Trust during retail encounters: A touchy proposition

Ulrich R. Orth, Tatiana Bouzdine-Chameeva and Kathrin Brand

Journal of Retailing, 2013, vol. 89, issue 3, 301-314

Abstract: Adopting an interpersonal communication perspective, this study examines the propositions that a salesperson's touch increases trust, which increases product evaluations and purchase intention. These relationships are evaluated in a contact and non-contact culture, with need for touch (NFT) examined as an additional moderator. An exploratory series of in-depth interviews provides an initial understanding of these relationships, followed by a 2 (touch/no touch condition)×2 (consumers in France/Germany) experiment with wine serving as the example category. The findings indicate that touch does not uniformly instill trust in customers. Instead a salesperson's touch relates to greater trust only when consumers have an inherent NFT or when they are from a culture where personal touching behavior is less prevalent. Trust, in turn, relates positively to evaluations of product attractiveness, quality, and to purchase intention.

Keywords: France; Germany; Salesperson; Quality; Trust; Touch; Wine (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2013
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (8)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jouret:v:89:y:2013:i:3:p:301-314

DOI: 10.1016/j.jretai.2013.02.002

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