Heavy versus light users: A preliminary study of behavior patterns in retail services

The purpose of the study is to investigate differences in profiles between heavy and light users of four retail services: fast-food burger outlets, convenience stores, medical clinics, and health clubs. The findings indicate that heavy users, along with more visits to the services, have generally had experience with more brands in each of the retail service categories. Light users tend to concentrate their purchases in a smaller number of brands than do heavy users, indicating higher loyalty levels in light users. Few differences are evident between heavy and light users regarding satisfaction, perceived risk, or the size of buyer's choice sets.