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1 – 10 of 118Anna-Karina Schmitz, Tim Oliver Brexendorf and Martin Fassnacht
Vertical line extension is an attractive growth strategy that allows brands to address heterogeneous consumer needs and react to competitive pressure. The purpose of this paper is…
Abstract
Purpose
Vertical line extension is an attractive growth strategy that allows brands to address heterogeneous consumer needs and react to competitive pressure. The purpose of this paper is to systematically review and summarize vertical line extension research to derive general insights into vertical upward and downward line extension.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing on a systematic review of 536 academic articles and predefined inclusion criteria, this research identifies and evaluates all articles that add knowledge to the topic of vertical line extension (n = 64).
Findings
This research derives general insights in several vertical line extension-specific issues. Different forms of vertical line extension, conceptual differences between upward and downward extensions, as well as the role of perceived fit, extension degree and the parent brand are crucial for the study and evaluation of extension and parent brand feedback effects. Those effects are complex and often work in opposing directions not only for the parent brand but also for the extension. Future research needs to face that complexity as well as methodological issues and different research contexts to further advance the literature stream.
Originality/value
This paper provides a comprehensive, state-of-the-art review of vertical line extension research characteristics and results. It provides new insights on the characteristics and effects of vertical line extensions and guides future research on the topic.
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Jonas Lechermeier, Martin Fassnacht and Tillmann Wagner
While digital media changed the nature of communication in service contexts, often allowing customers to interact instantly with service providers, the implications and…
Abstract
Purpose
While digital media changed the nature of communication in service contexts, often allowing customers to interact instantly with service providers, the implications and opportunities for managing service employees are widely unknown. This is surprising, given that service employees are an important determinant of service firms’ success. This article examines the effects of real-time performance feedback on employees’ service performance and investigates both how and under what conditions timely feedback encourages employees’ engagement.
Design/methodology/approach
Two experiments test the conceptual model and the proposed hypotheses. A field experiment uses real customer feedback gathered after interaction with the app-chat of a large telecommunications provider. It tests the effect of feedback timing on service employees’ performance and also examines the effect of feedback timing on their engagement. A subsequent scenario-based experiment then investigates the influence of selected moderators on the feedback timing–engagement relationship.
Findings
This article finds that real-time feedback leads to greater service performance than subsequent feedback. Furthermore, real-time feedback positively affects service employee engagement through the perceived controllability of the feedback and the service situation. Finally, feedback valence, task goals, individuals’ need for closure (NCL), and gender interact with feedback timing to influence employee engagement.
Originality/value
This research investigates the potential of real-time performance feedback for service firms, combines and extends a variety of literature streams, and provides recommendations for the future management of service employees.
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Carina Simon, Tim Oliver Brexendorf and Martin Fassnacht
Consumer engagement has been designated as an approach to describing online interactions that more comprehensively reflects the nature of consumers’ interactive relationships in…
Abstract
Purpose
Consumer engagement has been designated as an approach to describing online interactions that more comprehensively reflects the nature of consumers’ interactive relationships in online brand communities. This paper aims to explore consumers’ brand community engagement in the context of Facebook brand pages. This research puts forth the hypothesis that consumers’ brand community engagement on Facebook is dependent upon two overarching themes: external social forces and internal personal forces.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on social impact theory, social identity theory and social exchange theory, a conceptual research model is developed and empirically tested through structural equation modelling using cross-sectional data of 460 Facebook brand fans.
Findings
The empirical results suggest that internal personal forces primarily positively influence brand community engagement, while external social forces can even impact consumers’ brand community engagement negatively.
Research limitations/implications
Future research should test and validate the proposed model for specific categories and brands.
Practical implications
This paper offers help to online brand marketers to trigger meaningful engagement of consumers in a brand community on Facebook.
Originality/value
This paper examines the consumer engagement construct from a behavioural perspective in a defined social media context and highlights the peculiarities of online brand communities on Facebook that distinguish them from traditional brand communities. The research uses a strong theoretical foundation to develop a model that investigates the prevalent variables that influence consumers’ brand community engagement on Facebook.
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Philipp Nikolaus Kluge and Martin Fassnacht
Luxury goods manufacturers have long been hesitant to adopt the internet as a channel of distribution. A luxury brand’s concept of exclusiveness is seemingly incompatible with the…
Abstract
Purpose
Luxury goods manufacturers have long been hesitant to adopt the internet as a channel of distribution. A luxury brand’s concept of exclusiveness is seemingly incompatible with the ubiquitous accessibility provided by the mass medium internet. The purpose of this paper is to address the apparent contradiction by examining consumer responses to the online accessibility and price display of luxury goods.
Design/methodology/approach
Three studies are presented: first, a qualitative pre-study with luxury industry experts is conducted to identify the current managerial discussion on the online distribution of luxury goods. Second, an experiment with 183 high-income individuals is conducted to test the effects of online accessibility on consumer perceived scarcity and desirability. Third, a second experiment with 142 qualified luxury insiders is conducted to test consumer responses to the online accessibility and price display of luxury goods.
