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Mental conversion: a customer service strategy impacting shopping experiences

Yan Meng (Department of Marketing, Grenoble École de Management, Grenoble, France)
Stephen J. Gould (Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College, New York, New York, USA)
Lei Song (Business Program, The Pennsylvania State University Abington, Abington, Pennsylvania, USA)
Hua Chang (Department of Marketing, Towson University, Towson, Maryland, USA)
Shiva Vaziri (Department of Marketing, Grenoble École de Management, Grenoble, France and IREGE, Université Savoie Mont Blanc, Chambery, France)

Journal of Services Marketing

ISSN: 0887-6045

Article publication date: 10 May 2022

Issue publication date: 23 March 2023

610

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to provide a practical strategy for customer service and salesforce from the basis of behavioral economics. When customers thought they missed a discount but eventually could get the deal, they perceived that they had obtained more value. This research defines such a conversion effect between gain and loss accounts, demonstrates its impact in marketing settings and provides the salesforce a tactic to increase sales and quality of customer service to improve the consumer experience in the social customer journey.

Design/methodology/approach

Three experiments were conducted in a behavioral lab and online setting. Participants were randomly assigned to 2 (gain vs loss) × 2 (converted vs simple) between-subjects designs in the first two experiments and 2 (gain vs loss) × 2 (converted vs simple) × 2 (high price vs low price) in the third experiment. Analysis of variance was conducted to analyze the data. Mediation and moderation analyses were also conducted to identify the mediator and moderator in the model.

Findings

The conversion between gain and loss mental accounts exists, and the converted gains are more likely to lead consumers to make purchases with a once-lost discount than simple gains. This conversion effect is mediated by consumers’ implemental mindset activated by the conversion and moderated by price.

Originality/value

This research shows that mental accounts of gains and losses can be dynamically converted to one another. It provides a managerial tactic for salesforces and customer service to lead consumers to make a purchase decision right away. This is especially important when they aim to enhance the consumer experience in the social customer journey.

Keywords

Citation

Meng, Y., Gould, S.J., Song, L., Chang, H. and Vaziri, S. (2023), "Mental conversion: a customer service strategy impacting shopping experiences", Journal of Services Marketing, Vol. 37 No. 4, pp. 464-477. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSM-08-2021-0296

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2022, Emerald Publishing Limited

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