THE CONSUMER/STORE “RELATIONSHIP”: AN INTERPRETIVE INVESTIGATION OF UK WOMEN’S GROCERY SHOPPING EXPERIENCES by SUSAN YINGLIWAKENSHAW A Thesis submitted to the University of Lancaster in partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY ProQuest Number: 11003576 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a com plete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 11003576 Published by ProQuest LLC(2018). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States C ode Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106- 1346 THE CONSUMER/STORE “RELATIONSHIP”: AN INTERPRETIVE INVESTIGATION OF UK WOMEN’S GROCERY SHOPPING EXPERIENCES SUSAN YINGLI WAKENSDHAW June, 2011 ABSTRACT The phenomenon of consumer relationships in consumer markets has been investigated by loyalty and relationship research. However, mainstream consumer loyalty research has been developed in cognitive ‘attitude-behaviour’ framework. Nevertheless, relationship perspective has emerged as a theoretical perspective and attracted interest in the loyalty research domain. In addition, since the 1960s, relationship principles and relationship marketing (RM) concepts have also been developed in the B-to-B sectors and service markets. Moreover, relational thoughts and RM concepts have also been extended to mass consumer markets. Different types of commercial consumer relationships have been explored. However, this is the first dedicated study to explore consumer/store relationship phenomena from the perspective of individual consumers. The main objectives of this study are to: (1) develop the understanding of nature of consumer/store relationships and (3) engage in the discourse on methodology and the role of researcher in interpretive research. An in-depth study has been undertaken based on interpretive modes of inquiry. This study has explored the lived experiences of UK women in the context of grocery shopping and consumption. As a result, a richly contextualised account of consumer/store relationships has been investigated in depth and a conceptual framework for consumer/store relationships has been developed. The significance of other aspects of relationships (such as the store constellations, and the association between value congruence and relationships) has also been highlighted. Indeed, the findings have shown that stores provide support for consumers in terms of: (1) consumers’ shopping task fulfilment; (2) pleasure seeking needs; (3) self concept construction and maintenance; (4) self discovery, self extension and self expression. Moreover, various interactions and multiple level effects between consumers and their stores can result in the diverse and dynamic bonds between consumers and the stores they shop. The research has demonstrated the validity of the existence and investigation of consumer/store relationships at the level of consumers’ lived experiences. CONTENTS Page No. Ab s t r a c t ii Acknowledgements x C h a p t e r 1: I ntroduction An d B a c k g r o u n d T o T h e 1 S t u d y 1.1 Research Question 1 1.2 Research Methodology 2 1.3 Contributions of the Study 3 1.4 Conceptual Framework 5 1.5 Organisation of the Thesis 7 C h a p t e r 2: C o n s u m e r L o y a l t y An d C o n s u m e r 13 R elationships 2.1 Literature on Mainstream Consumer Loyalty Research 15 2.2 Critique ofMainstream Store Loyalty Research 2 0 2.3 Anthropological/Sociological Approach to Consumer Loyalty 2 4 Research 2.4 Conclusion 27 C h a p t e r 3: R elationship M a r k e t in g An d C o n s u m e r 30 R elationships 3.1 Origins of Relationship Marketing 32 3.2 Debates about Appropriateness of RM in Consumer Markets 34 3.2.1 ‘Fit’ Between Marketing Contexts and Marketing 34 Strategies 3.2.2 Features of Consumer Relationships in Consumer Markets 38 3.2.3 RM in Industrial and Service Sectors versus RM 42 in Consumer Markets 3.3 Transaction Marketing Versus Relationship Marketing 45 3.4 Relationship Theory Development in Consumer Markets 48 3.4.1 Consumer/Service Provider Relationship 49 3.4.2 Consumer/Brand Relationships 51 3.4.3 Consumer/Company Relationships 53 3.4.4 Consumer Brand Community 54 3.4.5 Consumer and Place Relationships 56 3.5 Conclusion 57 iv C h a pter 4: S h o ppin g And Co nsum ptio n 59 4.1 Store Image and Store Meanings 59 4.2 Shopping Orientations and Motivations 64 4.2.1 Shopping Orientations 64 4.2.2 Shopping Motivations 67 4.2.3 Shopping Experiences and Shopping Values 69 4.3 Shopping Experiences and Self Identity: Aesthetic Perspectives 74 4.3.1 Shopping Experiences and Self Identity: Aesthetic 75 Perspective 4.3.2 