Whence consumer loyalty?

Both practitioners and academics understand that consumer loyalty and satis faction are linked inextricably. They also understand that this relation is asymmetric. Although loyal consumers are most typically satisfied, satisfa ction does not universally translate into loyalty. To explain the satisfact ion-loyalty conundrum, the author investigates what aspect of the consumer satisfaction response has implications for loyalty and what portion of the loyalty response is due to this satisfaction component. The analysis conclu des that satisfaction is a necessary step in loyalty formation but becomes less significant as loyalty begins to set through other mechanisms. These m echanisms, omitted from consideration in current models, include the roles of personal determinism ("fortitude") and social bonding at the institution al and personal level. When these additional factors are brought into accou nt, ultimate loyalty emerges as a combination of perceived product superior ity, personal fortitude, social bonding, and their synergistic effects. As each fails to be attained or is unattainable by individual firms that serve consumer markets, the potential for loyalty erodes. A disquieting conclusi on from this analysis is that loyalty cannot be achieved or pursued as a re asonable goal by many providers because of the nature of the product catego ry or consumer disinterest. For some firms, satisfaction is the only feasib le float for which they should strive; thus, satisfaction remains a worthy pursuit among the consumer marketing community. The disparity between the p ursuit of satisfaction versus loyalty, as well as the fundamental content o f the loyalty response, poses several investigative directions for the next wave of postconsumption research.