The purpose of our study is to identify and measure the relative influence of different factors contributing to brand switching in a retail service context. We examine three types of variables related to brand switching for a high involvement, experience-oriented retail service: (1) changes in usage context or situation; (2) marketing mix variables which are directly controllable by the firm; and (3) customer background variables. Using data from an extensive survey of lodging customers, we build a model of the probability of brand switching as a function of these variables and implement three measures of relative variable influence. The strategic marketing implications of the findings are discussed.