Search results

The aim of this research is to measure the impact of eWOM (electronic word of mouth) and brand celebrity use on the purchasing behavior of sports consumers.

To test the model hypotheses, sports consumers who use social media and have purchased at least one online sports product were selected as the research group. Online survey method was used, and 836 participants were reached. The model was tested with structural equation modeling (SEM) through smart PLS software.

As a result, the quality, credibility and usefulness of the information consumers encounter on online platforms cause them to adopt information about products or services, and then exhibit online purchase behavior. While the attractiveness and trustworthiness of celebrities are seen as important factors affecting consumers' online purchase of sports products, the effect of celebrity expertise was found to be ineffective in this study.

Marketers can develop more effective eWOM strategies by considering consumers' expectations. Businesses that want to implement an effective marketing strategy may prefer celebrities in product promotions or advertisements of their brands.

This research revealed the effect of eWOM and celebrity endorsement on the online purchase behavior of sports consumers in terms of the sports industry. Unlike previous studies, this study examined these variables together on sports consumers and contributed to the development of models.

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.

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 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.

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.

Adopting the brand resonance approach, this research aimed to reveal the effect of emotional (perceived quality) and rational (brand trust) factors between brand experience and brand loyalty.

This article uses the brand resonance model to examine the above-mentioned relationship. The sample of the study consisted of 385 sports consumers between the ages of 18 and 65 years. An online survey was used to collect data and surveys were delivered to sports consumers via social media. Using SmartPLS 3.0 software, a partial least squares structural equation modeling analysis was conducted in this study.

The results support the hypotheses and demonstrate the importance of quality and trust in building customer loyalty for companies in the sports industry. Brand experience has a positive direct effect on perceived quality, brand trust and brand loyalty. It has been revealed that there is an important intermediary role of perceived quality and brand trust that manages the relationship between customers' brand experience and brand loyalty.

The findings of this study are essential for brands that want to develop and are included in the sports industry in the online shopping environment, which increases with the development of technology to create long-term loyalty in customers.

It reveals two mediating roles in the relationship between brand experience and brand loyalty, namely perceived quality and brand trust. These research results help to understand the processes of shaping the loyalty of sports consumers towards sports brands. Unlike previous studies, it examines this relationship in the sports industry by adding new mediator variables and contributes to the development of the model.