Reviews of Brand Equity for Online Retailers

Abstract

In this era, the study of brand equity for online retailers is essential for marketing strategy development. However, due to a lack of consensus about the definition and conceptualization of brand equity, studies on brand equity for online retailers remain ambiguous. This study aims to identify the general viewpoint of brand equity for use with online retailers, as well as exploring the various brand equity models which have been used for online retailers in previous studies published from 2002-2020. The findings conclude that there are various conceptualizations of brand equity for online retailers; however, they are based on the consumer perception of the online retailers’ brands. There are two concepts of brand equity for online retailers: utilizing traditional brand equity models and creating new models specifically for the online context. Aaker’s brand equity model, i.e., one of the traditional brand equity models, has been employed most frequently in previous studies as it is a well-established model and appropriate for the study context of online retailers. The current study provides a discussion and recommendations regarding the existing theoretical models for future online retail brand equity studies, while also enriching the body of knowledge on brand equity.