A Study on the Mediating Role of Brand Trust in the Impact of Omnichannel Integration Quality on Brand Loyalty

Öz

Omnichannel retailing has transformed consumer journeys by enabling seamless transitions across multiple touchpoints, making integration quality a critical determinant of relationship outcomes. Grounded in the Stimulus–Organism–Response framework and Commitment–Trust Theory, this study investigates the effect of perceived omnichannel integration quality on brand trust and, through trust, on brand loyalty. In this model, integration quality functions as an external stimulus, brand trust as an organismic psychological response, and brand loyalty as the resulting behavioral outcome. Data were collected from 318 consumers in Yalova, Türkiye, with experience with omnichannel technology retailers, via an online survey administered between April and May 2025. The hypotheses were tested using PLS-SEM (SmartPLS 4). The results show that content consistency, process consistency, and assurance quality have significant positive effects on brand trust, while channel-service configuration does not. Additionally, brand trust significantly and positively affects brand loyalty. Moreover, channel-service configuration does not exert any significant indirect effect on loyalty through trust. The findings suggest that merely increasing the number of channels is insufficient for fostering consumer trust and loyalty. Instead, information consistency, seamless process synchronization, and robust privacy and security safeguards emerge as key drivers of sustainable customer relationships in omnichannel environments. This study contributes to the literature by empirically demonstrating the psychological mechanism linking integration quality to loyalty. It highlights the strategic need for retailers to prioritize robust integration and assurance mechanisms rather than channel proliferation.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• omnichannel retailing
• omnichannel integration quality
• brand trust
• brand loyalty

Bütünleşik Kanal Entegrasyon Kalitesinin Marka Sadakati Üzerindeki Etkisinde Marka Güveninin Aracılık Rolü Üzerine Bir Araştırma

Öz

Bu çalışma, bütünleşik kanallı perakendecilikte algılanan entegrasyon kalitesinin marka güveni ve marka sadakati üzerindeki etkilerini Güven–Bağlılık Teorisi ve Uyarıcı–Organizma–Tepki Modeli çerçevesinde incelemektedir. Bu yaklaşıma göre entegrasyon kalitesi tüketici için bir uyarıcı, marka güveni psikolojik bir tepki ve marka sadakati ise davranışsal bir çıktı olarak konumlandırılmıştır. Çalışma, teknoloji perakendeciliği bağlamında Yalova’da bütünleşik kanal deneyimi bulunan tüketicilerle yürütülmüş; Nisan–Mayıs 2025 döneminde çevrimiçi anket yöntemiyle 318 geçerli yanıt toplanmıştır. Veriler PLS-SEM (SmartPLS 4) yöntemiyle analiz edilmiştir. Bulgular, entegrasyon kalitesi boyutlarından içerik tutarlılığı, süreç tutarlılığı ve güvence kalitesinin marka güvenini anlamlı ve pozitif etkilediğini; buna karşılık kanal hizmet yapılandırmasının etkisinin istatistiksel olarak anlamlı olmadığını göstermektedir. Ayrıca marka güveninin marka sadakati üzerinde anlamlı ve pozitif bir etkisi bulunmuştur. Dolayısıyla kanal hizmet yapılandırması, marka güveni aracılığıyla marka sadakatini de dolaylı biçimde etkilememektedir. Sonuçlar, perakendecilerin yalnızca çok sayıda kanal sunmasının güven ve sadakat yaratmak için yeterli olmadığını; bunun yerine kanallar arası bilgi ve süreç bütünlüğü ile gizlilik, güvenlik ve hizmet kurtarma güvencelerinin güven ve sadakatin temel belirleyicileri olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır. Çalışma, entegrasyon kalitesinin psikolojik bir çıktı olan güven ve onun aracılığıyla oluşan sadakatle doğrudan ilişkisini ampirik olarak göstererek literatürdeki boşluğa katkı sağlamaktadır. Yönetsel olarak, yeni kanal açmaktan ziyade içerik ve süreç senkronizasyonu ile güvence mekanizmalarına yatırımın önceliklendirilmesi önerilmektedir.

Anahtar Kelimeler

• bütünleşik kanallı perakendecilik
• bütünleşik kanal entegrasyon kalitesi
• marka güveni
• marka sadakati

Kaynakça

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