Attributes That Define Store Image – A Comparative Perspective

The purpose of the research is to evaluate the image of a store using the attributes that define this image. The present study investigates a hypermarket from Iasi, Romania. The study has three main objectives: (1) to evaluate the perceived importance of the attributes that define the image of the store for the customers; (2) to evaluate the image of the store based on the attributes that define it; (3) to compare the perceived image of the store among different groups of customers (men and women, loyal customers and occasional customers). As a research method, we used the quantitative survey based on a questionnaire. The sample is represented by 213 persons, men and women, ages between 18-65 years, who are customers of one specific store. Eight main attributes were identified as being related to a store image: products (diversity, quality and visibility), location (place, access), store design (exterior design, colors), price (products prices, sales promotions), serving time (schedule, waiting time), general atmosphere (music, smell, light), staff (attitude regarding customers, uniforms) and auxiliary services (parking, payment options). The results indicate that the most important elements for choosing a store are represented by the products sold by the hypermarket, the location and the prices.