Preferência pelo local de compras no contexto varejista de rua: os efeitos moderadores da experiência de marca da região e do comprometimento afetivo

Abstract

The present study seeks to analyze how the patronage intention occurs in relation to consumers of street retail agglomerations. It is not from today that the scenario of street retailers has been a point of discussion, but due to recent events, such as the Covid19 pandemic, new focuses have emerged, as well as a new behavior and profile of consumers. Thus, this challenge, which is very much due to the growth of online commerce during the pandemic period, has determined several changes for physical retail. The convenience of receiving something at home causes many to opt for the online shopping modality, and with that, for a consumer to come to frequent a local physical retail, several elements together must be in tune in order to prefer the place for their future purchases; it is argued here that the brand experience of the region and affective commitment interfere in the relationship between the attributes of the street retail agglomerations, customer shopping experience, and patronagem intention. Therefore, this study considers one mediator variable (Quality of customer shopping experience) and two moderator variables (Region brand experience and Affective commitment) capable of better explaining customer behavior regarding their view of retail agglomerations attributes and patronage intention, considering three neighborhoods in Greater Vitoria, a metropolitan region of Espírito Santo, Brazil. The data were collected through a survey applied to residents of the three neighborhoods and that consume in the mall of their respective neighborhoods and were analyzed using the SmartPLS 4. The results showed that, although the neighborhoods have structural characteristics considered to be distinct, because they have analogous commercial characteristics (i.e., large heated malls) and similar consumer culture and organization, the commercial effects stand out in relation to the small different characteristics. The relationships, in turn, showed that all the expected effects were confirmed, i.e., it is confirmed that there is mediation of the quality that the customer has with the purchases they make in the street retail agglomerations. In addition, the experience that the customer has with the region moderates the relationship, indicating that when the perception of regional elements such as affective, sensory, behavioral and intellectual aspects is low, there is more perception of the attributes of the local retail agglomerations, enhancing the relationship with the patronage intention. In addition, it was seen that while the customer has a low affective commitment to the stores in the street retail agglomerations, the perception of the attributes of the retail agglomerations is better, which potentiates the relationship with preference. Moreover, both moderations mitigate the mediating path.