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The purpose of this paper is to examine how informativeness and entertainment, two important online store characteristics, influence consumers’ approach behaviors. The current research also investigates the mechanism and boundary condition behind these relationships.

The study proposed a conceptual framework that included five variables to understand consumers’ approach behaviors toward online stores. By surveying 307 Chinese online shoppers using a comprehensive questionnaire, the authors collected data that were then used to test the hypotheses. Data were examined using regression analysis.

The results showed that online store informativeness and entertainment significantly affected consumers’ approach behaviors. In the relationship between these two online store characteristics and consumers’ approach behaviors, pleasure played a mediating role. Hedonic value moderated the effect of informativeness on consumers’ approach behaviors. However, the moderating role of hedonic value was not significant in the relationship between entertainment and consumers’ approach behaviors.

The present study supplements the research on online store characteristics based on the perception of overall online store environmental cues. This paper also examines the online shopping experience of consumers in emerging markets like China.

Research on technology acceptance of online entertainment with age, gender and cultural factors as moderator, is rarely conducted. Previous research predominantly focused on age or gender as moderator, neglecting the influence of cultural factors. Therefore, this study aims to investigate acceptance of online entertainment technology, incorporating age, gender and cultural factors as moderator.

Data were collected through a survey comprising 1,121 individuals aged 14–24 years from three cities in Indonesia. The proposed theoretical model examined the causal effect of acceptance and moderating effects due to individual gender, age, power distance, individualism, feminism and uncertainty avoidance (AU). Subsequently, structural equation modeling was used to evaluate the theoretical model, and the results confirmed several findings from previous research.

The findings confirmed the positive direct impact of habit and price value (PV) on behavioral intention and hedonic motivation, as well as social influence on habit. The recent findings derived from the moderating effect analysis showed that age, individualism and feminism played a moderating role in the effects on individual intention due to habit. Additionally, gender and AU moderated the effects on individual habits due to hedonic motivation.

This research contributes to the limited knowledge of technology acceptance of online entertainment, and also integrates the causal effects of individual intention due to habit, PV, hedonic motivation and social influence, considering the moderating role of culture, age and gender. Consequently, the investigation provides valuable insights into the literature by presenting evidence of age, gender and cultural differences in acceptance. Furthermore, it offers practical guidance to online entertainment application developers on designing applications to satisfy consumers of different ages, genders and cultures.

Employing the conceptual framework of play themes, this study examined and reported the product categories that presented branded entertainment the most, the different types and features of branded entertainment, and how various play themes were incorporated in branded entertainment in the context of Facebook brand profile pages. The major findings were consistent with the conceptual framework and literature on branded entertainment. Some unexpected findings were also provided and discussed. The line between entertainment and marketing communication has become increasingly blended or even erased during recent years, particularly in the Internet context. Researchers and practitioners are highly interested in the marketing potential of branded entertainment since it may boost brand awareness and build strong consumer‐brand relationships. Little academic research to date has been conducted to systematically study branded entertainment on the Internet. This study is a nascent attempt to understand branded entertainment in user‐centered social networking websites (SNWs), since young users are shifting away from other online media to SNWs. Branded entertainment may help marketers gather segmented yet fun‐seeking SNW users and deliver nonintrusive marketing messages to them.

Positioned in the e-retailing field, this study aims to investigate the effect of the retail store’s atmosphere on consumer behavior in 3D online shopping environments, focusing on store layout as a critical influential factor.

The research uses a mixed research method approach that includes two complementary studies. First, a three-round Delphi study with domain experts is used to develop a store layout classification scheme (Study 1), resulting in five distinct types of store layout. Subsequently, 3D online retail stores that use the five layouts are designed and developed. These serve as treatments of a laboratory experimental design, which is used to assess layout impact on a number of attitudinal and behavioral variables (Study 2).

Five distinct types of store layout have been identified in Study 1, and their distinctive features are presented. The findings of Study 2 indicate that online shopping enjoyment, entertainment and ease of navigation are influenced by the store layout types of 3D online environments. Specifically, the “avant-garde” layout type facilitates the ease of navigation of customers in the store and provides a superior online customer experience. The “warehouse”’ adopts long aisles for the display of products, which simplifies the comparison of products, whereas the “boutique” layout was found to be the best in terms of shopping enjoyment and entertainment. The “department” layout shares many common characteristics with traditional department stores, providing an entertaining and enjoyable store, whereas the “pragmatic” layout emphasizes low system requirements.

The paper presents characteristics that make store layouts effective for different aspects of online customers’ experience and identifies opportunities that 3D online store designers and retailers can explore for the provision of enhanced, customized services to online customers.

This paper examines recent technological developments in store design and visual merchandising. It identifies five layout types of 3D online stores, which are different from those of brick–and–mortar and 2D online stores, and investigates their impact on consumer behavior. Further, the paper examines how each layout type influences online shopping enjoyment, entertainment, ease of navigation, online customer experience and, in turn, purchase and word-of-mouth intentions. Finally, the paper examines the moderating role of telepresence. Individuals with high sense of telepresence conceive 3D environments as “real” and are more concerned about the attributes that trigger the sense of enjoyment they experience while browsing.

