Retailers know that offering customers a little something extra with their purchases is always a crowd-pleaser. Unexpected better deal, happy customer.

Now comes research that digs a bit deeper into relationship marketing (RM) to explore the hidden power of customer gratitude—for both short-term and long-term seller benefit.

These researchers monitored customers in a preset "clothing store" situation. A "sales person" offered help above-and-beyond the norm—a cup of coffee, extra assistance, valuable information—to different customers at different times.

Based on results, the researchers concluded that customer gratitude can play a role in purchase decisions when specific conditions are met. "Gratitude for an RM investment increases as the customer's perception of: (a) the seller's free will, (b) the benevolence of the seller's motives for the investment, and (c) the risk to the seller in making the investment increases, and (d) as the customer's need for the benefit received increases," they report.

They offer advice for marketers based on these findings. Among their tips:

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