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The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of atmospherics and affective state on shoppers’ in-store behaviour using the two approaches in structural equation modelling (SEM), i.e. Frequentist and Bayesian approaches. Shoppers’ affective state was tested for its mediating effect on in-store shopping behaviour.

The final sample consists of 382 respondents who were drawn from shoppers at selected apparel stores in six of the most popular shopping malls around Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia). A frequentist approach to SEM is common among researchers and offers generally an analysis of the relationships between multiple latent variables and constructs. Alternatively, the Bayesian SEM (BSEM) approach stems from the diffusion of the model’s posterior distributions using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo technique. More specifically, this technique is inherently more flexible and substantive in determining parameter estimates as compared to the more conventional, the frequentist approach to SEM.

The results show the mixed effects of atmospheric cues in retail setting on shoppers’ affective state. More specifically, the positive direct effect of atmospheric cues (music) on in-store behaviour was confirmed while other atmospheric cues (colour and store layout) were found to be fully mediated by affective state. The Bayesian approach was able to offer more distinctive results complementing the frequentist approach.

Although the current sample size is adequate, it will be interesting to examine how a bigger sample size and different antecedents of in-store behaviour in retailing can affect the comparison between the frequentist approach in SEM and BSEM.

The authors found that a combination of well-designed store atmospherics and layout store can produce pleasurable effects on shoppers resulting in positive affective state. This study found that results from both frequentist and Bayesian approaches complement each other and it may be beneficial for future studies to utilise both approaches in SEM.

This paper met the aim to compare the approaches in SEM and the need to consider both approaches on in-store shopping environment. Overall, the authors contend that the Bayesian approach to SEM is a potentially viable alternative to frequentist SEM, especially when studies are conducted under dynamic conditions such as apparel retailing.

This study aims to investigate the moderating role of low and high failure severity levels on recovery satisfaction and on behavioral intentions through recovery satisfaction. This research adopted justice theory and regulatory focus theory to provide further explanations on the inconsistencies in the extant literature regarding service failure and responses to service recovery.

This study applied a scenario-based experimental design of two (perceived justice: low vs high) by two (failure severity: low vs high) between-subjects factorial design. Data was collected from 237 mobile phone users recruited via convenience sampling. This study examined the hypothesized relations using Hayes (2018) PROCESS macro version 4.0.

Perceived justice had a higher positive effect on recovery satisfaction at a high failure severity level. The direct effect of perceived justice on behavioral intentions was significant and positive only at a high level of failure severity, whereas the indirect effect of perceived justice on consumers’ positive behavior through recovery satisfaction was more positive at a high level of failure severity.

Justice theory and regulatory focus theory can be used to explain how a well-implemented recovery effort can offset losses that are caused by a highly severe service failure leading to satisfaction and positive responses. However, as this study was conducted within a telecommunication service context, this research needs to be replicated in other areas, including the use of other data collection methods and measurement of consumers’ regulatory focus orientation.

The findings of this study provide managers with valuable insights into the allocation of service providers’ resources for recovery actions according to consumers’ perceived severity levels to regain consumer satisfaction and continued positive behavioral intentions.

Past research on the effect of failure severity levels on recovery satisfaction and consumers’ positive behavioral intentions is scant, and those studies that examined severity levels have shown conflicting results. This study attempted to advance the research by examining the relationship between perceived justice, recovery satisfaction and behavioral intentions at low and high failure severity levels using justice theory and regulatory focus theory. None of the theories have been examined concurrently in the service failure and recovery framework.

The purpose of this paper is two fold: to test the moderating effect of health consciousness (HC) on the influence of attitude towards internet (AI) internet usage for health information seeking (IHI) behaviour; and examine whether HC moderates the influence of perceived health risk (PHR) on the internet usage for health information which is mediated by perceived usefulness of internet (PUI) and AI usage in an integrated model underpinned by health belief model and the technology acceptance model.

Data obtained for the current study were collected using convenience sampling and the sample consisted of women who not only have internet access but used the internet in their daily life. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) method was used to test the research hypotheses developed from a sample of 270 respondents.

Findings revealed that HC moderates the influence of AI use for health information seeking. In addition, the results also showed that the positive indirect effect of PHR on IHI through PUI and AI usage is significant for high level of HC but not for the medium and low levels of HC.

Major contribution of this study is in the testing of the moderating role of HC on the mediating effect of perceived usefulness of the internet and attitude on PHR and IHI.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between consumers' satisfaction with their health insurance and quality of life (QoL), the mediating role of perceived financial burden in this relationship, as well as the moderating effect of external locus of control (LoC) on the relationship between perceived financial burden and QoL among cancer patients.

