The effects of consumer perceived value on legitimacy and purchase intention

Purpose The functional, emotional and social dimensions of consumer perceived value (CPV) – which results from the consumer’s evaluation of perceived quality, price and reputation – are critical assets in today’s highly competitive market. Legitimacy, understood as the social perception that an organization’s actions are appropriate and acceptable, plays a key role in this context. Analyzing the impact of perceived value on legitimacy can lead to greater consumer purchase intention, thereby generating both economic benefits and improved customer retention for companies. Design/methodology/approach Using data collected through an online survey of Spanish supermarket customers (n = 1,200) and analyzed via partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), this study demonstrates that all three dimensions of perceived value significantly influence both legitimacy and purchase intention. Findings The findings suggest that a consistent and coherent communication strategy emphasizing the functional and social dimensions of CPV enhances perceived legitimacy, which in turn increases purchase intention. Originality/value The primary contribution and novelty of this research lies in its examination of the relationship between CPV, legitimacy and purchase intention. To date, the literature has not explored how the different dimensions of CPV affect legitimacy. This study reveals that not all dimensions exert the same level of influence, providing valuable insights into which strategies companies should adopt to be perceived as more legitimate and to strengthen consumers’ purchase intentions by fostering greater social acceptance.