Making the store a place of learning: The effects of in-store educational activities on retailer legitimacy and consumer shopping intentions  

Grégory Bressolles, Kedge Business School

Damien Chaney, Groupe ESC Troyes in Champagne,

Renaud Lunardo, Kedge Business School

 

This article considers the store as a place of learning and builds on institutional theory to examine whether the implementation of educational activities in the store environment has a positive effect on consumer perceptions of retailer legitimacy and whether such legitimacy in turn has positive effects on shopping intentions. Findings from a study conducted in a real retail setting reveal that although in-store activities do not exert main effects on legitimacy and shopping intentions, corporate attributions play a major role. Precisely, the value that consumers derive from practicing an in-store educational activity increase retailer legitimacy and shopping intentions only when consumers do not perceive any corporate goals behind the implementation of the activity.