A cross-sectional design was employed in order to collect quantitative data by means of a self-administrated questionnaire. Participants consisted of 387 conveniently selected consumers diagnosed with cancer in Iran. Furthermore, the questionnaire was translated into Persian using a forward–backward method. The model was tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).

The results indicate that the more satisfied patients are with their health insurance, the higher QoL they experience, and this relationship is explained through reducing perceived financial burden in terms of direct and indirect costs of the disease. Although external LoC belief is negatively related to QoL, it buffers the negative association between financial burden and QoL.

Reducing the disparity between consumers' expectation and perception of the comprehensiveness of health insurance policies may relieve consumers' anxiety stemming from financial worries.

This paper fills a gap in the literature where consumers' perception about quality of insurance and its relationship with their QoL has received little attention so far.

The purpose of this paper is to test the relationship between cognitive age and the adoption of defensive ageing consumption activities and its effect on life satisfaction in an Asian context. The relationship between the antecedent variables of chronological age, biological age and transitional life events and cognitive age is examined.

Survey method. The study was conducted in Malaysia, an Asian country that is characterized as collectivistic. Data collection method used is convenience sampling method, using a sample of adults aged 40 years or older based on previous research. Measures used include cognitive age developed by Barak and Schiffman and validated by Wilkes. Life stage transitional events include a list of ten major life events that respondents experienced in the past 12 months. Biological changes are summated index of the number of biological changes (e.g. lengthy hospitalization or rehabilitation, hearing impairment) adopted from Mathur and Moschis. Defensive ageing consumption activities include skin care products, health supplements, beauty treatment and exercising, that are commonly adopted to fight ageing.

The paper finds that in the context of an Asian country, consumers view themselves to be several younger than their chronological age, consistent with past research. Biological changes, transitional life events and chronological age had a significant positive relationship with cognitive age, consistent with the findings of past research. To the extent that cognitive age was found to be positively related to transitional life events, regression analysis showed that life event was not a predictor of cognitive age, further contributing to the inconclusive evidence regarding the effect of life events on cognitive age. Research results supported the negative relationship between cognitive age and anti‐ageing consumption behaviour.

Study of this nature will help to shape marketers' approach to attract older consumers. Marketers should shift their focus away from regarding older consumers as old since older consumers tend to view themselves as younger than their chronological age. An understanding of how consumers perceive themselves in terms of their cognitive age is useful for segmentation. Knowing how older adults view “age” is useful for communication strategies.

This paper examines the effect of cognitive age on defensive ageing consumption activities in an Asian country, a collectivist society. The defensive consumption strategies included in this study were a range of products were commonly known but not tested. It extends the research by looking at the effect of defensive ageing consumption activities on life satisfaction.

This paper aims to use conjoint analysis to examine how Malaysian consumers make decisions regarding a consumer durable product – namely room air conditioners – under multi‐cue situations.

This study first assesses the impact of a priori perceived differences between brand names, country of manufacture, price, quality, technological advancement, and warranty on product evaluation. Second, the relative importance of the attributes as evaluative criteria is determined by performing part worth analysis. Six pertinent hypotheses are developed and tested. Conjoint analysis is used to develop product profiles that respondents could evaluate via a survey. This is followed by a market simulation to suggest marketing strategies for Malaysian and Japanese products (the latter dominate the Malaysian market).

The findings indicate the importance of capitalising upon consumer durables' intrinsic qualities, and the need to carefully consider the relationship between price and quality. Ways to take advantage of the strength of foreign brand names need to be understood and operationalised. The simulation exercise also indicates ways in which indigenous and external competitors could take advantage of market opportunities.

The study does place in a Malaysian context, and moreover used a convenience sampling approach. The need is demonstrable for more representative probabilistic sampling. While country of origin effects are understood, other criteria (i.e. design, assembly, and source) need to be considered in future studies.

It is felt that the approach utilised and the simulations developed can be applied in other geographic and cultural contexts and have implications for marketing strategies for branded consumer durable typologies.

The paper identifies and evaluates strategies for more effective competition in the Malaysian room air conditioner market. The use of conjoint analysis and market simulation provides a basis for competitive advantage in a tightly focused market sector.

The purpose of this paper is to focus on testing hypotheses derived from theories presented by leading scholars regarding possible sources of differences in reliability coefficients, using cross-sectional data from Japan and Malaysia.

