Drivers of impulse buying at retail stores: mediating role of customers’ loyalty

Abstract

The major objective of this study was to examine the impact of drivers of impulse buying on the customers’ loyalty and to assess the mediating effect of customers’ loyalty to the impulse buying at the retail stores. In order to meet the objective, a questionnaire survey was conducted among 529 customers of retail stores. SMARTPLS3 was used to analyze the data collected from the survey. Findings suggest that CSR, store attractiveness and trust positively contribute to create loyalty of retailers and it positively impact on impulse buying at stores. The model tested in this study was significant and can be used by retailers to enjoy competitive advantage. Further, it was found that loyalty is mediating between these drivers of impulse buying and impulse buying. While loyalty positively mediating between all variables, loyalty negatively mediates between commitment and impulse buying. The model tested in this study is significant and useful for retailers to create loyalty and trigger impulse buying enabling to achieve competitive advantage in retailing. When retailers adopt this model in their business, retailers can establish loyalty and generate impulse buying. Therefore, retailers need to build up trust among customers, engaging in CSR activities, keeping their stores very attractive and having long term relationship to create commitment with customers.