Retailers’ Role 81 4.4 Shopping Experiences and Self Identity: Humanistic Approach 84 4.5 Shopping and Consumption: Social-Cultural Level 89 4.5.1 Shopping and Consumption as Gendered Activity 89 4.5.2 Shopping and Consumption as Social Practice 91 C h a p t e r 5: S e l f , I d e n t it y An d S e l f C o n c e p t 93 5.1 Self Concept: Social Psychology Perspective 93 5.2 Private Self 94 5.2.1 Material Self and Extended Self 94 5.2.1.a Extend Self 95 5.2.2 Spiritual Self 96 5.2.3 Extant Self 97 5.2.4 Desired Self and Undesired Self 97 5.2.5 Conative Psychology, Self Concept and Symbolic Consumption 98 5.3 Presenting Self 100 5.3.1 Presenting Self 100 5.3.2 Dramaturgical Models for Presenting Self 101 5.3.3 Minimal Self 103 5.4 Social Self 104 5.4.1 Social Self 104 5.4.2 Cooley and Looking Glass Self 105 5.4.3 Mead and Symbolic interactionism 106 5.4.4 Consumers’ Symbolic Consumption Behaviour 108 5.5 Phenomenal Approach to Self Concept 109 5.5.1 Roger’s Self Concept and Positive Self Regard 111 5.5.3 Possible Selves 113 5.6 Reflexive Self and Authenticity 115 5.6.1 Fragmented Selves 117 5.6.2 Authenticity and Ambivalence 118 5.6.3 Coping Strategies of Modem Ambivalences of Self Concept 118 5.7 Relational Self 121 5.7.1 Relational Self 121 5.7.2 Family Identity and Consumption 122 5.7.3 Role Identity and Role Conflicts 124 5.8 Collective Self 126 5.8.1 Social Position and Stereotyping 126 5.8.2 Social Identity Theory 127 5.8.3 Self Categorization Theory 129 v 5.9 Self Regulation 132 5.10 Self Monitor and Self Discrepancy Theory 134 5.11 Other Motives for Identity Construction 135 5.12 Self Construal 136 5.12.1 Independent, Interdependent and Relational Self Construal 137 5.12.2 Gender Differences and Self Construal 138 C h a p t e r 6: R elationship T h e o r ie s 140 6.1 Definitions and Characteristics of Relationships 140 6.1.1 Interactions 141 6.1.2 Interdependence 142 6.1.3 Temporality 144 6.1.4 Affective and Cognitive Aspects of Interaction 144 6.1.5 Relationship as Affective Tie: Attachment 145 6.1.6 Closeness 146 6.2 Developmental Stages of Relationships 148 6.2.1 Attraction and Initiation of Relationships 149 6.2.1 .a First Impression 149 6.2.1 .b Attraction 151 6.2.1 .c Affiliation 154 6.2.2 Developing Relationships 155 6.2.2.a Intimacy 156 Intimacy and Communication 156 Intimacy and Self Disclosure 158 6.2.2b Love 160 Dependence Love 161 Enrichment Love 161 Compassionate Love 161 6.2.3 Maintaining Relationships 162 6.2.3. a Interdependence 163 6.2.3.b Commitment 164 6.2.3.c Trust 166 6.2.4 Sustaining On-Going Relationships 168 6.2.5 Deteriorating Relationships 169 6.4 Factors Influencing Relationships 170 C h a p t e r 7: M e t h o d s 172 7.1 Stage One: Cognitive Perspectives and Traditional Perspectives of 172 Consumer Research 7.2 Stage Two: Interpretive Perspective and New Perspectives for 175 Research 7.3 Transcendental and Existential Phenomenology 176 7.3.1 Husserl’s Phenomenology 176 7.3.2 Heidegger’s Existential Phenomenology 178 7.4 Phenomenological Inquiry and Constructive Ontology 181 7.5 Phenomenological Inquiry and Constructive-Interpretive Epistemology 184 vi 7.6 The Application of Existential Phenomenology to Consumer 186 Research: Thompson’s Work 7.7 Reflexivity: Existential Phenomenological and Interview Formats 189 7.8 Existential Phenomenological Inquiry and “Bracketing” 194 7.9 Stage Three: Phenomenological Inquiry and Feminist Perspective 198 7.10 Stage Four: Phenomenological Process: Hermeneutic Circle 201 and Data analysis 7.11 Stage Five: Hermeneutic Circle and Feminist Approach to Data Analysis 203 C h a p t e r 8: R e s e a r c h D e s ig n An d R e s e a r c h E x p e r ie n c e 207 8.1 Evolution of the Research Question 207 8.2 Summary of the Research Procedure 208 8.2.1 Sample Selection 208 8.2.2 Interviews 211 8.2.2.a Existential Phenomenological Interview 211 8.2.2.b Feminist Interviews 213 8.2.3 Data Analysis and Interpretations 215 8.2.3.a Grounded Theory Approach 215 8.2.3.b Hermeneutic Approach 217 8.2.3.c Feminist Approach 218 8.2.3.d Iteration: Interview and Data Analysis 220 8.3 Organization and Structure of the Thesis 222 C h a p t e r 9: C o n s u m e r/S t o r e R elationships (I) 224 9.1 Relationship as Interactions 224 9.1.1 Content and Quality of Interactions 224 9.1.2 Relative Frequency and Pattern of Interactions 225 9.2 Relationship as Interdependence 229 9.2.1 Functional Interdependence 230 9.2.2 Experiential Interdependence 231 9.2.3 Expressive Interdependence 234 9.3 Relationship as Affective Bonds 236 9.4 Uniplex and Multiplex Relationships 237 11.4.1 Uniplex