CULTURAL EXPERIENCE AS MEDIATOR IN CONNECTION CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION TO CUSTOMER LOYALTY: STUDIES CASE BRAND THE SPONGE HERBS MAKASSAR
Published:
2026-07-29Downloads
Abstract
The competitive business environment in Makassar, particularly in the local food retail and regional souvenir sectors, is the source of this study. The Bolu Rampah, which saw a sharp drop in both visitors and revenue in 2025, has been directly harmed by this situation. The Bolu Rampah, a traditional Makassar sponge cake known for its soft texture, cinnamon aroma, and unique sweetness of palm sugar, is the signature product of the Bolu Rampah, a native Makassar brand with rich cultural roots. The Bolu Rampah has responded to this issue by implementing innovations that are intended to improve customer pleasure and experience, ultimately cultivating loyalty among its dedicated clientele. In order to create a distinct point of differentiation, the company has included local cultural features into its customer service, such as using area greetings and having customer service employees wear traditional clothing (particularly, bodo clothes). This study aims to determine the influence of customer experience and customer satisfaction on customer loyalty , mediated by cultural experience , among customers of The Sponge Herbs Makassar. The population for this studycomprises all membership customers of The Sponge Herbs in the Makassar region, who have made purchases either directly atoutlets (offline stores) or through on line platforms (on line stores) at least twice in the last six months. A sample of 312 respondentswas collected using a purposive sampling techniques. The data was analyzed using SEM-PLS using the Smart-PLS 2026 program.The outcomes of the study show that cultural experience , customer satisfaction , and customer experience all significantly impact consumer loyalty . Similarly, the cultural experience variable effectively mediates the connection between customer loyalty, customer satisfaction, and customer experience among The Sponge Herbs Makassar customers.
Keywords:
customer experience customer satisfaction cultural experience customer loyalty local food retail The Sponge HerbsReferences
Ahmed, B., et al. (2022). The Impact of Customer experience and Identification on Behavioral Intentions. Frontiers in Psychology. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9196106/
Ajzen, I. (1991). The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50, p. 179-211
Amer, S. M., Omar, N. A., & Mohamad, O. (2022). How servicescape unleash customer engagement through place attachment: Evidence from a non-Western context. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 67, 102978.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/23311975.2022.2055443
Anastassova, L. (2026). Customer experience impact on brand loyalty. Journal of Business and Economics https://bposoki.access-bg.org/issue-37-1-2026/customer_experience_impact_on_brand_loyalty
Andhika Pramudya, Luki Nurdiansyah, S.Pd. (2025) Mekari Jurnal, Industri Ritel: Analisa Perkembangan dan Tantangan, serta Solusi dari Mekari Jurnal. https://www.jurnal.id/id/blog/solusi-tantangan-industri-ritel-dari-mekari-jurnal/
Anshu, K., et al. (2022). Impact of customer experience on attitude and repurchase intention. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2021.102581
Bahagio, D. A., et al. (2026). The Influence of Perceived Value on Customer Loyalty: Mediating Role of Emotional and Social Value. RIGGS: Journal of Artificial Intelligence. http://journal.ilmudata.co.id/index.php/RIGGS/article/view/3235
Becker, L., & Jaakkola, E. (2020). Customer experience: fundamental premises and implications for research. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science.
Bustamante, J. C., & Rubio, N. (2021). Measuring customer experience in retail: Scale validation and effects on loyalty. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 60, 102481
Cho, M., Bonn, M. A., & Li, J. J. (2020). A bite of nostalgia: The influence of nostalgia in consumers’ loyalty intentions at traditional restaurants. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 87, 102378. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1447677020302321
Communication Theories, University of Twente. (2003/2004). http://www.utwente.nl/communication-theories
Croitoru, G. (2024). A cross-cultural analysis of perceived value and customer loyalty in the restaurant industry. European Research on Management and Business Economics. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iedeen.2023.100231
Garmaroudi, S. A., Parsa, H. G., & Nayebzadeh, S. (2021). The social servicescape's impact on customer perceptions in service encounters. Service Business, 15(2), 267–287. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0278431920303261
Han, H., & Hyun, S. S. (2020). Impact of satisfaction on loyalty in service settings. Int. Journal of Hospitality Management
Kandampully, J., & Solnet, D. (2015). Service Management: Principles for Hospitality and Tourism. Kendall Hunt Publishing
Konuk, F. A. (2021). The influence of perceived value on satisfaction and loyalty. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0969698919302097
Li, X., & Qiu, L. (2023). Local food consumption: The trio of motivation, satisfaction, and loyalty. Journalof Foodservice Business Research, 26(3), 321 340. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/19388160.2023.2176960
