Rethinking retail patronage: beyond customer loyalty towards reciprocal customer–retailer relationships

Purpose This research clarifies retail patronage by combining consumer insights with bibliometric analysis to address conceptual fragmentation and support consistent measurement. Design/methodology/approach We combined qualitative interviews (n = 68) with a bibliometric analysis of 233 articles using Bibliometrix. Five experts provided an interpretive evaluation of the integrated findings. Findings Retail patronage emerges as a multidimensional relational construct integrating behavioural, intentional, and attitudinal components while remaining conceptually distinguishable from loyalty and love. The literature structures around antecedents and methodological foundations. Patronage occurs when repeated behaviour is relationally interpreted rather than situational. Practical implications Retailers should complement behavioural metrics with relational indicators to distinguish routine purchasing from genuine patronage and design relationship-focused loyalty programmes. Originality/value The study integrates consumer perspectives and intellectual foundations, positioning retail patronage as a reciprocal relational exchange construct to provide a basis for scale development. It explains why repetition can occur without loyalty and loyalty without patronage. The findings suggest that retail patronage extends beyond behavioural loyalty by reflecting reciprocal customer–retailer relationships grounded in ongoing relational exchange.