This paper aims to provide a theoretical overview of the factors influencing user trust in online games. It offers a set of guidelines that help online game marketers to better understand how users form their trust in online games, and fully reap the benefits of this new medium.

This paper reviews literature from the perspectives of considering an online game player as both a consumer of web‐based entertainment and a computer user. It explores factors related to the web environment as well as those of the games themselves. In particular, it examines a user's perceptions about the company, the online gaming site, and an individual game.

A number of factors influencing user trust in online games are largely within the control of the company sponsoring the sites or marketing the games. Based on the analysis of these factors, this paper provides a set of guidelines that would help marketers win user trust in their online gaming products or services.

Firms promoting online games can take guidance in how to build user trust through paying attention to building brand recognition, enhancing usability and appeal, as well as providing security assurance both at the web sites and within the individual games.

This paper is based on current research in consumer trust, both offline and online, and represents an original attempt at analyzing theoretically the factors influencing user trust in online games. It provides a framework for empirical testing of the propositions outlined in the paper.

This paper examines the perceptual antecedents of the appeal of online computer games from the users’ perspective. It proposes a framework that links the perceived ease of use, perceived entertainment, and perceived irritation with the appeal of an online computer game, measured through attitude toward the game and the user’s intention to play again. Results from a field study indicate that the three proposed perceptual antecedents explain over 60 per cent of variance in both attitude and intention to return. This research demonstrates that factors contributing to user perceptions of online games are important aspects of computer game development. Further research through experimental studies is also advocated.

The outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and its preventative social distancing measures have led to a dramatic increase in subscriptions to paid streaming services. Online users are increasingly accessing live broadcasts, as well as recorded video content and digital music services through internet and mobile devices. In this context, this study aims to explore the individuals’ uses and gratifications from online streaming technologies during COVID-19.

This research has adapted key measures from the “technology acceptance model” (TAM) and from the “uses and gratifications theory” (UGT) to better understand the individuals’ intentions to use online streaming technologies. A structural equations partial least squares’ confirmatory composite approach was used to analyze the gathered data.

The individuals’ perceived usefulness and ease of use of online streaming services were significant antecedents of their intentions to use the mentioned technologies. Moreover, this study suggests that the research participants sought emotional gratifications from online streaming technologies, as they allowed them to distract themselves into a better mood and to relax in their leisure time. Evidently, they were using them to satisfy their needs for information and entertainment.

This study contributes to the academic literature by generating new knowledge about the individuals’ perceptions, motivations and intentions to use online streaming technologies to watch recorded movies, series and live broadcasts.

The findings imply that there is scope for the providers of online streaming services to improve their customer-centric marketing by refining the quality and content of their recorded programs and through regular interactions with subscribers and personalized recommender systems.

This study integrates the TAM and UGT frameworks to better understand the effects of the users’ perceptions, ritualized and instrumental motivations on their intentions to continue watching movies, series and broadcasts through online streaming technologies, during COVID-19.

El distanciamiento social durante la pandemia del coronavirus (COVID-19) ha llevado a un aumento dramático en las suscripciones a los servicios de transmisión de pago. Los usuarios en línea acceden cada vez más a transmisiones en vivo, así como a contenido de video grabado y servicios de música digital. En este contexto, este estudio explora los usos y las gratificaciones buscadas por las personas con las tecnologías de transmisión en línea durante la COVID-19.

En la operacionalización de las variables se utilizaron las medidas del “Modelo de Aceptación de Tecnología” (TAM) y la “Teoría de Usos y Gratificaciones” (UGT). Además, se utilizó SEM-PLS 3 para analizar los datos recopilados de las encuestas.

La utilidad percibida y la facilidad de uso de los servicios de transmisión en línea son antecedentes significativos de la intención de utilizarlos. Además, las personas buscan gratificaciones emocionales de tales tecnologías, ya que les permiten distraerse, estar de mejor humor y relajarse en su tiempo libre. Además, las utilizan para obtener información y entretenimiento.

Este estudio contribuye a la literatura académica generando nuevos conocimientos sobre las percepciones, motivaciones e intenciones de los individuos de utilizar tecnologías de transmisión en línea para ver películas grabadas, series y transmisiones en vivo.

Los hallazgos implican que hay margen para que los proveedores de servicios de transmisión en línea mejoren su marketing centrado en el cliente reforzando la calidad y el contenido de sus programas grabados y la publicidad intermitente.

Este estudio integra las teorías TAM y UGT para comprender mejor el creciente uso de las tecnologías de transmisión para ver películas grabadas, series y transmisiones en vivo.

