Impact of corporate social responsibility practices on consumer purchase intention of apparel products with mediating role of consumer-retailer love

Abstract

Purpose Companies with corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices care about customers, society, the environment and workers. This study aims to examine the impact of CSR practices (i.e. economic CSR, environmental CSR and societal CSR) on consumers’ purchase intention of apparel products, with the mediating role of consumer-retailer love on this relationship. Design/methodology/approach Data gathered using purposive sampling technique from 300 young online consumers using purposive sampling were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling via SmartPLS3.0. Findings The results reveal that CSR practices (i.e. environmental CSR and societal CSR) have a positive influence on purchase intention for apparel products. Moreover, consumer-retailer love mediates the relationship between CSR practices (i.e. economic CSR and environmental CSR) and consumers’ purchase intention for apparel products. Practical implications Apparel retail marketers should focus on key determinants when designing CSR campaigns and communicating these CSR initiatives in social media and annual reports. They should also focus on their service quality to create a good perception (images) that helps measure the emotional response (love) between the retailer and consumers. Originality/value By applying the triple bottom line framework and the stimulus-organism-response model in a single framework, this study is unique and highlights the role of consumer-retailer love as an important mediator on the impact between CSR practices (i.e. economic CSR, environmental CSR, societal CSR) and consumers’ purchase intention of apparel products. The findings represent a new contribution to the existing literature, as there has been very limited research on this relationship in a developing nation context.