Shaked Gilboa

The Effect of Servicescape Cleanliness on Customer Reactions

The main contribution of this work is the suggestion and validation of the idea that cleanliness of the servicescape has a strong impact on customers’ responses in multiple service contexts, and that it can prevent service failures as well as support recovery. Two experimental studies and one survey-based study in multiple service contexts were conducted. Findings show (a) the positive influence of cleanliness (or the negative impact of dirt and disorder) in a servicescape on approach behavior; (b) a positive relationship between the cleanliness of a servicescape and feelings of pleasure, trust, and attributed prestige; and (c) the mediating effect of pleasure and trust on how cleanliness in a servicescape affects approach behavior. The results demonstrate the importance of maintaining and improving the cleanliness of a servicescape as a marketing tool.

Shop until you drop? An exploratory analysis of mall experiences

Purpose – The present exploratory study aims to link various fields of inquiry dealing with the consumer experience so as to conceptualise the mall experience and delineate its components.Design/methodology/approach – A total of 119 informants wrote narratives about their mall experience. Of these stories, 100 underwent narrative and content analysis in order to identify key components of the mall experience.Findings – The findings show that the mall experience can be conceptualised as a holistic subjective phenomenon, encompassing a behavioural core accompanied by cognitive and emotional reactions. Four different mall experiences were identified: seductive, interactive museum, social arena, and functional.Research limitations/implications – This exploratory study offers a theoretical conceptualisation of the mall experience.Originality/value – The paper offers a new conceptualisation of the mall experience, based on a behavioural core with associated cognitive and emotional reactions. The paper identifie...

Private and national brand consumers' images of fashion stores

Purpose – The present study aims to investigate the role of brand store image in the context of private and national fashion brands. The study examines two issues: do private brand consumers differ from national brand consumers in their perception of the attributes they value in their store image? And, do fashion consumers in general differ in their perception of the attributes they value in a store image? Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected through a field survey comprising 395 respondents: 195 private brand consumers and 200 national brand consumers. Findings – Findings indicate that the two groups of consumers do not differ in their perception of store image. Cluster analysis reveals two groups of consumers: “Brand Store Image Enthusiasts” who are high in their perception of their brand store image attributes, and “Brand Store Image Indifferent” consumers who are low in their perception of their brand store image attributes. The first group was also found to have greater brand loyalty. Pr...

Segmenting multicultural mall visitors: the Israeli case

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is two‐fold: first, to identify segments of mall visitors based on the way they perceive mall attributes, their activities and their visiting patterns; second, to examine whether different social groups are characterized by different mall consumption habits. In addition, the Israeli segmentation will be compared with segmentations of mall visitors in other countries, previously described in the literature.Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected through a phone intercept survey of 725 respondents comprising a representative sample of Israeli mall visitors.Findings – In total, three mall visitor segments were found – enthusiasts, recreationals, and utilitarians – validating findings of previous studies conducted in other countries. The three segments differed in perceived mall attributes, mall activities and visiting patterns, and in their consumption behavior (planned versus impulse buying and money spent), as well as in their demographics.Practical implication...

The Effect of Private Brands on Leveraging Service Quality and Satisfaction

The aim of the present study is to test the positive effect of private labels in the service sector on perceptions of service quality (the SERVQUAL dimensions) and service satisfaction. A total of 200 health club and 200 coffee shop/restaurant customers completed the study questionnaire. Overall, perception of the private label had a positive effect on service satisfaction through the mediation of perceptions of service quality. The impact of private label perception on service quality and satisfaction was stronger in the coffee shop/restaurant subsample. Service providers should consider implementing private branding strategies as a way to reinforce perceptions of service quality.

Place status, place loyalty and well being: an exploratory investigation of Israeli residents

Purpose – The purpose of the current exploratory study is to examine whether place status (ordinary or prestigious) and place loyalty can be related to personal well being (measured by happiness and self‐esteem).Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected through a field survey with 150 respondents.Findings – Significant differences were found between residents of prestigious versus ordinary communities. Among those who perceive their community as ordinary, the paper found no relationship between place loyalty and self esteem, and a marginally significant negative relationship between place loyalty and happiness. In contrast, among those who perceive their community as prestigious, the paper found a positive relationship between place loyalty and happiness, and a marginally significant positive relationship between place loyalty and self esteem.Research limitations/implications – The present study is based on a rather small non‐representative sample. As it is unclear whether place loyalty predicts h...

Segmenting Small-Business Customers: The Role of Socially Related Traits—An Abstract

Previous research has examined the different reasons why customers remain loyal to small businesses. These have mainly been explained by constructs related to the nature of small businesses such as personal attention, familiarity, and informality as well as the uniqueness of their products. However, little research has been done on the potential effects of customers’ own characteristics on their loyalty to small businesses. Specifically, no study has linked customers’ personality traits and aspects of sociability to their preference for small businesses. Following this, the current study employs mixed-method approach to test how customers’ socially related traits impact their trust and loyalty to small business. In the first stage, a preliminary qualitative phase based on interviews with both small businesses’ owners and customers aimed to identify general characteristics and behaviors of loyal customers. In the second stage, a quantitative study categorized small business customers based on their degree of extroversion and need for affiliation vs. loneliness.