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1 – 10 of over 3000Sara Lewis Hood, Kristin Anne Thoney-Barletta and Lori Rothenberg
This study explored the role that Instagram, a prominent social media platform, plays in the consumer decision-making process of young adults (age 18–27 years) in the United…
Abstract
Purpose
This study explored the role that Instagram, a prominent social media platform, plays in the consumer decision-making process of young adults (age 18–27 years) in the United States as they shop online for apparel and interact with the digital profiles of apparel brands. Specifically, this study compared consumers' purchase and post-purchase evaluation behaviors on Instagram between Millennials and Generation Z, and investigated the role of consumers' trust of Instagram on these behaviors.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey instrument was developed to explore critical variables, including consumers' purchase and post-purchase evaluation behaviors on Instagram, consumers' trust of Instagram, and demographic factors, adapting previous works from Ko (2018), Djafarova and Rushworth (2017), and Herrando et al. (2019). Survey responses were collected via the Qualtrics participant panel service (N = 226), then coded and analyzed using JMP Pro (Version 14.2).
Findings
Results indicated that statistically significant mean differences were present among several key variables, including between Millennial and Generation Z post-purchase behaviors on Instagram, willingness to share feedback about a brand experience on Instagram, and trust of content on Instagram. Additionally, it was determined that purchase and post-purchase behaviors on Instagram are significantly different depending on whether or not a consumer trusts Instagram and the content therein.
Originality/value
While online consumer behaviors have been previously studied, the impact of young adults' Instagram usage on their purchase and post-purchase evaluation behaviors in the apparel sector had not been thoroughly examined. The findings from this study provide meaningful insights on the purchase and post-purchase behaviors on Instagram of young adult consumers from different generational cohorts. They demonstrate that developing trust with young adults is critical to the success of brands trying to reach this demographic on Instagram.
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Hongfei Liu, Chanaka Jayawardhena, Victoria-Sophie Osburg and Mujahid Mohiuddin Babu
The influence of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) information, such as online reviews, on consumers’ decision making is well documented, but it is unclear if online reviews still…
Abstract
Purpose
The influence of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) information, such as online reviews, on consumers’ decision making is well documented, but it is unclear if online reviews still matter in post-purchase evaluation and behaviours. The purpose of this paper is to examine the extent to which online reviews (aggregate rating (AR) and individual reviews (IR)) influence consumers’ evaluation and post-purchase behaviour by considering the valence congruence of online reviews and consumption experience (CE).
Design/methodology/approach
Following social comparison theory and relevant literature, the authors conduct an online experiment (pre-test: n=180; main study: n=347). The authors rely on a 2 (CE valence) ×2 (AR valence) ×2 (IR valence) between-subjects design.
Findings
Congruence/incongruence between the valences of CE, AR and IR affects consumers’ post-purchase evaluation at the emotional, brand and media levels and review-writing behaviour. In comparison to aggregated rating, IR are more important in the post-purchase stage. Similarly, consumers have a higher eWOM-writing intention when there is congruence between the valences of CE, AR and IR.
Practical implications
The authors demonstrate the importance of service providers continually monitoring their business profiles on review sites to ensure consistency of review information, as these influence consumers’ post-purchase evaluation and behaviours. For this reason, the authors illustrate the utility of why media owners of review sites should support the monitoring process to facilitate the engagement of both businesses and customers.
Originality/value
The authors break new ground by empirically testing the impact of online review information post-purchase seen through the theoretical lens of social comparison. The approach is novel in breaking down and testing the dimensions of post-purchase evaluation and behavioural intentions in understanding the social comparison elicited by online reviews in the post-purchase phase.
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Kara Xiaohui Ma, Damien William Mather, Dana L. Ott, Eddy Fang, Phil Bremer and Miranda Mirosa
The purpose of this study is to investigate consumers' post–purchase experience when buying fresh food online. It examines the key dimensions of post–purchase online customer…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate consumers' post–purchase experience when buying fresh food online. It examines the key dimensions of post–purchase online customer experience (post–purchase OCE) that impact customer satisfaction and repurchase intention. It also explores the role of corporate image as a moderator.
Design/methodology/approach
An online survey was conducted in China to capture participants' post–purchase OCE, satisfaction, repurchase intention and perceived corporate image. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was utilized to analyse data collected from 317 Chinese fresh food online shoppers. Moderated mediation analysis was conducted to analyse the moderating effect of corporate image.
