Using the tasting room experience to create loyal customers

The purpose of this research is to determine if positive affect, in combination with product quality, fair pricing, and customer‐focused operations leads to higher levels of customer satisfaction and repurchase intentions.

A total of 89 undergraduate and graduate business students, ages 23 to 59, each visited a winery they had never visited before. Afterward they filled out a questionnaire evaluating the winery on product quality, fair pricing, feelings of commitment towards the winery, positive emotions felt, preference for wine, overall customer satisfaction, and repurchase intentions. Data were analyzed using multiple regression. Repurchase behavior was the dependent variable.

Product quality, positive emotions felt, preference for wine, customer commitment, and fair pricing were all significant predictors of repurchase intentions.

The findings are based on a small sample of 89 business students. Future research could replicate this study with larger samples of both marginal and core wine drinkers.

The results of this research empirically support the anecdotal evidence that through positive tasting room experiences, wineries can cultivate relationships with customers that build commitment and loyalty. The quality of the wine is not everything. Customers have many choices. The total experience at the winery, one in which the customer feels a sense of belonging and camaraderie and in which the experience is fun or exciting, contributes to repurchase intentions.

This is the first time that customer emotions have been measured after a tasting room visit and then tested for their relationship with repurchase intentions.