Massoudi, A. H. (2020). Consumer loyalty indicators as drivers to satisfaction. International Journal of Management Studies, 27(2), 113 126. https://eprints.cihanuniversity.edu.iq/id/eprint/243/
Mgiba, F. M., & Ndlazi, N. (2025). The Cognitive and Affective Experiences, Customer Satisfaction and Trust, and the Loyalty Journey. The Retail and Marketing Review. https://journals.co.za/doi/abs/10.5281/zenodo.17341775
Mucha, L. (2024). Applying the theory of planned behavior to examine consumer behavior towards craft bakery products. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-024-04060-8
Nguyen, P. H., Simkin, L., & Canhoto, A. (2020). The dark side of customer loyalty: Exploring the role of switching costs. Journal of Business Research, 118, 207–219
Ogbu, O. O., Asikhia, S. A., & Idowu, O. S. (2022). Social and Cultural Experiences with Loyalty towards Hotel Services: The Mediating Role of Customer Satisfaction. Sustainability, 14(14), 8789
Ogunnaike, O. O., Agada, S. A., Ighomereho, O. S., & Borishade, T. T. (2022). Social and Cultural Experiences with Loyalty towards Hotel Services: The Mediating Role of Customer Satisfaction. Sustainability, 14(14), 8789. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/14/14/8789
Ogunnaike, O. O., et al. (2022). Social and Cultural Experiences with Loyalty towards Hotel Services: The Mediating Role of Customer Satisfaction. Sustainability. https://doi.org/10.3389/frsus.2025.1695052
Putra, T. W., & Keni. (2020). Brand Experience, Perceived Value, Brand Trust untuk Memprediksi Brand Loyalty: Brand Love sebagai Variabel Mediasi. Jurnal Muara Ilmu Ekonomi Dan Bisnis, 4(1), 184–193
Rachmadanty, A. D., et al. (2025). Examining the Impact of Gamification and Customer experience on Customer Loyalty. Journal of Enterprise and Development. https://journal.uinmataram.ac.id/index.php/jed/article/view/12995
Rajdeep Kumar Deb, (2024) Indonesia Food and Beverages Market By Product (Beverage – Alcoholic Beverages, Non-Alcoholic Beverages; Food – Bakery and Confectionery, Frozen Food, Dairy Products, Breakfast Cereals, Meat, Poultry, and Seafood); By Distribution Channel (Supermarkets/Hypermarkets, Convenience Stores, Online) – Growth, Share, Opportunities & Competitive Analysis, 2024 2032 https://www.credenceresearch.com/report/indonesia-food-and-beverages-market,
Rather, R. A. (2021). Customer experience and loyalty in cultural service settings. Sustainability
Rather, R. A. (2021). Monitoring the impact of customer experience and satisfaction on loyalty. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhtm.2021.01.012
Shavitt, S., Barnes, A. J., & Cho, H. (2020). Culture and the consumer journey. Journal of Consumer Psychology, 30(1), 175 191. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022435919300867
Shobeiri et al. (2020). Customer loyalty in experiential retail environments. Journal of Business Research
Silitonga, A. Y., Manurung, A. S., Simandalahi, E., Batubara, N. K., Yani, R. E., & Rahmadsyah, A. (2024). The Influence of Service Quality and Atmosphere on Customer Satisfaction at Cassiavera Restaurant Medan. Economic: Journal Economic and Business, 3(4), 179 182 https://jurnal.larisma.or.id/index.php/EJEB/article/view/734/507
Skandalis, A., Byrom, J., & Banister, E. (2019). Experiential marketing and the changing nature of extraordinary experiences in post-postmodern consumer culture. Journal of Business Research, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0148296318306751
Sofie Audyanova, Jul Aidil Fadli (2025) Pengaruh Perceived Value Dan Customer experience Terhadap Customer Melalui Customer Satisfaction. https://ulilalbabinstitute.id/index.php/J-CEKI/article/view/12140/9272
Steffens, N. K., Haslam, S. A., & Jetten, J. (2021). Leader prototypicality and social identity: A meta-analysis of 20 years of research. British Journal of Management, 32(2), 321–338. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1467-8551.12429
Stocchi, L., Hart, C., & Haji, I. (2016). Understanding the Town Centre Customer experience (TCCE). Journal of Marketing Management, 37(17–18), 1562–1587
Thomas, A. (2017). Multivariate Hybrid Pathways for Creating Exceptional Customer experiences. Business Process Management Journal, 23(4), 822–829
Tjokrosaputro, M., et al. (2026). Authenticity and novelty on Bali's cultural tourist loyalty: Mediating role of aesthetic experience quality. Tourism and Hospitality Management. https://hrcak.srce.hr/file/500118
Ustazah, E. N., Kurniawati, F., & Fadhila, R. (2025). Experiential retailing in cultural spaces: A case study on batik boutiques. Journal of Retail & Leisure Property, 24(1), 65–82. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12171720/
Yoon, S., Lee, J., & Song, H. (2022). Cultural experience and authenticity as drivers of tourists’ satisfaction and loyalty. Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 23, 100690. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2212571X22000026?via%3Dihub
Zhang, T., Chen, J., & Hu, B. (2019). Authenticity, Quality, and Loyalty: Local Food and Sustainable Tourism Experience. Sustainability. https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/12/3437
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Mustikawati, Eric Harianto, Natalia Christiani
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
