The Impact of Undergraduate Students’ Perceived Value on Starbucks’ Brand Loyalty: A Case Study of Hangzhou, China

Abstract

The growing significance of brand loyalty in the competitive landscape of chain coffee brands, coupled with the increasing purchasing power of undergraduate students as a key consumer group, has underscored the role of perceived value in shaping their brand choices. This study examined the impact of undergraduate students’ perceived value, encompassing functional value, emotional value, social value, and experiential value, on brand loyalty to Starbucks, with a focus on undergraduate students in Hangzhou, China. A quantitative approach was adopted, and online questionnaires were distributed to collect data from 400 undergraduates across five public universities in Hangzhou, China. Descriptive statistics and correlation analysis were employed to analyze the data. Results revealed significant positive correlations between all dimensions of perceived value and Starbucks’ brand loyalty, with experiential value showing the strongest correlation. These findings highlighted the critical role of comprehensive perceived value in fostering students’ brand loyalty. To enhance brand loyalty in this group, Starbucks should strengthen functional value by maintaining product quality consistency, optimizing service efficiency, and ensuring reasonable pricing. It should deepen emotional value through personalized services and effective dissemination of brand stories to strengthen emotional resonance. Efforts to reinforce social value should involve emphasizing its role as a social gathering space and engaging in public welfare activities to align with peer norms. Additionally, upgrading experiential value by refining store ambiance and designing interactive activities can further boost repeated engagement. These strategies provide practical implications for Starbucks to optimize its value communication strategies targeting undergraduate students, while also contributing to the understanding of brand loyalty formation mechanisms among young consumer groups.

Keywords: students, perceived value, brand loyalty, Hangzhou, Starbuck