Re-conceptualizing consumer store image processing using perceived risk

Gaining and sustaining a strategic competitive advantage in retailing requires knowledge of the attributes consumers value and use to discriminate between stores and of why those attributes are important. Although many store image studies have defined discriminant attributes, most have found very similar attributes to be important, giving little new insight into consumers' thinking and few have attempted to explain how these attributes lead to the satisfaction of personal shopping motives. This paper presents a new conceptual framework for store image which links previous work on store choice attributes, shopping motives, and risk. The paper argues that shopping motives and store attributes are linked to only four main risk dimensions (time, financial, psychosocial, physical) and re-classifies previously-found store attributes and shopping motivations under perceived risk dimensions to present a convincing argument for re-assessing the heuristics consumers use in store image processing to give more emphasis to perceived risk. The results offer implications for store development, positioning strategies, and personnel training. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.