Findings
Four post–purchase OCE dimensions “product-in-hand”, “customer support”, “benefits” and “packaging” significantly drive customers' repurchase intention by enhancing customer satisfaction. “Delivery” is not influential. Additionally, for firms with a good corporate image, customer repurchase intention is more easily affected by post–purchase OCE than firms with a lower level of corporate image.
Practical implications
The findings inform fresh food e-commerce firms of the critical post–purchase OCE dimensions that mostly drive customer satisfaction and help retain customers. Furthermore, it implies that firms with a good corporate image must provide high-quality post–purchase OCE that matches the image because the consequences associated with a poor post–purchase OCE can be severe.
Originality/value
This research is among the first to investigate fresh food post–purchase OCE. It also introduces the previously underexplored moderating role of corporate image.
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Yingxia Cao, Haya Ajjan and Paul Hong
The purpose of this paper is to understand the role of post-purchase logistic services on customer satisfaction and future purchase decision, to reveal any differences across…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand the role of post-purchase logistic services on customer satisfaction and future purchase decision, to reveal any differences across China and Taiwan, to fill in a gap in the literature focused on post-purchase logistic activities related to shipping, return, and tracking, to provide managerial guidance in logistics for e-commerce, and to develop insights on logistic services for future research.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a validated survey instrument, 384 respondents in China and 145 respondents in Taiwan are collected. The research model is analyzed using component-based estimation approach to structural equation modeling.
Findings
The structural equation analysis of the study found that post-purchase shipping and tracking have an impact on customer satisfaction in both China and Taiwan. It also found that customer service is the most significant factor among the examined antecedents for online shoppers in China. While, return service is more important for shoppers in Taiwan. Finally, customer satisfaction played a stronger positive role for online shoppers in Taiwan as compared to their counterparts in China.
Research limitations/implications
This research extended the current literature about post-purchase logistic services in an online shopping environment with a literature-based research model and good empirical data support. However, one limitation of the study is that the data collected represents a cross-sectional sample; future research should examine longitudinal sample to study customers’ purchase intentions over time.
Practical implications
This study can help both scholars and practitioners understand the importance of tracking, return, shipping, and customer service in an online shopping environment and across countries. It provides insights on designing e-commerce relevant shipping services to satisfy and attract customers across countries.
Originality/value
The study investigated how post-purchase activities contributed to customer satisfaction in online shopping and explored the influence of customer satisfaction on future purchase intention in China and Taiwan. This is one of the first studies available in the literature to provide empirical support and managerial insights about post-purchase activities related to shipping, tracking, and returns for e-commerce with cross-regional comparison.
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The purpose of this paper is to discuss the effect of the difference between the consumer's expectation and perception of service quality on post‐purchase behavior intentions, and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to discuss the effect of the difference between the consumer's expectation and perception of service quality on post‐purchase behavior intentions, and the effect of the consumer's personality traits and the enterprise's service recovery strategy as intervening variables on post‐purchase behavior intentions of consumers.
Design/methodology/approach
A sampling survey is carried out among customers of the top ten banking industries in Taiwan. A convenient sampling survey is carried out among customers of the top ten banks. A total of 243 effective samples are returned.
Findings
The result shows that the smaller the difference between expectation and perception of service quality is, the more the consumers will show their loyalty in post‐purchase behavior; the bigger the difference between expectation and perception of service quality is, the more the customers will make complaints and convert to other brands. When the difference is bigger between customer expectation and perception of service quality, the personality trait of external control orientation may prevail over the personality trait of internal control orientation.
Research limitations/implications
Intangible service is the core product of banks, but it is easily copied by competitors. Therefore, creation of brand image and improvement of goodwill are important for the establishment of uniqueness and distinguishability of a bank.
Practical implications
Service recovery is one of the major factors that influence the sequential actions of consumers. Service quality does not directly influence the sequential attitude and behavior of consumers; other intervening variables that exert direct influence exist.
Originality/value
This paper fulfils an identified information need and offers practical help to the service industry.
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This paper aims to analyze the key problems related to the international purchasing operations and their interrelationship with the post‐purchase industrial behavior: repeated…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to analyze the key problems related to the international purchasing operations and their interrelationship with the post‐purchase industrial behavior: repeated purchase with modification, repeated purchase without modification and no rebuy. The objective is to develop a conceptual model in the area of international post‐purchase industrial behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
Based upon prior research in business marketing, international marketing, international business and intercultural communication, and complemented by an exploratory qualitative approach, the paper proposes a conceptualization of the post‐purchase industrial behavior and of the relationships between cost, logistics, governmental and cultural factors affecting international post‐purchase industrial behavior.
