How Does Brand Loyalty Influence Customer Behaviour? A study based on Fashion Market in the UK

Running head: RESEARCH PROPOSAL
Research Proposal
How Does Brand Loyalty Influence Customer Behaviour? A study based on Fashion Market in
the UK
Student’s Name:
Name of the university:
Author’s note:

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Table of Contents
1. Introduction..................................................................................................................................3
1.1 Background of the research...................................................................................................3
1.2 Research rationale..................................................................................................................4
1.3 Research aim..........................................................................................................................5
1.4 Research objectives...............................................................................................................5
1.5 Research questions.................................................................................................................5
2. Literature review..........................................................................................................................5
2.1 Concept of brand loyalty.......................................................................................................5
2.2 Theoretical concept of brand loyalty.....................................................................................6
2.3 Concept of customer behaviour.............................................................................................7
2.5 Impact of brand loyalty on customer behaviour....................................................................7
2.6 Conceptual framework and hypothesis..................................................................................8
3. Research methodology.................................................................................................................9
3.1 Researchphilosophy...............................................................................................................9
3.2 Research logic......................................................................................................................10
3.3 Research approach...............................................................................................................11
3.4 Data Collection....................................................................................................................12
3.5 Data Analysis.......................................................................................................................13

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3.6 Challenges and Limitations.................................................................................................14
3.7 Ethical matters.....................................................................................................................14
4. Research timetable.....................................................................................................................14
Reference List................................................................................................................................16
Appendix........................................................................................................................................20

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1. Introduction
1.1 Background of the research
Increasing competitive environment develops the endeavour of making strategies for the
brand loyalty for both small and large business organisations. Brand loyalty is the aware and
unaware decisions of the customers that are expressed through the intention to repurchase from
the particular brands frequently (Sasmita and MohdSuki 2015). As stated by Lee et al. (2015),
organisations use brand loyalty as the weapon of competition and brand loyalty helps to surpass
the competitors with minimum costs. The business organisations can reach their short and long-
term objectives with fewer efforts and lower costs in a shorter period of time (Cantallops and
Salvi 2014). Brand loyalty for the particular product and service makes the consumers' first
choice to buy from the same brand. Brand loyalty occurs when the customers perceive that the
brands offer the right features, level and image at the right price.
In the UK fashion industry, for the last five years; sales of the fashion brands have soared
high. Sales of the online fashion clothing have increased by almost 24% in the last five years.
Overall sales of fashion clothing in the UK are expected to grow by 15% in the next two years
(Visitlondon.com 2018). Online fashion is the key term in the UK as it is expected to reach $29
billion in the year 2021 (Henninger et al. 2017). Young generation and the millennials like to
purchase from the brands to which they are familiar. UK based fashion brands are Burberry,
Stella McCartney, Paul Smith, Alexander McQueen, Temperley London, H&M and Zara. The
fashion brands in the UK need to keep up the advertisements to let the customers know about the
recent styles so that the customers become brand loyal. Therefore, the customers get to compare

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and contrast the different types of products and the services like discounts, free shipping and cost
offered by the organisations.
1.2 Research rationale
What is the issue?
Fashion brands need to make a good brand image and brand awareness so that the
customer becomes loyal to the brands (Turker and Altuntas 2016). Lack of brand loyalty can
negatively impact on the consumers’ buying behaviour.
Why is it an issue?
If the customers are not loyal to the brands, the customers may go to the different brands.
Therefore, lack of loyal customers may hamper the revenue and profitability of the fashion
brands.
Why is it an issue now?
In the fashion industry in the UK, the rise of online selling of the fashion brands has
been increased. The customers are now exposed to many new fashion brands and the customers
make a purchase from these brands as well (Battaglia et al. 2016). If the renowned fashion
brands do not opt to take measure to make a brand image, the fashion brands tend to lose the
competitive advantage and the existence of the brands will be threatened in the industry.
What does the research shed light on?
This research will shed light on the influence on brand loyalty on the consumers' buying
behaviour as this provides an advantage for the fashion brands to gain knowledge to heed on the
consumers' behaviour.

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1.3 Research aim
The aim of the research is to explore the influence of brand loyalty on the consumers’
buying behaviour. This research aims to focus on the fashion brands of the UK.
1.4 Research objectives
The objectives of the research are:
 To explore the driving elements of brand loyalty in fashion industry
 To find out the factors regarding the consumers’ buying behaviour
 To highlight the influence of brand loyalty on the consumers’ behaviour in the fashion
industry of the UK
 To recommend some possible solutions for developing the brand loyalty in the fashion
brands of the UK to impact on consumers’ behaviour
1.5 Research questions
Primary research question:
What is the impact of brand loyalty on the consumers’ behaviour in the fashion brands of the
UK?
2. Literature review
2.1 Concept of brand loyalty
As stated by Lim et al. (2017), brand loyalty is the behaviour pattern of the customers
when the customers become committed towards any particular brand and the customers make a
purchase from the brands time and again. The authors further stated that the organisations make
creative strategies so that the customers can be loyal towards the brands through rewards