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It is assumed that consumers consume games to experience hedonic and utilitarian value. However, there is no conceptual model or empirical evidence that supports this hypothesis in the game context or clarifies whether these consumption values have dual mediated or individual effects. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to model the relationship between hedonic and utilitarian consumption and game purchase and usage.

This research question is answered through two studies. In Study One, qualitative interviews with 18 gamers were implemented to explore the relationship between hedonic and utilitarian consumption and, game purchase and usage behaviour. In Study Two, we surveyed 493 consumers and conducted confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling across four game types to model this relationship.

The paper concludes that hedonic rather than utilitarian consumption positively impacts purchase and usage. Support was also found for the utilitarian‐hedonic dual mediation model (UHDM). Therefore, utilitarian consumption has an indirect causal effect on game purchase or usage through hedonic consumption.

Game development for consumers online, on wireless devices and on consoles should place greater emphasis on the practical implications of hedonic consumption. Attention could be focused on perceived enjoyment, self‐concept, self‐congruity and self‐efficacy as the primary drivers of use and purchase. Practical solutions should also be developed to develop the UHDM effect.

This is the first paper in the game context to explore and model the relationship between hedonic, utilitarian consumption and the UHDM effect on game purchase and usage. This paper is also unique because it provides results across four game groups: all games (ALL), Sports/Simulation/Driving (SSD), Role Playing Game/Massively Multiplayer Online Role‐Playing Game Strategy (RPG), and Action/Adventure/Fighting (AAF).

This paper aims to identify two boundary conditions (consumption motive and claim set-size) affecting the effectiveness of an advertisement’s creativity.

Across two experiments, the authors find support for hypotheses using both hedonic vs utilitarian products (Study 1) and hedonic vs utilitarian decision goals within the same product category (Study 2).

Creativity is more effective for an advertisement when the consumption motive is utilitarian (vs hedonic). Further, using a larger claim set-size within an advertisement increases (decreases) the effectiveness of advertisement creativity for those with hedonic (utilitarian) consumption motives.

This research contributes to the creativity literature by showing when creativity matters depending on the consumption motive and claim set-size. In addition, this research expands the utilitarian vs hedonic consumption literature by highlighting another way in which these two motives differ. Finally, this study expands the claim set-size literature by demonstrating that the effects of claim set-size depend on both consumption motive and features of the ad (i.e. its level of creativity).

These findings help marketers manage their advertising budget more effectively and efficiently knowing when advertisement creativity matters and thus when to invest in creativity.

The present research is the first to explicitly study boundary conditions for when ad creativity matters and shows that creativity matters more (i.e. enhances persuasiveness of the ad and attitudes toward the ad) when the consumption motive is utilitarian, especially when ads have small claim set-size. Additionally, creativity matters for hedonic consumption contexts if the advertisement has a large claim size.

This paper aims to examine two important factors in developing convergence products: the congruence of basic product and the addition in terms of utilitarian or hedonic consumption goals, and the overall coherence of consumption goals. In recent years, the proliferation of convergence products, i.e. any product that combines two or more basic product functionalities in consumer electronics, is increasingly prevalent. For manufacturers, the lingering question in developing convergence products is what kind of basic product functionalities can be combined and can elicit favorable response from consumers.

The study is a 2 × 2 × 2 experimental design, with basic product functionality’s consumption goals (utilitarian, hedonic) as the between-subject factor, and the additional product functionality’s consumption goals (utilitarian, hedonic) and the coherence of consumption goals (coherent addition, incoherent addition) as the two within-subject factors.

It confirms and validates prior work on goal congruence effects. More importantly, this study finds that overall consumption goal coherence elicits higher value addition irrespective of goal congruence or incongruence on utilitarian or hedonic consumption goals.

In some literatures, the combination of two or more product functionalities from different product categories is considered as product bundling. While product bundling concept can be used in many different product categories, convergence product concept is utilized more specifically in consumer electronics.

As convergence era offers wide opportunities for manufacturers to develop new convergence products, this study provides guidance as to what kind of new functionalities need to be added.

