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The Financial Services Authority’s (FSA) Consultation Paper 121 suggesting depolarisation in the retail financial services sector has generated a great deal of debate. The motivation for the reforms, primarily to improve the position of the consumer, cannot be disputed. Nevertheless, in attempting such a wide‐sweeping change, it is clear that the reforms could bring difficulties as well as improvements. This paper argues that, to the extent that the current polarisation regime is detrimental for the consumer, this can be addressed without dismantling the basic framework of the current advice system. It acknowledges that there is a need for greater consumer education in this area, and that more needs to be done to address the needs of lower‐income consumers. Nevertheless, it is argued that the advantages anticipated as a result of the more radical reforms in the Consultation Paper are likely to be accompanied by problems that could negate the overall benefit accruing to consumers.

This chapter evaluates the proliferation of supermarkets in developing countries using data collected between May 2005 and June 2006 in Citlalicalli, Mexico. Contrary to the experience of most developed countries, this study revealed that supermarkets and small retailers can coexist by catering to different income groups and product categories. Consumer choices are driven by the desire to reduce transaction costs in terms of time and money. In striking a balance between the two, consumers look for retail outlets that offer them the best value for their money with the least amount of time spent in shopping trips. Location of the store plays a critical role in buying choices that consumers make. In developing countries, generally, only high-income consumers can afford to own cars and choose to buy most products in supermarkets. Consumers without cars buy frequently purchased goods (foods) in small stores and infrequently purchased goods (consumer durables) in supermarkets.

A significant share of U.S. subsistence consumers is both poor and functionally low-literate. A key question that marketers and public policy makers must ask is how vulnerable these consumers are to the persuasiveness of marketing communications. We address this question by identifying who subsistence consumers in the United States are likely to be, exploring what it means to be vulnerable, with an emphasis on cognitive vulnerability; examining two theoretical frameworks for analyzing subsistence consumer vulnerability (elaboration likelihood model and persuasion knowledge model); and offering several propositions incorporating the select cognitive constructs of self-esteem, locus of control, and powerlessness.

The study's objective is to examine the consumers' intention to buy counterfeit brand shoes. A conceptual model is developed to test the risk-taking and word-of-mouth (WOM) as a moderator in the relationship between status consumption, brand image, and consumer intention to buy counterfeit shoes.

Based on the theory of reasoned action (TRA) and signaling theory (ST), this research was conducted in the Indian National Capital Region. Using a structured instrument, the data was collected from 240 respondents. After checking the psychometric properties of the survey instrument using the Lisrel package of structural equation modeling, Hayes's PROCESS macros were used for testing the hypotheses.

The findings from the study indicate that (1) status consumption and brand image are positively associated with purchase intention of counterfeit brand shoes, and (2) risk-taking moderates the relationship between (1) status consumption and purchase intention, and (2) brand image and purchase intension, (3) significant three-way interaction between WOM, risk-taking and status consumption on purchase intention, and (4) significant three-way interaction between brand image, WOM, and risk-taking on purchase intention of counterfeit brand shoes.

As with any survey research, this study has common method variance as a potential problem. However, through the latent variable method and Harman's single-factor analysis, the common method variance was checked. The study has several implications for managers, e-marketers, and consumers.

The study has several implications for marketers selling counterfeit products and managers intending to protect their branded products.

A conceptual model showing two-way and three-way interactions between status consumption, risk-taking, and WOM influencing the consumer purchase intention of counterfeit products was discussed. This is the first of its kind in India to explore such relationships.

This study aims to identify the most important attributes that the consumer uses in the process of choosing wine, which can then be used by wine‐producing companies in marketing strategies.

The methodology consisted of a survey of 421 wine consumers using the best‐worst scaling methodology. Various consumer segmentations were made by gender, income and age groups.

The two main attributes that condition consumers in choosing wine are previous tasting and region of origin. The latter attribute is valued mainly by women and in general by consumers over 34 years old who have a net monthly family income above €1,500. The previously tasted attribute, which on many occasions is associated with the price attribute, is valued basically by men and particularly by younger consumers and those with lower incomes.

It must be pointed out that in the short term the basic strategy of wine‐producing enterprises from any given region of origin is to compete on price. However, in the long term increasing their prestige is all that remains to compete actively with the various regions of origin.

This paper contributes to a greater knowledge of Spanish consumer habits by analysing the most important wine attributes in the process of purchasing wine.

Fingerhut, based in Minnetonka, Minnesota, is a direct-marketing company that sells a smorgasbord of consumer goods through an array of specially targeted catalogs. In November 1996, an article in the Star Tribune, a major Minneapolis newspaper, drew attention to a class-action lawsuit pending against Fingerhut that suggests the firm made its profits by exploiting the poor. Several civil rights groups rallied around the suit and submitted amicus curiae in favor of the litigation. The case illustrates issues in ethics and management communication. Discussions focus on the constituencies. Is Fingerhut exploiting its customers or providing them with an affordable method of obtaining valued consumer goods on credit? Do retailers have a duty to offer products at reasonable prices? Are the high interest rates reasonable given the risk? What are the options: pawn shops, rent-to-own? What is the profile of the typical Fingerhut customer? Discussions also focus on the issues communicating to the constituencies. How much damage will the lawsuit do to Fingerhut's image as an ethical, socially conscious company? What communication strategies can the firm employ? Should it react to the lawsuit? What should it tell its employees?

