Exploring customer engagement in the product vs. service context

Behnam, M., Hollebeek, L. D., Clark, M. K. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7123-4248 and Farabi, R. (2021) Exploring customer engagement in the product vs. service context. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 60. 102456. ISSN 0969-6989 doi: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2021.102456

Abstract/Summary

Though customer engagement (CE) is heralded as a strategic organizational imperative, empirically derived insight into its nomological network remains sparse. Extending existing research, we therefore test service-dominant logic-informed CE vis-à-vis its key antecedents of knowledge sharing and learning, and its consequences of customer cocreation and relationship quality. We also envisage the existence of CE-based differences across physical goods- versus service contexts, leading us to include the nature of the offering (good vs. service) as a moderating factor in our model, making a novel contribution. To test the model, a survey was conducted in the tangible sports goods (retail) and -club (i.e. service) contexts. The findings substantiate a positive effect of customer learning and knowledge sharing on CE, thus empirically validating conceptual literature-based claims. In addition, CE was found to exert a favorable effect on customer cocreation and relationship quality. Moreover, the results confirm our hypothesized moderating effect by revealing the framework’s stronger associations for service- (vs. product-based) CE. We conclude by discussing key implications that arise from our analyses.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-pure-test.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/95570
Identification Number/DOI	10.1016/j.jretconser.2021.102456
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	Henley Business School > Digitalisation, Marketing and Entrepreneurship
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