailing literature. We develop a framework describing how retailers can provide value through groundedness. Specifically, the framework outlines three domains— (1) store design, (2) assortment, and (3) events—to facilitate the connection between customers and three pillars of groundedness—connections to (a) place, (b) people, and (c) past. Our guidelines and suggested interventions assist retailing practitioners and scholars in creating physical store environments that satisfy customers’ need for groundedness. We argue that evoking feelings of groundedness in physical stores benefits customers, salespeople, and retailers. We specifically highlight how retailing groundedness can enhance customers’ shopping experience, brand perception, as well as loyalty. Furthermore, we discuss how these effects on customers, combined with store associates’ greater job satisfaction, can benefit retailers.
AB - The retail landscape has undergone substantial disruption due to the rise of powerful online retailers and fast-evolving customer demand. This shift has prompted a need to redefine the role of physical stores as platforms for unique shopping experiences and customer interactions. In this paper, we introduce the concept of groundedness into the retailing literature. We develop a framework describing how retailers can provide value through groundedness. Specifically, the framework outlines three domains— (1) store design, (2) assortment, and (3) events—to facilitate the connection between customers and three pillars of groundedness—connections to (a) place, (b) people, and (c) past. Our guidelines and suggested interventions assist retailing practitioners and scholars in creating physical store environments that satisfy customers’ need for groundedness. We argue that evoking feelings of groundedness in physical stores benefits customers, salespeople, and retailers. We specifically highlight how retailing groundedness can enhance customers’ shopping experience, brand perception, as well as loyalty. Furthermore, we discuss how these effects on customers, combined with store associates’ greater job satisfaction, can benefit retailers.
KW - Customer experience
KW - Customer meaning
KW - Groundedness
KW - Rootedness
KW - Store atmosphere
KW - Store design
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85177873450&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jretai.2023.11.004
DO - 10.1016/j.jretai.2023.11.004
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85177873450
SN - 0022-4359
VL - 99
SP - 594
EP - 604
JO - Journal of Retailing
JF - Journal of Retailing
IS - 4
ER -