Exploring the influence of brand extension strategy and brand trust on customer loyalty: a mediation- moderation approach

Abstract

The financial services industry faces continuous operations and fierce competition from other finance-related firms of a similar nature that frequently expand their product lines to bolster their brand and cater to customer preferences. The study focuses on determining how brand extension strategies affect customer loyalty. Furthermore, it investigates whether brand trust mediates and moderates the relationship between brand extension strategy and customer loyalty. The researchers, using convenience sampling, would collect data from customers of 400 fintech companies, commercial banks, and microfinance bank customers domiciled in Lagos State, Nigeria. The researchers would use both descriptive and inferential statistical techniques to analyze the data using SPSS and SMARTPLS software, as well as test hypotheses using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The results will demonstrate the role of brand trust in ensuring customer loyalty in the Nigerian financial services industry, as determined by brand extension strategies.