The Effect of an Appreciatory Comment on Sales: Reciprocity in a Retailing Context

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether thanking shoppers (upon entering a store) and telling them that they were appreciated as customers would result in an increase in sales. An experiment was conducted in an electronics store and a total of 200 subjects were used. The results showed that shoppers told: "Thank you for shopping at _______. We really appreciate having you as our customer. Which department can I direct you to?" spent significantly more than a control group of shoppers who were not told anything ($408.03 vs. $240.54). The results of this study are explained by reference to the literature on reciprocity and gift-giving.

Keywords: retailing, reciprocity, appreciatory comment, customer satisfaction, promotion, gift-upon-entry

JEL Classification: K4, L15, L21, L82, L86, M1, M3, M5, M14, M37, N4