Relationship benefits and costs in retailing: A cross-industry comparison

Abstract

Relationship marketing is based on the establishment and maintenance of continuous relationships between buyer and seller as a source of mutual benefits. Following this approach, customers' evaluations of benefits and monetary and non-monetary sacrifices derived from their relationships with the retailer are crucial for the existence of ongoing and successful relationships. Such a perception may, however, vary greatly depending on the type of service provided. In this paper, we analyse customers' assessments of the benefits and costs of their relationships with four types of retailers. © 2009 Palgrave Macmillan.