Benefits and costs in the relationship between retailers and consumers: A cross-industry comparison

Abstract

Relationship marketing is based on the establishment and maintenance of continuous relations between buyer and seller as a source of mutual benefits. In this context, the customer’s perception of benefits and monetary and non-monetary sacrifices derived from his relationship with the retailer is crucial for the existence of an ongoing and successful relationship. However, such a perception may vary greatly depending on the type of service provided. In this paper we analyze customers assessment on the benefits and costs of their relations with four types of distributors.