Falling in Love: Customer Chemistry and Identity Construction

1. Falling in Love:Customer Chemistryand Identity Construction Presented to the First International Colloquium on Consumer Brand Relationships Michael Breazeale April 23, 2010 1

2. 2 My Dissertation Research Consumers often form bonds with certain retailers that cannot be explained by the utilitarian benefits received or brand image alone. These essays develop and explore a theory to explain this phenomenon. Essay One – Get the Picture? The Visual Servicescape and Self-Image Congruity Essay Two – I Love That Store: Toward a Theory of Customer Chemistry Essay Three – Falling in Love: Customer Chemistry and Identity Construction This essay examines the role of that customer chemistry plays in identity construction and signaling for consumers. Several a priori themes guide the analysis of interviews with consumers, laying a foundation for ongoing research. 1

3. 3 Definition Customer Chemistry is the consumer process of forming a positive environmentally-derived emotional attachment to a retailer. The process consists of three stages – engagement, passion, and affective commitment – with each stage representing a deeper level of attachment. 1

4. 4 A Priori Themes • Transformation of self into a desired form(Wong and Ahuvia 1998) • Version of self that is most salient(Greenwald 1988) • Trilateral nature of consumption relationships(Belk 1988) • Life stage and its impact on customer chemistry(Mick and Fournier 1998) • Empty-self conceptualization of identity construction(Cushman 1990) • “Purity of pleasure” vs. “focal practices”(Borgmann 2000) 1

5. 5 Method Sample: 10 consumers Age range = 19 to 79 years 6 females and 4 males Each self-report high level of customer chemistry Method: Semi-structured interviews Shopping with Consumers (SWC)(Lowrey, Otnes and McGrath 2005) 3 modified life history interviews Idiographic analysis / Cross-case analysis 1

6. 6 Case One – Stacy • 21-year-old female college student / Loves Anthropologie • Reasons: Uniqueness, attention to detail, willingness to see past what’s expected, makes her desired life seem attainable “It’s exactly who I am, I think. Gosh, it’s who I think I am – who I want to be anyway. I mean, I like who I am right now. I’m pretty happy with myself, but I have goals and things I want to accomplish just like everybody. When I accomplish those goals, that’s definitely who I’ll be.” • Stacy’s Theme:“In this store everything is within reach. Nothing is off-limits even though it’s really nice stuff.” Anthropologie shows her how to live the life that she wants for herself and signals to others that she will have it. 1

7. 7 Case Two – Jane • 45-year-old mother of two & Realtor / Loves Best Buy • Reasons: Clean, logical layout, organized, friendly, knowledgeable, represents fun and entertainment with family “Best Buy is smart and organized and consistently up-to-date. They offer variety and they’re very friendly. [“How does that compare to your personality?”] It’s better! [She laughs.] I’m not that organized. I’m not that smart. I am friendly! But they make me look smart by teaching me about the things I need for my home.” • Jane’s Theme:“It’s what I want my personality to be.” Best Buy allows her to display to the whole world that her family comes first and serves as proof that she knows how to create a pleasant home environment. 1

8. 8 Case Three – Bill • 79-year-old retired attorney & CPA / Loves Barnes & Noble • Reasons: Logical layout, small-store feel, comfort, huge selection, fun“There are lots of browns – kind of makes me think of old leather books – but it’s not dark. They have great reading lighting in here. … you’ll see their displays make sense, too. You can tell people that know about books put them together because they make sense, like they’ll have books pulled together from a lot of sections about the same general topic. The whole place is inviting.” • Bill’s Theme:“I walk in Barnes and Noble, and I’m King Bill! In a bookstore, I know as much as anybody. I’m comfortable and confident. I’m top-notch in a bookstore, and Barnes and Noble is the one I choose.”Barnes and Noble allows Bill to create a new identity for himself. No longer just a retiree, he is a bibliophile, and he has purpose. 1

9. 9 Cross-Case Analysis / Discussion • Transformation • Collective self (Jane) / Public self (Stacy) / Private self (Bill) • Trilateral nature of consumption relationships • Life stage and its impact on customer chemistry • Postmodern fragmented self vs. empty self • “Purity of pleasure” vs. “focal practices” 1

10. 10 Implications • Theoretical: • Ability of a place to invoke the same kind of identity construction associations as loved possessions • Other types of places (i.e., events, online, service) • Males and consumption relationships • Retailers: • Extension to PLBs, sponsored events? • Potential to play a role in identity construction • Stronger, more resilient relationships with customers 1

11. 11 Extending this Research • Customer chemistry in online consumption • Favorite virtual places (i.e., websites, blogs, forums) • Transfer of meaning to collections and hobbies 1

12. Falling in Love:Customer Chemistryand Identity Construction Thank you. Questions / Comments / Suggestions? 1