A services perspective for text message coupon customization
Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing
ISSN: 2040-7122
Article publication date: 18 October 2011
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to illustrate that text message mobile coupons are marketing communications that are becoming more service‐like in nature. As such, mobile coupons will benefit from firm‐generated service customization strategies.
Design/methodology/approach
An experiment compared a mobile coupon with a customized versus non‐customized delivery time. A sample of 244 undergraduate students from a large southeastern US university completed an online questionnaire. The between‐subject design randomly assigned participants to the custom or non‐custom condition. Results were assessed with MANCOVA.
Findings
Customizing the delivery time of a mobile coupon improved attitude toward and intention to use the coupon, as well as attitude toward and purchase intent with the firm.
Research limitations/implications
The paper focuses on only one mobile coupon campaign in one product category, while measuring attitudes and intentions, not actual purchase behavior. The sample is also limited by having student participants. Future research should examine these limitations.
Practical implications
The paper provides practitioners with an alternative view of mobile coupons. Whereas traditional paper coupons are mass marketing communications, mobile coupons should be viewed similar to an important service to consumers. Allowing consumers to customize these communications, similar to how consumers customize important service offerings, will enhance the coupon and image of the firm.
Originality/value
This study is the first to suggest that mobile coupons be guided by services marketing theory. This is also the first study to suggest and empirically assess the customization of marketing communications as a firm‐generated strategy designed to enhance mobile coupons. Customization in this context is a co‐production activity.
Keywords
Citation
Bacile, T.J. and Goldsmith, R.E. (2011), "A services perspective for text message coupon customization", Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, Vol. 5 No. 4, pp. 244-257. https://doi.org/10.1108/17505931111191474
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2011, Emerald Group Publishing Limited