Improving the retail performance by contrasting management- and customer-perceived store images: A diagnostic tool for corrective action

The image of a retail establishment is its appearance to target markets. Managerial action can be taken when image components are measured as unfavorable and can be wed as advantageous when found to be favorable. We compare 63 households and 93 manager ratings of a national stove on 29 image variables. Members of both groups were from the same geographic area. The ratings were done using 8-point bipolar anchored scale items ranging/from "Very Bad" to "Excellent" on topics concerning sales staff service policies, assortment, ease of layout, interior decor, price, convenience, quality, store improvement, and community involvement. The 29 image variables were then classified into one of six types of congruence or incongruence according to. (1) whether the item average for the combined group of householders and managers was greater or less than the average ratings for all items; (2) whether the customers and manager average ratings were found to be statistically different (incongruent); and (3) in the case of difference, whether ii was the managers or householders who had the higher average ratings. The study findings indicated that in most image variables, management and customers were in congruence. However; in some of the image variables, there was incongruence. The managerial implications of an image variable being classified into one of the six types are then discussed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Inc.