A survey was conducted in Malaysia and Japan, both of them characterized as having collectivist values. Convenience sampling and the same method of survey administration, personal interviews by trained interviewers, was used in both countries.

The tests of the hypotheses regarding cultural, subcultural, and aging effects provide some results in line with the hypotheses, but they raise additional concerns about the possible sources of measurement differences and the applicability of theories and measures developed in one country to other countries and subcultures within countries. The major findings include the alpha reliability coefficient of the self-esteem scale (SSE) which is hypothesised to be lower than the alpha for the material value scale (MVS) and satisfaction with life scale (SWLS) in the Malaysian and Japanese samples, but this difference only occurs for the Japanese sample.

The study findings highlight the challenges that researchers confront when conducting cross-cultural studies.

The present study systematically tests the reliability of measures developed in the West and employed in different countries (especially Asian countries). Although several assumptions and speculations have been made regarding the sources of potential bias in measures used when studying cultural and subcultural differences, little empirical work supports these views. Our study fills this gap.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the expenditure patterns of grey or older consumers with comparisons among different demographic groups to establish important factors in terms of consumption behaviour. The findings are of relevance in the context of marketing to older consumers.

Based on non‐probability quota sampling, 1,500 older people from three ethnic groups in eight geographical regions in Peninsular Malaysia participated in the survey.

Research results show that these consumers spent most on food, followed by rent, fuel and power in that order. These categories of items accounted for 67 per cent of their monthly expenditure, leaving relatively little disposable or discretionary income for other potential purchase decisions. With an exception of items such as healthcare expenses, and food and beverage away from home, there were hardly any significant differences in terms of monthly expenditure patterns among the grey market in Malaysia.

Limited to research in one developing country, i.e. Malaysia, whose population is showing aging patterns in the demographic mix, similar to those in advanced industrial/post industrial economies. The findings, and indeed the research approach, can be compared cross culturally.

Illustrates the value and significance of demographic variables in analysing a complex societal phenomenon. Also indicates the need for marketing strategies targetted toward this growing sector of the Malaysian economy.

The first paper to consider the marketing implications in research and practical terms to address issues of aging in developing economy. Research concerning older consumers (i.e. the grey cosumer market) is growing in academic and managerial importance.

The study of shopping mall patronage behaviour includes concepts such as mall attributes and attractiveness, motivations and patronage choice. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effects of shopper loyalty and perception towards shopping malls.

A survey using a systematic random sampling method was conducted on mall shoppers in major shopping malls in the most developed urban centres of Malaysia. Using a series of multivariate techniques, a stochastic model was developed to measure the impact of perception of malls on patronage loyalty. The model also estimated the mediating effects of brand trust and brand affect on patronage loyalty. Reliability and validity tests were conducted to measure the internal consistency and validity of the constructs.

The results provided support for the hypothesised relationships between perception and loyalty. The results also suggested that malls generally have their own loyal patrons who not only perceive the malls positively but also stay loyal.

Some limitations of the study and future research directions were discussed subsequently.

This stochastic model can be used by practitioners as a tool to predict possible outcomes via a series of market simulation and scenario planning. In short, marketers can optimise patronage loyalty by adjusting the parameters in the model in a predefined environment.

This paper suggests that the survey instrument used in the study is reliable and valid. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to define the measurement models. Subsequently, structural equation modelling was used to develop the stochastic model. A series of mathematical equations were derived when constructing the model.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of atmospherics on in-store behaviour among Malay Muslim shoppers in Malaysia. The effect of age on shopping behaviour is tested using two age groups: 18-25 years and 50 years or older.

Quantitative methodology was employed, using structural equation modelling for testing the hypotheses developed. Purposive sampling was applied.

Results of the present study show that positive perceptions of atmospherics exerted a positive influence on mood, which, in turn, affected in-store behaviour. Based on stimulus–organism–response theory, Muslim shoppers who were positive about the atmospherics tend to spend more time and money, and they exhibited intention to patronize the store again.

Although past studies suggest that Muslim consumers are different due to their Islamic way of life, guided by the Islamic principles, by controlling for country-specific influences such as socio-economic factors, the results of this study provide support that modern marketing concepts are as relevant for the Muslim market as they are relevant for other market segments. Using the Mehrabian–Russell framework, Malay Muslims are found to be influenced by store atmospherics which, in turn, affect their in-store shopping behaviour. When comparing younger and older Muslims, results show no evidence of significant differences between these two age groups.