| In the relationship marketing literature, our knowledge of business-to-business buyer-seller relationship quality and its role in influencing seller brand equity remains incomplete. This study develops a theory-grounded conceptual framework regarding the mediating role of buyer-seller relationship quality between buyer attitudes toward the seller's corporate and product brands, and seller brand equity in a business-to-business context. A mail survey was administered to buyers of Thoroughbred horses regarding the past purchase of a racing prospect (product brand) from a Thoroughbred consignor (seller brand), generating 249 buyer responses. Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses. Results reveal that buyer-seller relationship quality fully mediates the positive direct path between buyer attitude toward the seller and seller brand equity, and partially mediates the negative direct path between buyer attitude toward the product and seller brand equity. The finding that buyer attitude toward the product is inversely predictive of seller brand equity in this context is particularly interesting, because it implies that in spite of the expense and uncertainty attached to the purchase of a Thoroughbred racing prospect (product brand), the value the buyer ascribes to the consignor (seller) is marginalized when the buyer has a more favorable attitude toward the horse. The finding that buyer-seller relationship quality partially mediates this path is also very interesting, because it implies that as the buyer exhibits a less favorable attitude toward the racing prospect (product brand), the value attributed to the consignor (seller) increases. The results of this study have significant implications for sellers within speculative and competitive business climates. |
