Personality-Relatedness and Reciprocity framework for analyzing retailer–consumer interactions

The article introduces four relational models from the social sciences that are relevant for classifying retailer–consumer interactions. Similarities between the relational models are identified and two continuous relational dimensions–personality-relatedness and reciprocity–are derived. The personality-relatedness dimension defines the degree to which consumers place importance on the retailer’s personality (values and culture); reciprocity describes the degree to which consumers place importance on comparative outcomes (the difference between the consumer’s and the retailer’s outcomes). The two relational dimensions establish the Personality-Relatedness and Reciprocity (PRR) framework—a relational framework suitable for analyzing a wide variety of retailer–consumer interactions. The framework informs propositions for future research. The article discusses theoretical contributions and managerially relevant implications of the PRR framework.