Customer deviance in branded stores and its effects on brand perception and brand love

This study investigates how the customer’s relationship with a retail brand changes when they become witnesses to inappropriate customer behavior, that is, when they become witnesses to rude, aggressive, or inappropriate behavior. A survey of 138 Austrian IKEA customers measured perceptions of service quality, brand image, trust, commitment, brand loyalty, and brand love and analyzed them using partial least squares structural equation modeling. Inappropriate customer behavior led to a decrease in perceived service quality and brand image, which in turn affected trust and emotional attachment, paving the way for loyalty. Cognitive agreement alone was not enough: customers remained loyal only when they also felt emotionally secure and attached.
The study fills the gap between the literature on customer misbehavior and that on emotional brand attachment and positions the in-store atmosphere as a strategic asset. Management should visibly set the tone, train staff in conflict management, and respond quickly to incidents to maintain the climate that ensures sales. Limitations include a sample that is limited to one country and one retailer, reliance on cross-sectional self-reports, and the fact that the effects of moderators such as store concept have not yet been tested. This suggests that further studies in multiple countries, an investigation of the online channel, and an examination of effects over time should be conducted