The complex relationship between consumer satisfaction and brand loyalty

This article investigates the relationship between consumer satisfaction and brand loyalty. More specifically the moderator effect of elaboration upon the relationship between two different types of consumer satisfaction and true brand loyalty is investigated. First, in defining brand loyalty, a distinction is made between repeat purchasing behavior and brand loyalty. Next, true brand loyalty is distinguished from spurious brand loyalty. Second, two types of consumer satisfaction are distinguished based on the amount of elaboration upon the evaluation of the brand choice: manifest satisfaction and latent satisfaction. It is hypothesized that the positive relationship between manifest satisfaction and true brand loyalty is stronger than the positive relationship between latent satisfaction and true brand loyalty. In other words, a moderator effect of the amount of elaboration upon the relationship between consumer satisfaction and true brand loyalty is expected and found. Also, some other effects are found indicating that the relationship between consumer satisfaction and brand loyalty is not simple and straightforward.