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This study aims to investigate whether frugality increases customer complaints via the mediating role of the zone of tolerance (ZOT) of quality for Shanzhai products. Additionally, the study seeks to explore how customer empathy as a boundary condition affects the relationship between the ZOT of quality and customer complaints.

Based on the purchasing data of 241 low-income customers from business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce and social platforms in China, hierarchical analysis was conducted in the study. Moreover, “PROCESS SPSS Macro” was used to test the mediation effect of the ZOT of quality and the moderated mediation effect with customer empathy as a moderator.

The results indicate a positive impact of frugality on customer complaints, which is mediated by the ZOT of quality. Moreover, with an increase in customer empathy, the negative effect of the ZOT of quality on customer complaints increases, and the positive influence of frugality on customer complaints, through the mediation of the ZOT of quality, also becomes stronger.

Drawing upon the principle of cognitive consistency, this study not only extends the stream of research on frugality by exploring how frugality influences customer complaints via the mediation of the ZOT of quality but also sheds new light on the research on customer empathy by exploring its moderating role in the relationship between the ZOT of quality and customer complaints.

The prevailing overconsumption issue in the hotel industry is attributable mainly to the irresponsible consumption behaviour of hotel guests. In parallel with Islamic principles, which advocate abstinence from excess consumption and frugality, the “waste not, want not” notion can be considered as one of the effective solutions to this problem. However, little is known about the factors that drive frugality amongst Muslim tourists. In addressing this gap, this study aims to predict the effect of environmental advertising and green attitude on frugality in the context of the Malaysian hotel industry. The study also tests the mediating role of the green attitude between environmental advertising and frugality. Furthermore, it examines the role of price consciousness as a moderator of the green attitude-frugality link.

The stimulus-organism-response theory was used to develop the conceptual framework of this study. A cross-sectional method was used to collect 222 usable questionnaires from Muslim tourists in Malaysia. The hypothesised relationships were tested using the structural equation modelling, partial least squares approach.

The study found support for the direct effect of environmental advertising and green attitude on frugality. It also confirmed the mediating effect of the green attitude in the environmental advertising-frugality link. However, price consciousness did not moderate the relationship.

The findings of the study provide valuable insight for hoteliers in developing a green strategy that will foster frugality amongst Muslim hotel guests. It will also help them develop better strategies for the frugal segment, especially for the Muslim community.

The study is amongst the pioneers in investigating frugality in the tourism industry. It is also the first to introduce price consciousness as a moderator of the relationship between the green attitude and frugality. Furthermore, its examination of frugality amongst Muslim hotel guests is a new contribution to the literature.

The environmental impact of excessive use of natural resources such as energy and water in the tourism industry has increased significantly. Thus, it is crucial to investigate the notion of frugality in this industry. Particularly, this study aims to examine the effect of green marketing strategies (eco-labelling and environmental advertising) and hotel guests’ green attitude towards frugality in the context of the Malaysian hotel industry. Furthermore, the mediating effect of green attitude is also examined.

Stimulus-organism-response theory was used to develop the research framework. The data were collected via a self-administered survey questionnaire, which yielded 150 complete and usable responses. A partial least square-structural equation modelling approach was used to validate the proposed model.

The results of this study revealed that environmental advertising and eco-labelling, directly and indirectly, affect frugality. Moreover, the link between green attitude and frugality also was supported. Furthermore, data supported the mediating effect of green attitude in the relationship between green marketing strategies and frugality.

The findings from this study can benefit hoteliers who are targeting frugal and environmentally conscious consumers. Moreover, the hoteliers will be able to understand the drivers of frugality in the tourism industry. It can assist them to formulate better marketing strategies in attracting and retaining frugal consumers.

The findings from this study offer a number of important social implications for society, the local government and the city and tourism council. Particularly, understanding the strategies towards frugality can pave the way towards the formation of a “less consumption” community. Moreover, it will serve as the guideline for designing the green and sustainability campaign for the nation.

This study is among the pioneers to investigate the issue pertaining to frugality in the tourism industry context. This study examines new linkages such as the indirect effect of green marketing strategies towards frugality. Moreover, the mediating effect of green attitude in the relationship between green marketing strategies (eco-labelling and environmental advertising) and frugality is comparatively a new link.

