| Abstract [eng] |
The master's thesis analyzes the relationship between consumer trust in the brand and loyalty, with a special focus on the fuel station sector in Lithuania. The aim of the study is to reveal the connection between brand trust and loyalty. However, a problem has emerged in the fuel station sector in Lithuania due to the lack of research addressing the relationship between brand trust and loyalty. This research is conducted because, in today's business environment, where consumers have easy access to a variety of information about companies and their services, businesses must constantly seek ways to stand out and create long-term relationships with customers. Brand trust and loyalty have become key factors influencing consumer choices and the success of companies. The research is based on literature analysis and quantitative methods, including an online survey with 401 respondents. The results of the literature analysis revealed that brand trust is a multidimensional and dynamic concept shaped by factors such as consistency, quality, ethics, and relationship building. Trust reduces perceived risk, encourages loyalty, and helps build long-term relationships, which positively impact a company’s competitiveness. It was also revealed that loyalty dimensions—trust and loyalty—are related to behavioral, attitudinal, and cognitive loyalty. Behavioral loyalty manifests through repeat purchases, attitudinal loyalty through emotional attachment and trust, and cognitive loyalty through the consumer's intention to continue the relationship with the brand and recommend it to others. The results of the empirical research show that age and education have a significant impact on consumer choices in the fuel station sector. Younger (21-40 years old) and higher-educated consumers value advanced services and innovations more, while older (41-50 years old) and lower-educated consumers tend to choose traditional fuel station networks. In the fuel station sector, brand trust and loyalty strongly depend on consistent service quality, honesty, and creating an emotional connection with customers, which fosters loyalty and repeat purchases. The first part of the thesis analyzes the concepts of trust and loyalty, as well as their main aspects, reviewing both international and Lithuanian studies on the importance of these factors in business. The second part discusses the research methodology: it presents the research aims, tasks, methods, sample characteristics, and data analysis tools such as the questionnaire survey and statistical analysis using IBM SPSS and Microsoft Excel programs. The third part presents the analysis of the research results, aiming to identify the relationship between customer trust and loyalty in the fuel station sector, as well as to analyze how demographic data of the respondents affect this relationship. |