Not only does the present research investigates the likely success of convergence products involving the congruence of basic product and the addition, but also in more comprehensive way by looking at the overall coherence of consumption goals.

When communicating with consumers, firms frequently highlight their underdog status to evoke a favorable attitude. Previous research has confirmed consumer preference for underdogs over top dogs in various domains. However, very little research has been conducted on the business types and decision contexts in which underdog effects produce the most impact. This paper aims to investigate some of the unexplored boundary conditions of underdog effects and addresses two issues: consumption domain and retail crowding.

Two experiments with a 2 (biography: underdog or top dog) × 2 (consumption domain: hedonic or utilitarian) × 2 (retail crowding: adequately crowded or uncrowded) factorial between-subjects design were conducted to test hypotheses. The two experiments differ in the consumption domains and the approaches used to depict crowding conditions. Furthermore, the first experiment targeted college students and the second experiment targeted online consumer panels across various age groups.

Underdog effects were more easily evoked when the consumption domain was more hedonic than utilitarian. In addition, retail crowding was an informational cue for judging acceptance of underdog businesses and enhanced the evaluation when the retail environment was adequately crowded rather than uncrowded. This role of crowding was also evident for top-dog businesses when consumers perceived high risk in the businesses.

This is the first study to distinguish between hedonic and utilitarian consumption domains with underdog effects and to demonstrate a positive effect of crowding as an informational cue, indicating acceptance by other consumers.

People express subjectivity and objectivity in everyday communication, yet little is known about how such linguistic content affects persuasion in electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM). Drawing on the congruity theory and the selectivity model, the present study proposes that the effectiveness of subjectivity/objectivity expressions in an online review is contingent on whether the consumption experience is primarily hedonic or utilitarian, and whether the decision maker is a male or female. Furthermore, this study aims to examine the psychological mechanism that underlies the proposed effects.

This research used an experimental design to test the hypotheses. Four versions of online review stimuli were created. Participants were asked to read the online reviews and to complete a survey.

The findings indicate that expressing subjectivity (vs objectivity) in online reviews effectively boosts men’s purchase intention in the hedonic context and women’s purchase intention in the utilitarian context. Furthermore, the mediation analysis reveals that perceived relevance of the review is the psychological mechanism explaining the joint effects of linguistic style, consumption type and gender on purchase intention.

This research is the first to examine expressing subjectivity (vs objectivity) as a persuasion strategy in online reviews. Findings of this research add to the growing literature on linguistic effects in eWOM. Furthermore, this research deepens the understanding of conversational norms for hedonic vs utilitarian consumption in consumer-generated content and gender differences in processing online reviews.

This study aims to investigate how individuals’ regulatory focus affects perceived value and consumption emotions and how differently perceived value and emotions influence the future behavioral intentions of ethnic restaurant customers.

The proposed model was empirically tested with the online survey sent to frequent American travelers who have had dining experiences at Asian restaurants. A total of 435 valid responses were obtained and analyzed by means of structural equation modeling analysis.

The results indicated that promotion-focused individuals are more likely to perceive both hedonic and utilitarian values, and as a result experience positive emotions while dining at Asian restaurants. On the other hand, prevention focus was not significantly related to either hedonic or utilitarian values in itself, and it has a significant effect on negative emotions. The results also demonstrated that perceived hedonic and utilitarian values directly and/or indirectly influence behavioral intentions through consumption emotions.

This study contributes to existing knowledge on regulatory focus theory by identifying significant theoretical relationships among cognitive and affective consumption responses and regulatory focus. Specifically, the main contributions include suggesting novel perspectives that promotion focus is associated with consumers’ value perception, whereas prevention focus is not, and making a first attempt to discover a relationship between regulatory foci and two general types of consumption emotions (positive and negative emotions) and identifying theoretically important associations that promotion focus (vs prevention focus) is more strongly related to positive emotions (vs negative emotions).

The purpose of this study is to propose an integrated approach to diverse and convoluted types of consumption. The new theoretical framework represents composite types of tangible and intangible consumption contributing to consumer life satisfaction (LS) in EMs.

A field study conducted in Brazil surveyed real-world consumers belonging to various social and income groups. Data reflecting LS derived from consumption were analyzed using PLS methodology.

