Antecedents of members retention in fitness: case study of fitness clubs in Portugal

Members retention is critical in the fitness market because of its impact on the organizations’ profitability. For these reasons, there is a great general interest from the academic and professional field to understand what leads members retention. Bodet (2006), in his study explored quality attributes in a sport service and relates consumers retention to perception about the attributes of the service, that is, how the consumer thinks and feels the attributes of that service. The influence of satisfaction on retention has been continuously explored and is a direct determinant factor in customer loyalty, which in turn is a central retention determinant (e.g. IHRSA, 2017). Some studies (e.g. Robinson, 2006) explain the fitness members retention through expectations for services in general and for fitness services in particular. Diener, Tay and Oishi (2013) equate well-being in life, including life satisfaction and positive and negative effects, this variable has already been tested as influential in satisfaction and consumption of fitness. In turn, the frequency of use is referred to by managers as influential, this variable has already been included in empirical studies of the fitness industry (Ferrand, 2011).