FACTORS THAT EXPLAIN CUSTOMER LOYALTY TOWARDS SUPERMARKETS

The purpose of this study is to identify the main factors that explain customer loyalty towards supermarkets in the city of Temuco, Chile. The model is proposed based on the literature on brand loyalty and loyalty to distributors. A random personal survey was carried out among households in Temuco, obtaining 1050 useful questionnaires as a result. The test of the proposed model is based on a logistical regression model. It was found that the determining factors for loyalty to an establishment are the supermarket's image, the convenience of the commercial relationship, the search for savings in purchases and perception of the distributor's brands. The survey's application to three different superman ket chains shows different loyalty characteristics for each one Although the distributor's brands play an important role in the strategy for this type of companies, the research did not find them to be a determining factor for loyalty to the distributor, even when they are positively perceived by consumers.