新型冠状病毒(COVID-19)大流行的爆发及其预防性的社会隔离措施，导致付费流媒体服务订阅量大幅增加。越来越多的在线用户通过互联网和移动设备访问直播、录制视频内容和数字音乐服务。在此背景下，本研究旨在探讨COVID-19疫情期间个人对在线流媒体技术的使用和满意度。

为了更好地理解个体使用在线流媒体技术的意图，本研究采用了“技术接受模型”(TAM)和“使用与满足理论”(UGT)的主要测量方法。另外，作者采用了结构方程偏最小二乘验证组合方法对采集的数据进行分析。

个人对在线流媒体服务的感知有用性和易用性是他们使用上述技术的意图的重要先行因素。此外，这项研究表明，研究中的参与者从在线流媒体技术中寻求情感满足，让自己得到一个好心情，并在闲暇时间放松。显然，他们是在用手机来满足他们对信息和娱乐的需求。

本研究对个人使用在线流媒体技术观看电影、电视剧和直播的认知、动机和意图产生了新的认识，对学术文献的贡献。

研究结果表明，在线流媒体服务提供商可以通过改进其录制节目的质量和内容、定期与订阅者互动以及个性化推荐系统来改善其以客户为中心的营销。

本研究整合了TAM和UGT框架，以更好地了解COVID-19期间用户的认知、仪式化和工具动机对他们通过在线流媒体技术继续观看电影、电视剧和广播的意图的影响。

As a popular entertainment form, online gaming is a significant global industry with millions of customers. However gaming misbehaviours (gamer behaviours that violate generally accepted norms) and their impact on other gamers have received little attention. This study thus aims to examine five online gaming misbehaviours (i.e. account theft, cheating, bullying, profanity, and hoarding of advantageous locations) and how they influence other gamers in terms of anger and continuance intention (intention to repetitively play a specific game).

The study sample comprises 767 online gamers who provided valid responses to an online survey. The hypotheses are tested using structural equation modelling.

Analytical results indicate that profanity and hoarding of advantageous locations anger other gamers, reducing continuance intention.

The analytical results suggest that game providers should focus on reducing gaming misbehaviours such as profanity and hoarding of advantageous locations.

This study contributes to the literature by investigating the misbehaviours in online games and their impact.

Playing video gaming is one of the most popular forms of leisure activities. This study looks into a specific video game genre, under the category of Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) games. The purpose of this research is to investigate the factors that lead to the consumption of MOBA games. Three factors, imaginal, emotional and sensory experiences, are investigated through an integration of the hedonic consumption model, Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and Uses and Gratification Theory (UGT).

The study analyses a sample of 292 MOBA game players using the PLS-SEM model. The study comprises two stages; in the first stage, an estimation model was used to test the constructs' quality and legitimacy. In the second stage, we assessed the theoretical model to test the relationship between the principle constructs.

The study found that factors related to emotional experiences, namely enjoyment, emotional involvement, and arousal, led to greater intention to play MOBA games. Similarly, two factors related to imaginal experiences, escapism and role projection, also positively impacted while fantasy carried a negative impact. The study also found that sensory experiences had a significant positive impact on the intention to play MOBA games. Lastly, a positive correlation was also found between the intention to use and usage behavior in MOBA games.

This study contributes to the theoretical understanding of the playful-consumption experiences of pleasure-oriented information systems (I.S.) that is MOBA games that derive behavioral intention to play MOBA games, which in turn determines the usage behavior of MOBA players. The study also incorporates the uses and gratification theory to uncover the needs and experiences that trigger MOBA games' behavioral intention and its further impact on gamers' usage behavior. The study also presents useful insights for game developers and other relevant stakeholders in game development.

During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, museums, as public gathering places for citizens, have encountered unprecedented difficulties due to limitations to operate as usual for their traditional exhibitions and curations. Thus, museums made corresponding emergency attempts to accelerate digital resource and service platform constructions. Such difficulties aroused many potential problems with the applicability of electronic resources and the mismatch between user expectations and museum services. This study investigates the challenges faced by Hong Kong museums under COVID-19, emergency responses and deliberate practices of Hong Kong museums from the perspective of both museum staff and visitors, and COVID-19's influence on the roles and functions of Hong Kong museums.

Qualitative interviews with museum staff and visitors were conducted to collect opinions and experiences in the construction and maintenance of museums during the pandemic. Further thematic analyses of museum websites, evaluations, and suggestions were formulated guided by the PEST (Political, Economic, Social, Technological) and AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) models.

Findings revealed many online interactions and offline renovations, but the perceptions of visitors and staff differed considerably. While online resources and virtual museums were expanded and well received, long-term prohibitions and repressions drove physical visit desire. Participants emphasized finding a balance between user expectations and realistic practices.

Scant studies focus on the impact of COVID-19 on the cultural industry, especially in East Asia. This study also highlights new practices of digitalization and the challenges of functional transformation. The authors' findings and suggestions provide hints to optimize the curation of information resources and improve museum service quality in the new digital era. This study also serves as a reliable and meaningful record of COVID-19 impacts on Hong Kong museums.