The comparative influence of manufacturer and retailer brands on customers' purchase behavior

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to build the marketing discipline's body of knowledge by conducting a study that builds upon an exploratory study that examines whether manufacturer brand(s) or retail brand(s) have greater influence on customers' brand purchase behaviors. Design/methodology/approach - The study was administered to 112 samples (of which 87 were returned and usable), with data analyzed using structural equation modeling to test hypotheses. Findings - This study revealed that customers' loyalty to retail brand(s) has a greater influence on their brand purchase behavior than manufacturers' brand(s). Research limitations/implications - Only one retailer and a limited range of two grocery products was employed. The respondents had purchased the items from the retailer. Practicable implications - The study found that retailers may need to use dissimilar marketing strategies for customers loyal to manufacturer brands and those that are loyal to retail brands. Originality/value - This study supports the generalizability of the exploratory study.