PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the conditions under which small independent retailers can improve their business performance by adopting a merchandising information orientation and strategically integrating into retailer buying groups.Design/methodology/approachThis study tests hypotheses using a hierarchical multiple regression model and data obtained from 241 supermarket retailers that are existing members of buying groups in Japan.FindingsThe results indicate that merchandising information orientation alone may not be a beneficial strategy for small independent retailers to improve their business performance; however, by combining a merchandising information strategy with strong strategic integration with a buying group, optimal benefits can be achieved.Practical implicationsThe findings highlight the potential benefits small independent retailers can gain from buying groups when pursuing a merchandising information orientation, which may prompt such retailers to actively integrate the policies and activities of the buying group into their business strategy.Originality/valueThe authors conceptualise retailers’ merchandising information in a model that demonstrates the link between a firm’s information strategy and its performance from the perspective of resource-based theory. Thus, this study advances the knowledge of the strategic behaviours of small independent retailers and provides valuable information for buying groups in the retail sector.

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PurposeThis study adopts complexity theory to explore behavioural brand loyalty (BBL) development by investigating brand perceptional components and loyalty programs (LPs) in the Japanese fashion market through a qualitative comparative study. The authors address two research questions: (1) Under the potential influence of the COVID-19 pandemic, do brand perceptions and LPs contribute to young generation's BBL toward three types of brands with different scales of store numbers and prices? (2) If so, under what conditions do these factors positively influence BBL?Design/methodology/approachThis study considers the effects of complex factors and conditions on BBL formation by testing the asymmetric relationships that exist among brand perceptions, LPs, and BBL via fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). The authors surveyed 751 Japanese consumers (aged 18–25 years) who had chosen 26 Japanese fashion brands as their favourites and participated in the LPs of those brands. The use of fsQCA supplements the existing research by explaining how causal variables affect BBL both positively and negatively.FindingsThe results (1) present multiple causal solutions in predicting high BBL by profiling young shoppers based on their psychological and behavioural characteristics; (2) show how causal factors and consumer characteristics work differently when developing BBL for different types of brands. The findings established that brand perceptions and LPs could affect BBL positively and negatively, depending on the characteristics of fashion brands and shoppers.Originality/valueThis study offers theoretical and practical implications in two main aspects: (1) the authors adopted a mixed methodology with quantitative and qualitative analysis to propose an integrated model that connects perceptional brand loyalty and LPs with BBL, based on three types of Japanese fashion brands; (2) the results offer multiple solutions for predicting the high level of BBL by profiling shoppers' characteristics, considering the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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