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The purpose of this research is to explore the joint effect of compensation frames and product‐price levels on consumer attitudinal reactions and behavioral intentions after a service failure involving online pricing error.

A 2 (compensation frames: dollar off versus percentage off) x 2 (product‐price levels: high‐price versus low‐price) between‐subjects factorial design was used to test the hypotheses.

The findings indicate that consumers perceive a price reduction for compensation framed in dollar terms as more (less) fair than the same price reduction framed in percentage terms for high‐price product (low‐price product). The higher consumer perceptions of compensation fairness are, the more likely consumers are to have positive post‐recovery satisfaction and trust. Consequently, consumers who are satisfied with the compensation effort are more likely to trust the service firm, engage in positive eWOM behavior, and purchase the item.

When online retailers decide to honor their erroneous pricing on their web sites by compensating consumers with price reduction, they must learn the product‐price conditions in which the effectiveness of compensation frames can reach a higher level.

To the best of the authors' knowledge, no previous studies have examined the joint effect of compensation frames and product‐price levels on consumers' attitudinal reactions and behavioral intentions involving service recovery of online pricing errors.

The authors provide an example of a group of online shoppers exploiting a pricing mistake and exploring the drivers of predatory shopping that may harm online retailers. This paper aims to examine the role of social vigilantism, proactivity and self-presentation in driving individual predatory shopping behaviors and delivers a broader understanding of how these behaviors develop in online communities.

The authors use a mixed-methods sequential research model. In Study 1, the authors explore predatory shopping by using a netnographic textual approach to analyze an online forum engaging in predatory shopping. In Study 2, the authors empirically analyze the uncovered conceptual findings using the PROCESS macro.

Customers who engage in predatory shopping online exhibit social vigilantism when communicating their views to others and proactively seeking out pricing mistakes and opportunities. Customers engaging in predatory shopping adapt their presentation online to increase their chances of success; this effect is strengthened by the online disinhibition effect.

Predatory shoppers can actively seek out pricing mistakes online, encourage participation and exploit mistakes by adapting their self-presentation. Therefore, online retailers should be proactive and consistent when communicating with customers and collaborating to deter predatory shopping. In addition, online retailers should focus on building advocates in communities to prevent harm from predatory shoppers online.

Online predatory shopping is explored qualitatively and quantitatively to understand the propensities that can drive predatory behavior and provide warning signs for online retailers. In addition, the effects of predatory shopping drivers are analyzed in the presence of the online disinhibition effect.

The purpose of this study is to develop a structural equation model to explain the complex relationship between social network and firm performance by introducing the mediating role of trust, selling capability and pricing capability.

The research model with hypothesis development was derived based on the literature. To provide empirical evidence, this study carried out a survey in which the data were equated with a list of questionnaires with a random survey of 380 small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the Indonesian context.

This study indicates that the use of social media in management process will not affect the increasing firm performance, unless the firms build trust upon social networks. The social network with trust allows the firms to gain a pricing capability and a selling capability, which brings a positive impact on firm performance. The results also show that the selling and the pricing capabilities become essential following the utilizing the social media, which concerns on trust building.

This study focused on the small-to-medium context, which has conventionally provided an exemplary site for the development of social capital theory but raises issues of generalizability across different contexts.

To the managers, it is advisable to encourage their employees to consciously exploit the selling capability by enhancing the business networks via social media to achieve the firm performance.

This paper contributes to the social capital theory by explaining the mediating role of trust in the complex relationship between social network and firm performance. This study provides evidence that trust plays a pivotal role in social networks, which enable the observed firms to achieve the performance.

This paper develops a typology of omnichannel retailer activities and corresponding customer responses during a rapidly changing external coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic environment, to contribute towards academic research on omnichannel strategies and to assist retailers when making future investment and resource decisions.

Implementing a dual desk research process, the authors carry out a document review of 61 retailers operating globally and connected customer reviews and categorise them using a content analysis.

The findings show that retailers employ a multitude of new omnichannel strategies during a pandemic and implement new or upgraded cross-channel services. Customer data show that delivery and customer service issues largely persist. The authors divide retailer actions and microfoundations into five broad categories and present a typology of strategic retailer activities and customer responses.

This research presents insights into omnichannel strategies from both a retailer and customer perspective, and offers guidance on improving the implementation of future omnichannel strategies.

The paper aims to investigate how customer satisfaction can be achieved in the context of digital platform services, its influence on electronic word of mouth (eWOM) and how such relationships can be moderated by perceived technological innovativeness (PTI).

The research framework was developed and empirically tested using an online survey and analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM). Data were gathered from 501 Uber customers in London, UK.

The study recognises and confirms that trust and cost saving enhanced customer satisfaction in Uber mobility services, which has a positive impact on eWOM. There are other findings regarding users who share rides vs those who do not share. Furthermore, it has been found that PTI moderates the relationship between customer satisfaction and eWOM.

