This paper presents the underlying determinants of relationship continuity among fashion retailers and their suppliers. Bibliographical review has focused on channel, industrial and relationship marketing literature and identified trust as a key role player for relationship continuity. Survey data has been collected from 154 product managers working in 29 fashion retail firms, belonging to 4 distinct retail formats: high and low end specialty shops, department stores and hypermarkets. Data has been grouped in factors and their influence over intention to stay measured under factor analysis and multiple regression techniques, respectively. Six correlated factors to dependent variable have been identified: supplier competencies, sales rep characteristics, willingness to agree, supplier values, product development and agility. Retailers, depending on the retail format, assign different weighs to these six determinants.
relationship marketing; trust; commitment; loyalty; apparel retailing