This study aims to explore if, with increasing consumer empowerment, consumers are actively pulling content through a multitude of platforms rather than relying on media owners to dictate their product choices. How do media owners and content producers move toward a more reciprocal and interactive business strategy to deal with the change?

The study was qualitative and exploratory in nature and utilized in-depth and semi-structured interviews of media consumers and experts.

Consumer behavior has changed due to increased product control, in terms of type and occasion, across all income levels. The value of curatorship has increased and social media has fundamentally changed consumption patterns. Using the Berthon et al. model of response functions, we found that, content producers often suffer from inertia and operate with an Isolate strategy. The second most common approach is that of Follow or customer orientation. There is limited engagement with the innovation orientations of Shape and Interact. It is best for the industry to move toward an Interact model, accepting that consumers sometimes wish to create and at other times wish content to be effortlessly provided to them.

This study adopted a qualitative approach of industry experts and consumers within a single context. The further implications would be to develop the Interact strategy in more detail, especially toward the end of how to get media providers to change their current orientations.

Business models of product producers in the new business environment seek to be more consumer-centric. This must not be done at the expense of an innovation orientation.

There has been a lot of discussion on the need to change business models in the wake of changed consumer behavior. The current paper provides guidance on how to respond to the new media world.

Branding has traditionally been viewed as an essential tool for marketers to establish an identity for their products. Even products among the commodity range make use of branding to establish a position for themselves in the market. Unbranded or “generic” products, therefore, tend to go against this branding principle. These products, which are usually sold at a price which is lower than their branded equivalents, are most often found in the area of low‐involvement grocery items. Previous studies of consumer perceptions of generic products tend to be broad in their scope by looking at generic products as a product category, rather than seeking consumer views on individual generic products. This paper identifies the characteristics of generic purchasers, and their broad perceptions of generic products as a group; and, the research extends previous work in the area by comparing a range of individual generic products to each other in terms of their value, quality and packaging. In addition, the research identifies how much importance consumers attach to value, quality and packaging when buying these individual products ‐ in generic form or otherwise. A mail survey of 1,000 New Zealanders revealed that, in contrast to previous studies, generic consumers tend to be older and on a lower household income. In general, consumers do not believe that generics are substandard products. However, when looking at individual generic products, the less standardized generic products are not performing as well as others when it comes to consumers’ perceptions and demands. Proposes that if generic products are to have a recognizable future, it may be necessary to embark on a program which enhances consumer perception of the quality and value of the less standardized generic products.

The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to provide a descriptive analysis of consumers’ ability to comprehend and use common price promotion information when they choose to do so (e.g. to find the least expensive price or to understand the savings amount); second, to identify which consumer groups (in terms of demographic characteristics) find price promotion comprehension particularly challenging.

An online questionnaire with 14 measures (four literacy, ten numeracy) was administered in the study. Data from 607 Australian consumers were analysed using descriptive, cross-tabulation, and multiple regression analysis via IBM SPSS analytics software.

On average, 20 per cent of the consumers surveyed were unable to comprehend the price promotion signage. On average, 13 per cent of the consumers were unable to carry out arithmetic tasks using the information on price promotion signage. Multiple regression models showed that income level was the main driving factor for the consumers’ price promotion literacy and numeracy levels.

The present study is the first exploratory examination of consumers’ levels of comprehension (literacy) and effective use (numeracy) regarding common types of price promotion communication. The use of online samples and data collection method overestimates the results effect.

This is a pilot field study to investigate whether levels of consumers’ price promotion literacy and numeracy are adequate for everyday decision making. The information can be used as evidence and justification for further research.

Almost every consumer has many experiences of sales promotion and different stereotypes of it. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the model of sales promotion stereotype content (model of SPSC) and its perception differences among groups.

Drawing on the methods testifying stereotype content model and mixed stereotype proposed by Fiske et al. (2002), the authors decomposed the SPSC model into two dimensions, namely, the profitability and authenticity of sales promotion, and developed a multidimensional scale for profitability and authenticity. Then a survey that examined 765 participants was conducted to test the reliability of profitability and authenticity as the two primary dimensions of the model of SPSC and perception differences among consumer groups.

The model which consists of two dimensions, authenticity and profitability, was shown to be reliable and valid. Furthermore, the authors find that the profitability and the authenticity reflect consumers' evaluation (perception) of an enterprise's intention and its ability to enact the intention of sales promotion. In addition, mixed stereotypes of promotion can also explain consumers' entanglement when making promotion decisions.

This paper fills the gap in the existing literature of which the single dimension stereotype of sales promotion by the model of SPSC. In addition, the results show that consumers' stereotype of promotion varied in demographics and psychographic characteristics. Furthermore, this paper provides a basis for exploring the social stereotypes of specific things and related marketing activities.