The research draws on collaborative consumption literature and contributes to the antecedents of customer satisfaction in digital economy literature: trust, environmental impact, cost saving and utility. The study offers an empirical validation of the role of PTI in enhancing eWOM. The paper breaks new ground for a better understanding of how PTI can moderate the influence of customer satisfaction and eWOM in digital platforms.

This study aims to compare the relative importance of service quality (SQ), customer satisfaction (CS) and positive emotional experiences (PEE) to determine which is more influential in customers’ intention to spread positive eWOM.

A questionnaire that had been translated previously into English, German and Spanish and contained scales from previous studies, as well as a new scale created for electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) (which was tested before fieldwork commenced), was sent through an online survey to all customers who had stayed in a hotel during the previous three months and were selected from the customers’ database of two international hotel chains that operate hotels worldwide, most of which are middle-upper class establishments that specialize in the holiday market. A total of 3,671 valid questionnaires were obtained, and the research model was tested using partial least squares.

The findings suggested that, in the context of mid-upscale hotels, SQ is of paramount importance for CS, but by itself, does not guarantee customers’ involvement in generating and spreading positive eWOM. CS, by itself, neither guarantees customer involvement in positive eWOM spreading. However, the provision of services that can generate PEE among hotel guests is a powerful determinant of positive eWOM spreading and also has a very positive effect on CS.

The results are based on a sample selected from customers of mid-upper-class hotels that cater to the holiday segment, and therefore, apply only to customers who use this category of hotel services. Further research should be conducted on mid-lower-class hotels to determine whether the results obtained in this paper can be generalized throughout the hotel industry.

This study provides useful insights for hotel marketing managers by identifying a key causal element that fosters consumer creativity and consumer content creation by spreading eWOM. Managerial practices should strive to provide guest experiences that have the ability to increase emotional outcomes. The results have practical implications for product/service development, communication and customer relationship activities, as well as price and revenue management. Specifically, SME hotels could benefit from an increased volume of positive eWOM to increase their competitiveness.

The antecedents of eWOM have received less attention in research than its effects. Drawing on a large sample of hotel customers, this paper sheds light on the important issue of identifying which factors motivate customers to engage in spreading positive eWOM specifically in the hotel industry. The results also suggested that WOM and eWOM should not be considered strictly equivalent either in their features and effects or in their antecedents.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role that positive emotional experiences play in the generation of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) and the influence both variables have, together with customer satisfaction and brand reputation, on customer loyalty in the context of hospitality services.

An online survey has been conducted including customers of an important hotel chain in the holiday up-market segment. The study sample is composed of 878 customers from Germany and the UK. The model has been tested using partial least squares technique.

Results indicate that positive emotional experiences have a positive effect on satisfaction, eWOM generation and company reputation. This study identifies the provision of emotional experiences as a powerful generator of positive eWOM in the hospitality context and it states that customer satisfaction, in itself, does not guarantee positive eWOM generation.

Designing unique, tailor-made, memorable experiences can become a key element to increase loyalty and, particularly, to foster the generation of recommendations, that is positive eWOM, in the hotel industry.

The study makes a contribution on the antecedents of customer satisfaction, eWOM engagement and loyalty in the specific context of hotel services.

Este trabajo analiza el papel que juegan las experiencias emocionales positivas en la generación de eWOM y la influencia que ambas variables, junto con la satisfacción del cliente y la reputación de la marca, ejercen en la lealtad del cliente en el contexto de los servicios hoteleros.

Se ha realizado una encuesta online a los clientes de una importante cadena hotelera de categoría media-alta del segmento vacacional. La muestra estaba compuesta por 878 clientes de Alemania y Reino Unido. El modelo ha sido analizado mediante Mínimos Cuadrados Parciales (PLS).

Los resultados indican que las experiencias emocionales positivas tienen un impacto positivo sobre la satisfacción, la generación de eWOM y la reputación de la empresa. El estudio demuestra que la provisión de experiencias emocionales positivas constituye un poderoso factor generador de eWOM positivo en el contexto de los servicios hoteleros, mientras que la satisfacción del consumidor no garantiza, por sí misma, la generación de eWOM positivo.

El diseño de experiencias únicas y memorables puede convertirse en un elemento clave para aumentar la lealtad y, en particular, fomentar la generación de recomendaciones positivas (eWOM) por parte de los clientes en el contexto de los servicios hoteleros.

Este trabajo realiza una contribución al estudio de los precursores de la satisfacción del cliente, la generación de eWOM y la lealtad en el contexto específico de los servicios hoteleros.

