Effects of online brand communities on millennials' brand loyalty in the fashion industry

Ozuem, Wilson, Willis, Michelle, Howell, Kerry, Helal, Guida, Ranfagni, Silvia and Lancaster, Geoff (2021) Effects of online brand communities on millennials' brand loyalty in the fashion industry. Psychology & Marketing, 38 (5). pp. 774-793. ISSN 1520-6793

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Abstract / Description

Online brand communities are gaining traction in the development of marketing strategy, but it is unclear how the dominant group of users, the millennials, is being targeted with the prevailing and varying customer loyalty programs. Grounded in understanding that loyalty is seen and understood differently by people who participate in online brand communities, this study is based on a constructivist perspective combined with hermeneutic methodology and embedded case study research strategy to examine how online brand communities activate multidimensional customer loyalty intentions. Empirical data were generated through 45 in‐depth interviews of millennials. The analysis proposes a framework that categorizes customer loyalty into ambassador loyalists, public‐voting loyalists, loveless loyalists, and mercenary loyalists. Each stream contains one additional subcategory mediated by consumer levels of participation in online brand communities. This study contributes to existing literature. Unlike extant studies, it specifically argues that customers' loyalty intentions in online brand communities depend on the individuals and context, and it categorizes loyalty into different levels. Practical steps by which companies may utilize these categories and theoretical implications for wider consideration are proposed.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Copyright © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC. This is the peer reviewed version of the the article that has been published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.21466. This article may be used for non-commercial purposes in accordance with Wiley Terms and Conditions for Use of Self-Archived Versions. This article may not be enhanced, enriched or otherwise transformed into a derivative work, without express permission from Wiley or by statutory rights under applicable legislation. Copyright notices must not be removed, obscured or modified. The article must be linked to Wiley’s version of record on Wiley Online Library and any embedding, framing or otherwise making available the article or pages thereof by third parties from platforms, services and websites other than Wiley Online Library must be prohibited.
Uncontrolled Keywords:	customer loyalty, electronic word of mouth, fashion, millennials, online brand communities, qualitative research, social media
Subjects:	300 Social sciences 600 Technology > 650 Management & auxiliary services
Department:	Guildhall School of Business and Law
Depositing User:	Michelle Willis
Date Deposited:	20 Apr 2023 08:10
Last Modified:	17 Jul 2023 14:56
URI:	https://repository.londonmet.ac.uk/id/eprint/8448

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