WHAT DRIVES RELATIONSHIP QUALITY? A STUDY OF TWO RETAIL CLOTHING STORES

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine factors that influence the relationship quality in a retail clothing store setting. Relationship quality comprises two elements, trust and satisfaction. Subjects of this study were taken from customers of two major retail clothing outlets in Penang. The results revealed that all five variables; physical aspects, reliability, personal interaction, problem-solving and policy are significant influencers of satisfaction. However, only four variables are found to be positively related with trust. Nevertheless, similarities exist between the tests run for both trust and satisfaction whereby physical aspects, personal interaction and policy are the three most important variables in determining relationship quality. The integration of the five variables with special emphasis on the physical aspects of the store, personal interaction and policy, is the key to a successful retail business.

Keywords: relationship quality, retail clothing, physical aspects, reliability, personal interaction, policy