顾客绑定策略集的创建及其实证检验

Customer Bonding Tactics:An Exploratory Study

本文在对顾客绑定进行文献研究的基础上,选择网络零售行业进行实地研究,从公司和消费者双向视角出发,利用深度访谈技术,形成顾客绑定策略集的初始要素。然后,在问卷中采用"消费者购买决策"的顾客绑定测量方法进行大规模问卷调查。最后,利用调查数据检验顾客绑定策略集的信度和效度,修正并形成了三个多题项顾客绑定策略集,包括二维度("省钱"和"赠送礼品")的财务绑定策略集,二维度("顾客关注"和"创建社区")的社会绑定策略集和三维度("快速服务"、"便利服务"和"安全服务")的结构绑定策略集。

Despite the increasing recognition of the importance of relationship marketing, little research has been conducted to investigate and better understand how to implement relationship marketing programs with customers, especially in an e-environment. In response, this paper examines the tactics that companies use to develop and maintain long-term relationships with online customers in the eretailing industry. The intention to enter into long-term relationships is described as having a ＂bonded relationship leading to marriage＂. Relationship marketing can be practiced through different types and numbers of bonding activities. In this research, we define the term ＂customer bonding tactics＂ as the tactics that companies use to develop and maintain long-term relationships with existing customers. Based on a review of the literature regarding relationship marketing and other relative disciplines, and supplementing these findings with results from field interviews with 11 managers and 103 online consumers in the e-tailor industry in China, we suggest an operational definition for this construct and obtain an initial item pool. We then conduct a survey to study the online consumer purchase decision of the Chinese consumer to further investigate and test the construct. An exploratory factor analysis was conducted. Based on the findings from this research, we propose that a company can develop and maintain long-term relationships with existing clients through financial, social and structural means. We define the three constructs as follows： （1） financial bonding tactics refer to activities that develop and maintain long-term relationships with existing customers through saving money and presenting gifts; （2） social bonding tactics refer to activities that develop and maintain long-term relationships with existing clients through customer focus and the creation of community; and （3） structural bonding tactics refer to activities that develop and maintain long-term relationships with existing clients through convenience of use, time reduction and risk reduction. Finally, the main conclusions and managerial implications are discussed, along with the limitations of this paper and future research opportunities.