Store image in the UK fashion sector: consumer versus retailer perceptions

Abstract

Abstract Retail image and store positioning are factors which influence consumer loyalty and retail success. This paper discusses the effect of store image on store choice in fashion retailing and analyses the responses from customers of multiple fashion retailers selling menswear clothing in Glasgow. It examines the principal dimensions involved in customer perception of store image, using a multi-attribute model, and compares these with retail employees' image perceptions of their own store. The paper then highlights the implications of understanding store attributes for encouraging customer loyalty. It concludes by emphasizing the importance of company-image perception by retail staff and proposes that, for the fashion sector, this needs be more positive than the views held by target customers. Keywords: Store ImageRetailingFashionStore PositioningConsumer Loyalty