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PurposeThis paper extends Lawler's argument (in “An affect theory of social exchange”) that social exchanges can create a sense of shared responsibility to service settings, and predict that inseparability produces customer perceptions of shared responsibility for service outcomes, resulting in greater emotions. When emotions are positive, there should be increased loyalty to the service provider.Design/methodology/approachA questionnaire was used to obtain cross‐sectional data pertaining to our model's constructs: inseparability, shared responsibility, emotional response, and service loyalty. A structural equation model evaluated the strength of relationships between these constructs.FindingsSupport was found for the predicted relationships between inseparability and shared responsibility, shared responsibility and emotions, and emotions and service loyalty.Research limitations/implicationsInseparability and shared responsibility have not been measured before, and more research is needed to validate and test the scales we develop. Goods are seldom sold without some service attached, and anything that contributes to perceptions of inseparability and shared responsibility may affect emotional responses and brand loyalty for both services and goods.Practical implicationsService employee training programs should emphasize the customer's role in the service experience to increase perceptions of shared responsibility and to create a positive emotional experience for customers.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the services marketing literature by viewing inseparability as a potential source of service brand loyalty, developing original scales for measuring inseparability and shared responsibility in a services setting, and applying a previously untested theory to a marketing context.

Do-it-yourself (DIY) is an increasingly popular consumer behavior, but little is known about this large consumer segment. We undertake a depth interview study and review diverse literatures to develop a conceptual model of DIY behavior that explores the reasons why consumers DIY and the benefits they receive. The purpose of the model is to improve our understanding of a consumer segment that, in many ways, behaves differently from typical consumers. Research propositions are derived and discussions of implications and ideas for future research follow.

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