Measuring and managing brand loyalty

Abstract There has been much written about the role of brand loyalty as a primary measure of effective brands marketing and a partial measure of brand equity. To date, however, progress in providing a practical measure of the construct has been very limited. In this empirical study of grocery brands, such a measure was developed in which both brand commitment and brand support were found to be necessary and sufficient conditions for loyalty to exist. Based on this measure, four consumer purchasing styles were identified and characterized as 'loyals', 'habituals', 'variety seekers' and 'switchers'. The strategic implications of segmenting grocery markets on this basis is discussed in both the context of the marketing of brands and managing brand equity. Keywords: Brand LoyaltyBrand Commitment And SupportRepeat Purchase RateConsumer Purchasing Styles