Investigating the Impact of Cognitive Dissonance and Customer Satisfaction on Loyalty and Complaint Behaviour

Abstract

The concept of cognitive dissonance has been an important construct in consumer behaviour research ever since it was first suggested. However, longitudinal studies on dissonance related to other post-purchase constructs such as satisfaction, loyalty and complaint behaviour are still scarce. In part, this is due to difficulties in the actual measurement of dissonance. Building upon recent contributions, the current study is concerned with the relationship between dissonance and satisfaction and their impact on loyalty and complaint behaviour. One hundred and twenty-five consumers who purchased consumer electronics or household goods were interviewed twice: at the time of purchase and three months afterwards. The results suggest that dissonance and satisfaction are complementary constructs describing different facets of the mental state of the customer after the purchase. Cognitive dissonance and satisfaction govern a different array of actions. While satisfaction has an impact on loyalty, i.e. future purchase intention and word of mouth, cognitive dissonance contributes to the explanation of complaint behaviour.

Keywords: Cognitive Dissonance; Satisfaction; Loyalty; Complaint Behaviour

JEL Classification: M1, M3, M31