Empirical tests indicated that experiential-utilitarian, experiential-hedonic and material-utilitarian consumption types positively affect EM consumer LS. An interesting and somewhat surprising outcome is an insignificant effect of material-hedonic consumption. The strength of LS correlation with each type of consumption differs and partial effects also depend on household income of EM consumers.

Although reasons exist to expect the general validity of the suggested theoretical framework across many markets, its scope of empirical testing needs to be expanded beyond a single emerging market, even so large as Brazil.

The new taxonomy can help marketing practitioners better understand the main sources of LS stemming from each type of consumption to customize marketing mix and more effectively communicate to EM consumers.

In spite of the scope limited to Brazil, this study shall help policy-makers and NGOs design public goods and services, thereby significantly increasing consumer LS and improve living conditions in EMs.

A systemic approach contributes to the body of marketing theory by replacing the dichotomic classifications of consumer LS with a clear conceptualization of all types of consumption that are integrated into a holistic framework.

Products that espouse environmental ethical principles have received increasing attention in recent years. However, one key barrier against sustainable consumption is that green attributes could result in consumer’s expectation of decreased product physical performance. This study aims to investigate how green attributes existing in different product categories affect consumer purchase intention.

Two experimental studies were conducted to test the hypotheses. Study 1 provides initial evidence of the interaction effects between green attributes and product category on consumer purchase intention. Study 2 replicates the findings of Study 1 and further tests a benefits-based mechanism in the relationship between green attributes and consumer purchase intention.

The findings show that in the utilitarian product category, products with green peripheral attributes result in a higher purchase intention than those with green core attributes, whereas, in the hedonic product category, products with green core attributes result in a higher purchase intention than those with green peripheral attributes. Furthermore, the authors demonstrate that green attributes, as universal sustainability cues predominantly affect consumers’ perceptions of utilitarian environmental benefits and self-expression benefits, which further enhance their purchase intention towards utilitarian products and hedonic products, respectively.

This study responds to the calls for more empirical studies into discussing the role of green attributes in consumer purchase intention. Furthermore, it uncovers a benefits-based mechanism that explains how green attributes existing in utilitarian product categories and hedonic product categories trigger consumers’ analysis of benefits, leading to positive consumer purchase intention.

Time pressure may change how people behave. The multiplicity of options and the nature of the products, hedonic or utilitarian, might increase the complexity of the choice and alter the effects of time pressure. Combining both factors, the purpose of this paper is to verify the moderating role played by the nature of the products observing the relationship between interaction (time pressure × multiplicity of options) and choice delay.

A two-level factorial experimental design was applied (time pressure: with; without) × 2 (number of alternatives: two; six) × 2 (type of purchase: hedonic; utilitarian), with mixed design, considering the purchase delay a dependent variable.

The results signal that the nature of the products moderates the effects of the interaction between time pressure and choice overload in purchase delay. Utilitarian purchases are more susceptible to the effects of time pressure and options overload than hedonic purchases.

The interaction between time pressure and choice overload, researched in previous works, influences in different ways the purchase of utilitarian or hedonic products. This differentiation, taking into consideration the type of product, brings new perspectives on the purchase decision process and provides theoretical and practical information on the effects of information overload and time pressure over the consumer decision-making process.

The purpose of this study was to identify the relationship between customer values, satisfaction and loyalty in the context of Airbnb.

The survey questionnaires were developed based upon review of previous studies. The samples were collected from US- based Airbnb users. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling.

The result of this study indicates that first, Airbnb users’ hedonic value has a positive impact on satisfaction and loyalty, while utilitarian value influences only on satisfaction. Second, this study also shows that product involvement plays as a moderating role in the paths between hedonic value and customer satisfaction.

Study findings may help researchers understand the roles of hedonic and utilitarian values and their impacts on satisfaction and loyalty in the context of Airbnb. This study also contributes to Airbnb marketers in fulfilling users’ expectations about the company.

This research contributes to the hospitality literature by expanding the realm of research on Airbnb, which is a unique company applying the sharing economy concept in the lodging industry.