The Impact Of Service Recovery Fairness On Customer Recovery Satisfaction In Sports Brand Stores: Exploring The Mediating Role Of Authenticity In The Recovery Process

Abstract

The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between service recovery fairness and satisfaction in the recovery process. Specifically, this study focused on resolving service failures encountered in sports brand stores. This study also aimed to explore the mediating role of authenticity in this relationship. To achieve these goals, this study collected customers who had purchased goods at sports brand stores within the past year and had undergone a service recovery process after a service failure. A survey was conducted using non-probability sampling by using 345 customers who had visited sports brand stores at one of six general sports centers in Seoul region, South Korea, and purchased goods within the last 6 months. Purposive sampling was employed during the selection process, and questionnaires were distributed accordingly. The collected data were then analyzed using SPSS 28.0, which included frequency analysis, exploratory factor analysis, reliability analysis, correlation analysis, and the Hayes macro model. This study found that distributive fairness in sports brand stores had a positive impact on recovery satisfaction.  Procedural fairness also had a positive impact on recovery satisfaction.  Interactive fairness had a positive impact on recovery satisfaction as well. Moreover, a[1]uthenticity during the service recovery process was a partial mediator in the relationship between distributive fairness and recovery satisfaction. Authenticity during the service recovery process was a partial mediator in the relationship between procedural fairness and recovery satisfaction. Authenticity during the service recovery process was a partial mediator in the relationship between interactive fairness and re-covery satisfaction. Based on these findings, it is suggested that brand companies should prioritize and invest in recovery efforts for customers who have experienced service failures while empha-sizing the importance of authenticity during the service recovery process in sports brand stores.