Impacts of store and chain images on the “quality–satisfaction–loyalty process” in petrol retailing

Image building is an essential tool both for attracting and retaining customers. In this study chain image and store image as well as store satisfaction are treated as mediators of assortment, service quality and price, on store loyalty. Loyalty card and demographic variables (gender and age) are included as control variables. The context is a Norwegian petrol station belonging to a large chain of petrol stations. The findings suggest that chain image and store image are different concepts and that a two-level image building approach is an important aspect for petrol retailing. All the three mediating variables influence store loyalty, but image building (chain and store) seems to be more important than satisfaction creation, mediating about 23 of the impacts of the store loyalty drivers. However, the effects of chain image on store loyalty are entirely mediated by store image and store satisfaction, implying that the petrol station manager to a large extent can influence the drivers of loyalty. Service quality was the decisive loyalty driver. Additional multi-level studies would help illuminate the issue further.