Customer responses to retail environments: A conceptual framework linking store experience, satisfaction and loyalty

Abstract

Customer experience has become a defining factor in sports retail, making in-store engagement an essential area of study for understanding satisfaction and loyalty. This conceptual paper examines the role of multidimensional in-store experience: cognitive, affective, social and physical, in shaping customer behavior, grounded in the “experience economy” perspective. Cognitive elements such as store layout and product information guide customer flow and decision-making, while affective factors like emotions triggered by design and service quality foster trust and excitement. Social interactions with staff and peers build community and belonging, while physical stimuli such as lighting, music and temperature enhance mood and extend dwell time. Together, these dimensions influence satisfaction, which reflects whether expectations are met or exceeded. Satisfied customers are more likely to return, recommend the store and develop emotional attachment, translating into loyalty behaviors. At the same time, challenges remain in sustaining satisfaction, as customer expectations continue to rise and experiential strategies must adapt to diverse needs. While satisfaction often mediates the relationship between experience and loyalty, prior studies suggest that experiential dimensions may also directly drive loyalty in competitive contexts. By integrating these perspectives, this paper proposes a conceptual framework for understanding how sports retailers can optimize experiential strategies to stabilize satisfaction and strengthen long-term loyalty.