Exchange is often identified as the primary role of marketing. Consumer behaviour literature, therefore, focuses on uncovering the characteristics of decision-making styles of individuals that embrace consuming. However, recent global economic crises have led consumers to become increasingly frugal. Approaching frugality from the religious perspective, this paper aims to identify the deep-level diversities of frugal consumers in their quality consciousness tendencies, rather than simply equating both frugality and religiosity to non-consumption.

In this paper, a counterintuitive model has been offered that includes the positive moderating effect of religiosity on the relationship between frugality and quality consciousness. Using structural equation modelling, this paper tests the proposed model using a unique sample of 413 adults.

This paper extends the knowledge in the consumer behaviour literature by providing empirical evidence that religiosity positively moderates the relationship of frugality to quality consciousness. Further scrutiny showed that at high levels of religiosity, frugality positively affects quality consciousness.

This paper offers new avenues of research by highlighting the importance of not equating frugality and religiosity to low levels of consumption and abstinence from consuming. The dynamic nature of the growing Islamic economy requires both the scholars and practitioners to comprehend the consumers’ consumption preferences in markets where religious beliefs and frugality are well embedded into the culture. The paper sheds light on the literature pertinent to the examination of the relationship between frugality and religiosity by suggesting that the highly religious Muslim consumers’ frugality translates into quality consciousness.

This paper aims to examine how the official discourse of frugality evolved in China between 1979 and 2015.

The study uses historical and textual analysis. It divides the Chinese official discourse on frugality between 1979 and 2015 into four periods: 1979-1992, 1993-2002, 2003-2012 and 2013-2015.

A Chinese official discourse on frugality persisted between 1979 and 2015, even though during the same period, China transformed from a socialist economy of central planning and insufficient supply to a market economy of excessive supply and weak consumer demand. The intensity of this official discourse frequently vacillated, adjusting to both economic and political conditions of the time as part of the larger political-economic contestation between competing ideas and policies.

There have been calls for more studies on how frugality discourses have evolved in international markets, especially in terms of how they are shaped by local historical antecedents and long-standing tensions. Through the Chinese case, this article illuminates why some traditional values persist and obtain a paradoxical co-existence with consumerist ethos in our modern society.

Second-hand/used goods channels compete with existing traditional channels to satisfy consumers’ needs that are unmet by traditional retail networks. However, most studies on online shopping have largely ignored online second-hand/used good purchases. This study aims to use Thaler’s mental accounting model, principal–agent perspective and contamination theory to highlight the differences in the value sought by online new goods and second-hand shoppers.

A conceptual framework linking perceived uncertainty, perceived acquisition value and e-loyalty was developed and tested using structural equation modelling. The moderating effects of product type (new vs second-hand) and frugality were also included.

The paper found strong support for the model. Results showed that online second-hand shoppers were more uncertain and perceived lesser levels of acquisition value when compared to new goods shoppers. They were also less frugal. Online shoppers are also more likely to buy products with sensory attributes (experience goods) in new goods websites and products with non-sensory attributes (search goods) from second-hand websites. The authors recommend various ways in which managers can increase perceived value for the online shopper.

Future studies can extend this investigation by including transaction value or other hedonic values to verify their impact on acquisition value and e-loyalty. While the authors found support for the notion that consumers who buy used goods online are less frugal, there is some research that could point to the opposite. Hence, research can investigate this topic in depth in more countries to throw more light on this.

To sustain themselves in a competitive online market, retailers need to understand the value sought by consumers. This study provides empirical evidence of the importance of acquisition value for new goods and second-hand shoppers.

No recent research has compared the value sought by online second-hand and new goods shoppers. This study contributes to the understanding of the acquisition value perceived by consumers in online new goods and second-hand shopping channels.

This study segmented consumers by combining emotional and shopping characteristics to develop typologies that classify their consumption patterns and disposal behaviors.

To identify segments of fashion consumers, an online questionnaire was administered measuring emotional and shopping characteristics, including perspective taking, empathic concern, personal distress, hedonism, and frugality. An online questionnaire involving 168 US-based participants were used to accomplish the purpose of the study. A cluster analysis was conducted to identify segments of participants based on these variables. Consumption patterns and disposal behavior, including motivation to buy environmentally friendly items, consciousness for sustainable consumption, buying impulsiveness, likelihood to follow fashion trends, and tendencies to dispose of or repair damaged or unwanted items were also measured via the questionnaire as dependent variables to be predicted by identified segments.

