Examining the Customer Attitude Shifts: A Study on the Impact of Grocery Store Acquisitions
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2024-07-03
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en
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This study investigates the impact of grocery store acquisitions on customer attitudes towards
the acquiring retailer, examining the role of moderating loyalty aspects such as outlet- and chain
loyalty and the type of acquisition. The literature highlights that acquisitions are often seen as
strategic decisions to achieve both tangible and intangible benefits. A quantitative research
method was used, involving an online survey experiment with a between-subject design to test
the hypotheses. The sample consisted of 183 Dutch grocery store customers who were
randomly assigned to one of five scenarios. Multiple regression analysis was performed to
analyse the data from this survey.
The results showed that the announcement of a grocery store acquisition did not affect
customer attitude towards the acquiring retailer, contradicting the general expectation. In
addition, it was also found that the type of acquisition had no effect on customer attitude.
Moreover, neither outlet loyalty nor chain loyalty was found to significantly mitigate the
expected negative effects of an acquisition. For managers, this implies that strategic acquisition
decisions can be made without fear of negative customer reactions, allowing them to focus on
market expansion and operational synergies.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen