The influence of salesperson social cues on purchase decisions and post-purchase behaviours in the retail sector

Purpose This paper investigates salesperson social cues and whether salesperson attractiveness and use of honorifics influence purchase decisions. The study also examines the effect of purchase decisions on customer satisfaction with the salesperson, repeat purchase, intention to recommend retail stores, and their interrelation. Design/methodology/approach The mall intercept approach was used to gather data from 334 respondents. To analyse the data and test the hypotheses, the structural equation modelling (SEM) technique was used. Findings The results reveal that salesperson attractiveness and salesperson use of honorifics influence purchase decisions. Moreover, purchase decisions influence customer satisfaction with salespersons, repeat purchase, and intention to recommend them. However, repeat purchase does not influence recommendation intention. Originality/value To the authors' knowledge, this study is the first to measure salesperson honorifics as a unique social cue shaping consumer decision-making in emerging markets.