Bonding tactics in relationship marketing: An application on traditional and virtual retail

Abstract

This study explores different tactics to create relational bonds with clients (financial, social or structural bonds) and their impact on central relationship marketing variables, such as trust, engagement and loyalty, using the duration of the relationship and the degree of involvement with the product as control variables that influence consumption behavior. Using techniques of exploratory factorial analyses and confirmatory factorial analyses, it is possible to identify the significance of Liang’s and Wang’s (2008) model, as well as the correspondence between the efforts made to establish the relationship and the client’s trust, loyalty and engagement. The results of this study show that (i) all relationship market efforts have a positive impact on trust; (ii) the bigger the consumer’s trust is, the bigger will the relationship engagement be; (iii) the consumer’s engagement with the retailer has positive effects on their loyalty; (iv) the duration of the relationship influences positively the consumer’s loyalty; (v) there is no significant relation between product involvement and engagement and trust in electronic transactions, and, finally, (vi) in the relationship between consumers and suppliers established through the web, the retailer’s financial and structural efforts cause a positive impact on trust I the relationship, which leads to the conclusion that a consumer’s trust in a virtual
store is more influenced by the recognition of the strength of  he retailer’s organizational (either operational or financial) structure than by the type of product sold on the website. 

Key words: relationship marketing, trust, loyalty.