Three clusters of consumers were identified as: Distressed and Self-Oriented, Warm and Thrifty, and Cold and Frivolous. Distressed and Self-Oriented individuals reported the highest levels of personal distress and hedonism. Warm and Thrifty individuals reported the highest levels of empathic concern, perspective taking and frugality, and the lowest levels of personal distress and hedonism. Cold and Frivolous individuals reported the lowest levels of perspective taking, empathic concern, and frugality.

The classification of consumers into segments brings a new dimension to the field of sustainable fashion. Clusters were created according to the variables of emotional characteristics (i.e. perspective taking, empathic concern, and personal distress) and shopping characteristics (i.e. hedonism and frugality). The analysis unveiled three distinct clusters that can be utilized to develop tailored strategies to successfully promote sustainable fashion consumption.

The purpose of this study is to segment young millennials in an emerging economy based on their environmental attitudes and purchase intentions. The study also attempts to describe the segments and highlight their differences in terms of happiness, frugality, environmental locus of control, and environmental knowledge.

The study sample consisted of 227 Turkish undergraduate students. A two-step cluster analysis was performed on environmental attitudes and purchase intentions scores. The differences among the clusters were then examined according to happiness, frugality, environmental locus of control, and environmental knowledge variables.

A two-step cluster analysis identified three clusters, namely, “non-greens”, “reluctant greens” and “true greens”, all of whom differed in terms of environmental attitudes and purchase intentions. Non-greens (n = 16) and true greens (n = 121) yielded the lowest and the highest scores for environmental attitudes and purchase intentions, respectively. Three clusters also differed significantly in terms of frugality. Environmental knowledge levels of non-greens differed from those of reluctant greens and true greens. There is no significant difference regarding happiness and environmental locus of control among clusters.

Local and international companies interested in marketing green products to young millennials in emerging economies may enhance their understanding of non-green and green young millennials in the target markets and differentiate their marketing strategies for each segment.

Given the need for a better understanding of young millennials’ environmental behavior in an emerging economy, the current study contributes to the literature by segmenting young Turkish millennials based on their environmental attitudes and purchase intentions, further describing the consumer segments with different variables such as happiness, frugality, environmental locus of control and environmental knowledge.

The objective of this study is to examine Chinese consumers' behavioural intentions to reduce restaurant food wastage (i.e. intentions to order moderate meal size, and to pack leftovers) in a group context from both psychological and cultural perspectives.

This paper used an online self-administered survey for data collection. The measurements were either adopted or adapted from prior studies on pro-environmental behaviours. Using data from 311 Chinese consumers, the authors analysed restaurant food wastage in China by utilising PLS-SEM.

By applying an extended value-attitude-behaviour (VAB) hierarchy with information publicity, it is found that materialism, frugality consciousness, information publicity and environmental concern are important factors in influencing individuals' behavioural intentions to reduce food waste in a group dining-out context.

Drawing upon perspectives of Chinese consumers, this paper outlines key promoters and barriers to food waste mitigation, and provides meaningful insights to policymakers, NGOs, industry stakeholders and even consumers on how to effectively overcome the food waste challenge at the consumption stage in the context of Chinese culture.

This paper explores the antecedents and consequences of consumers’ need for self-image congruence on their retail patronage of department (high-end) and discount (low-end) stores to purchase name-brand products in two product categories, apparel and home décor. It also compared online to offline shopping and considered two mediator variables, frugality and materialism.

The paper analyzed the hypothesized relationships using structural equation modeling (SEM) and MANOVA. Study 1 suggested the model using secondary data, and Study 2 measured and confirmed the relationships using scenario-based online survey data. An MANOVA test was used to compare the shopping behavior of consumers with high and low need for self-image congruence.

A strong causal link was found between concern with appearance and need for self-image congruence, and a positive relationship between need for self-image congruence and high- and low-end retail store patronage offline and online. While the group with high (vs low) need for self-image congruence was more likely to patronize department stores, unexpectedly, both the high and low self-image congruence groups were equally likely to shop at discount stores.

The findings suggest that marketing messages focusing on concern for appearance may succeed by tapping into consumers’ need for self-image congruence with brand product/retail store images. Results also showed that consumers with high self-image congruence often patronize discount retail stores, suggesting marketing opportunities for low-end retailers.

Because consumers with high need for self-image congruence patronize both department and discount stores, it is suggested that self-image congruity may be multi-dimensional. The current study is also the first to examine structural relationships to test patronage behavior between department and discount stores offline and online.