Composite Evaluation of Customer Satisfaction

The aim of our paper is to identify attributes and elements of customer satisfaction that individually and collectively influence seniors´ evaluation of and satisfaction with retail stores and the consequent contribution towards repeat purchase behavior. Customer satisfaction per se refers to a whole set of particular attributes. We argue that any single attribute of customer satisfaction (for example low prices), does not necessarily ensure satisfaction with the store. From marketing point of view, customer satisfaction indicates consistently doing something valueable for customers in the way meeting their expectations. This could influence consumer´s attitudes during their subsequent decisions and enhance repeat purchase behaviour and positive word-of-mouth communication. In our research contribution of 21 individual attributes towards overall shopping satisfaction in seniors´ segment was analysed based on the empirical research in seniors´ population. All 21 attributes have been assigned to 6 broader marketing mix elements. To explain the complexity in satisfaction judgments and to arrive at limited number of explanatory variables, factor analysis was applied to the empirical data. Factor analysis identified three complex factors of customer satisfaction that are significant in seniors´ satisfaction with the chosen store. They are: convenience of shopping, value for money and store image and they collectivelly indicate the inter-relatedness of individual satisfaction attributes and explain the composite character and complexity of the term „satisfaction“. The findings confirm that participants tend to compromise among individual attributes in favour of an „overall shopping experience“, which reinforces the belief that seniors´ rating of individual satisfaction attributes should be considered less important than that of a collective rating of satisfaction factors in judgment of shopping satisfaction. The research in this paper was conducted within the Research project VEGA 1/0224/15.