Experiencias emocionales, eWOM, lealtad, satisfacción, reputación, hoteles

Trabajo de investigación

Numerous studies have examined factors influencing electronic word of mouth (eWOM) providing behaviour. The volume of extant research and inconsistency in some of the findings makes it useful to develop an all-encompassing model synthesising results. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to synthesise findings from existing studies on eWOM by using meta-analysis, which will help to reconcile conflicting findings of factors affecting consumers’ intention to engage in eWOM communications.

The findings from 51 studies were used for meta-analysis, which was undertaken using comprehensive meta-analysis software.

Factors affecting eWOM providing behaviour were divided into four groups: personal conditions, social conditions, perceptual conditions and consumption-based conditions. The results of the meta-analysis showed that out of 20 identified relationships, 16 were found to be significant (opinion seeking, information usefulness, trust in web eWOM services, economic incentive, customer satisfaction, loyalty, brand attitude, altruism, affective commitment, normative commitment, opinion leadership, self-enhancement, information influence, tie strength, homophily and community identity).

One of the limitations of this study is that the studies for this research were collected the only form from Web of Science, Scopus and Business Source such as databases, which result in a limited number of studies available for weight and meta-analysis. A wider range of databases should be used by future research. Also, this study only considered quantitative studies and excluded qualitative studies. Thus, future studies could include both types of studies in the meta-analysis.

By focussing on the best predictors of intention to provide eWOM communications (e.g. self-enhancement and trust in web eWOM services) managers can improve reader engagement and information assimilation. Knowing motivations to engage in eWOM helps platform operators design their service in a more customer-oriented way. By better understanding motivations to engage in eWOM communications marketers and researchers can influence individuals’ online information assimilation which can affect consumer purchase decisions, customer loyalty and consumer commitment to the community.

Applying meta-analysis helped the reconciliation of conflicting findings, enabled investigation of the strengths of the relationships between motivations and eWOM providing behaviour and offered a consolidated view. The results of this study facilitate the advancement of current knowledge of information dissemination on the internet, which can influence consumer purchase intention and loyalty.

Through a literature review, we found four potential research topics that are rarely studied in the extant literature, i.e. the missing link between web site quality and flow, an integrative relationships between web site quality, flow, customer satisfaction, and relationship intention even though part of the integrative relationships have been investigated in the previous studies, those flow‐related consumer behaviors in C2C e‐marketplaces, and cross‐national studies on the flow‐related consumer behaviors in the East‐Asian domain. Thus, we attempted to explore the relationships between web site quality, flow, customer satisfaction, and relationship intention in Chinese and Korean C2C e‐marketplaces as well as their cross‐national similarities and differences.

In all, 212 Chinese and 219 Korean online shoppers were surveyed to conduct the above research agenda by structural equation modeling.

Web site quality had some effect on flow and satisfaction in both countries, but different results between the countries were found for the dimensions of web site quality. Flow has a positive impact on satisfaction, but the effect in China was greater than that in Korea. Both flow and satisfaction had a positive effect on relationship intention in the two countries.

There has been little research that addressed the above four research topics respectively or in combination. This study investigates the integrative model between web site quality and flow‐related consumer behaviors in C2C e‐marketplaces. The paper provides empirical evidence of online consumer behaviors in China and Korea, which will help global e‐commerce managers/practitioners in their development of strategies and tactics for the East‐Asian markets.

This study aims to conceptualize and test the effect of consumers’ perceptions of complaint handling quality (PCHQ) in both traditional and social media channels.

Study 1 systematically reviews the relevant literature and then carries out a consumer and manager survey. This approach aims to conceptualize the dimensionality of PCHQ. Study 2 tests the effect of PCHQ on key marketing outcomes. Using survey data from a German telecommunications company, the study provides an explanation for the differences in outcomes across traditional (hotline) and social media channels.

Study 1 reveals that PCHQ is best conceptualized as a five-dimensional construct with 15 facets. There are significant differences between customers and managers in terms of the importance attached to the various dimensions. The construct shows strong psychometric properties with high reliability and validity, thereby opening up opportunities to treat these facets as measurement indicators for the construct. Study 2 indicates that the effect of PCHQ on consumer loyalty and word-of-mouth (WOM) communication is stronger in social media than in traditional channels. Procedural justice and the overall quality of service solutions emerge as general dimensions of PCHQ because they are equally important in both channels. In contrast, interactional justice, distributive justice and customer effort have varying effects across the two channels.

This study contributes to the understanding of a firm’s channel selection for complaint handling in two ways. First, it evaluates and conceptualizes the PCHQ construct. Second, it compares the effects of different dimensions of PCHQ on key marketing outcomes across traditional and social media channels.

This study enables managers to understand the difference in efficacy attached to different dimensions of PCHQ. It further highlights such differences across traditional and social media service channels. For example, the effect of complaint handling on social media is of particular importance when generating WOM communication.

This study offers a comprehensive conceptualization of the PCHQ construct and reveals the general and channel contingent effects of its different dimensions on key marketing outcomes.