Findings
Results indicate that the online accessibility of luxury goods does not affect consumer perceived scarcity and, hence, does not dilute brand desirability. This “no-dilution” finding applies to both high- and low-involvement goods and persists independently of whether or not retail prices are explicitly displayed.
Originality/value
Whether or not to sell luxury goods online has been controversially discussed among both marketing scholars and executives. To the authors’ knowledge, the present paper is the first to empirically examine consumer responses to the online accessibility and price display of luxury goods.
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Philipp Nikolaus Kluge, Jerome Alexander Königsfeld, Martin Fassnacht and Ferdinand Mitschke
The purpose of this paper is to address the on-going debate in research on how a luxury brand ' s image of exclusiveness and uniqueness may be preserved in the ubiquitous…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to address the on-going debate in research on how a luxury brand ' s image of exclusiveness and uniqueness may be preserved in the ubiquitous mass medium internet. Specifically, the study aims to provide insights on how luxury brand homepages should be designed to evoke perceptions of luxury.
Design/methodology/approach
First, desk research on 81 existing luxury brand homepages and expert interviews are used to empirically detect specifics of luxury homepage design. Second, a randomised laboratory experiment is conducted to analyse the effects of luxury versus conventional homepage design on perceived luxury.
Findings
First, luxury homepage design differs from conventional homepage design in four main aspects: the use of darker background colours, the use of a larger or full screen space to present the stage content, a horizontal navigation bar, and a substantial reduction of elements. Second, experimental results indicate that luxury homepage design significantly affects consumers ' perceptions of conspicuousness and uniqueness.
Research limitations/implications
The experiment was conducted in a laboratory setting. Future research could use this work as a framework and extend it to a field environment, analysing the effect of luxury homepage design on key performance indicators, such as site traffic and conversion rates.
Practical implications
The results of the study provide luxury managers with guidance for designing luxury brand homepages.
Originality/value
While previous research has mainly addressed luxury homepage design conceptually, this paper is the first to empirically identify key characteristics of luxury homepage design and empirically examine the effect of luxury homepage design on consumer perceptions of luxury.
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Halil Erdem Akoğlu, Kadir Yildiz and Sushant Kumar
Although extant literature exists on luxury consumption, limited studies have focused on motivation and values to consume luxury brands among athletes. The study aims to uncover…
Abstract
Purpose
Although extant literature exists on luxury consumption, limited studies have focused on motivation and values to consume luxury brands among athletes. The study aims to uncover the motivations that guide athletes’ decision-making processes to consume luxury brands.
Design/methodology/approach
The study utilized the theory of prestige consumption to develop a model. The model posits that bandwagon, snob and veblen motivations guide athletes to seek social and conspicuous values in their consumption of luxury brands. A survey-based questionnaire approach was used to collect data from 343 athletes from Turkey by considering brands from different product categories.
Findings
Findings indicated that bandwagon and veblen motivations are associated with social and conspicuous values. The findings also suggested that bandwagon, snob and veblen motivation are positively associated with luxury consumption intentions. Also, the social and conspicuous values of athletes determine their intentions to consume luxury. The mediating effects of social and conspicuous values are also confirmed.
Originality/value
The study's findings are first to empirically examine the influence of motivations on social and conspicuous value among athletes. The results show that the luxury consumption motivations of the athletes have a strong role in their intention to purchase luxury products. The findings also offer novel managerial implications.
Angel Herrero-Crespo, Nuria Viejo-Fernández, Jesús Collado-Agudo and María José Sanzo Pérez
This paper evaluates how the intention to develop webrooming or showrooming behaviour is affected by both the perceived usefulness and the perceived ease-of-use, as well as by the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper evaluates how the intention to develop webrooming or showrooming behaviour is affected by both the perceived usefulness and the perceived ease-of-use, as well as by the consumer's personal predisposition to exploratory information seeking and acquisition.
Design/methodology/approach
The fashion retailing environment is more omni-channel than ever before. The two predominant omni-channel behaviours are webrooming and showrooming. Taking as its basis the technology acceptance model (TAM) and the concept of exploratory consumer behaviour.
Findings
The results obtained from a sample of 847 apparel shoppers (462 webroomers and 385 showroomers) show that the higher perception of the usefulness and ease-of-use of omni-channel buying processes, the higher the intention to develop both webrooming and showrooming behaviours. Additionally, the perceived ease-of-use exerts an additional indirect effect on the intention of developing these omni-channel behaviours through perceived usefulness. Finally, exploratory information seeking and acquisition have a relevant influence on webrooming intentions, but not on showrooming.
Originality/value
The authors’ research contributes to the literature on consumer behaviour in the fashion sector by testing a model to explain the intentions of individuals to adopt webrooming and showrooming, incorporating different psychographic variables linked to the use of ICT and the development of an exploratory consumer behaviour.
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