Sherry is an active online shopper. She and her husband recently moved into a new home and most of the new furnishings came from her skillful searching of various Web sites. She got very good at ferreting out quality products at bargain process. One of her purchases was a lamp for the living room. It looked exactly right on the Web site and arrived quickly. The brushed metal lamp had a globe shaped like a Champaign flute which made the lamp unobtrusive and a perfect look for the living room.
Probes
1. How would you be likely to feel if you were Sherry?
2. How does the contrast between the manufacturer's inflexibility and unwillingness to accept responsibility contrast with the retailer? Which is likely to build customer loyalty?
3. What does this short case say about company attitudes toward customer retention?