Findings
This paper elaborates a conceptual model and research propositions that delineate the relationship between key problems of international purchasing and the post‐purchase behavior of industrial firms. The importance of the cultural factor‐problem is outlined.
Originality/value
The value of the paper is to provide an emerging theory for the study of international post‐purchase industrial behavior. The concept of post‐purchasing behavior is explained in the context of international purchasing. Also, the paper provides insights of the effect of culture in international delivery times.
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Stephen Wilkins, Carina Beckenuyte and Muhammad Mohsin Butt
The purpose of this study is to discover the extent to which consumers are aware of air filling in food packaging, the extent to which deceptive packaging and slack filling …
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to discover the extent to which consumers are aware of air filling in food packaging, the extent to which deceptive packaging and slack filling – which often result from package downsizing – lead to cognitive dissonance and the extent to which feelings of cognitive dissonance and being deceived lead consumers to engage in negative post-purchase behaviours.
Design/methodology/approach
The study analysed respondents’ reactions to a series of images of a specific product. The sample consisted of consumers of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) in the UK. Five photographs served as the stimulus material. The first picture showed a well-known brand of premium chocolate in its packaging and then four further pictures each showed a plate with a different amount of chocolate on it, which represented different possible levels of package fill.
Findings
Consumer expectations of pack fill were positively related to consumers’ post-purchase dissonance, and higher dissonance was negatively related to repurchase intentions and positively related to both intended visible and non-visible negative post-purchase behaviours, such as switching brand and telling friends to avoid the product. Furthermore, consumers with low product involvement were less likely to repurchase the brand, and were more willing to engage in visible and non-visible negative behaviours.
Research limitations/implications
The key message from this study is that consumers’ post-purchase dissonance is likely to damage the firm. Although firms may initially achieve increased sales through deceptive packaging and slack filling, these practices risk damaging a brand’s reputation and consumer loyalty to the brand. Firms need to strike a balance between packaging size and content, and as consumer expectations are likely to vary across different products, individual companies should engage in market research and substantive market testing.
Originality/value
To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that investigates antecedents and consequences of cognitive dissonance experienced by consumers which was caused by perceived deceptive packaging and/or slack filling.
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Jingyi Duan and Ruby Roy Dholakia
The purpose of the present research is to investigate how consumers’ purchase posting behavior on social media influences their own happiness.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of the present research is to investigate how consumers’ purchase posting behavior on social media influences their own happiness.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper presents three studies. Study 1 was an experiment that manipulated purchase and posting behavior. Studies 2 and 3 utilized surveys which asked participants to report their actual purchases and posting behaviors. Data were examined using regression and bootstrap mediation analysis.
Findings
Posting purchases on social media has a positive influence on consumers’ happiness through the mediating roles of perceived impact of purchases on self and interpersonal relationships.
Research limitations/implications
This paper contributes to the research on social media by demonstrating that because of its remarkable characteristics, posting purchases on social media significantly increases consumers’ happiness. It fills the research gap of how word-of-mouth and conspicuous consumption influences the storyteller’s happiness. It is also the first research which suggests that user-generated content of purchases actually can be a new carrier of conspicuous consumption. The findings shed light on the substantial influences of posting purchases on the use/consumption stage of consumer behavior.
Practical implications
Because posting purchases on social media increases consumers’ happiness, marketers can develop strategies to encourage consumers to post about their purchases more.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is the first to demonstrate the positive effect of social media purchase posting on consumers’ happiness and identify the mechanism under which this effect occurs.
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Rohit Titiyal, Sujoy Bhattacharya and Jitesh J. Thakkar
This paper aims to review the literature on “E-fulfillment” with respect to marketing and operations issues in the current dynamic and complex e-tailing environment and thereby…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to review the literature on “E-fulfillment” with respect to marketing and operations issues in the current dynamic and complex e-tailing environment and thereby generate significant insights.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is based on a systematic literature review on e-fulfillment focusing on marketing and operations issues therein. This systematic literature review consists of a critical review on e-fulfillment under planning (review question initialisation), searching (literature search), screening (literature evaluation), extraction and synthesis and reporting phases to conceptualise e-fulfillment. A total of 122 research articles have been reviewed to explore e-fulfillment and to develop key constructs and propositions.
Findings
This review provides the following three outcomes. First, the varied-fulfillment definitions have been critically reviewed, leading to synthesis, and thereby, an e-fulfillment definition is provided. Further, the variations for e-fulfillment across product types, which have been identified as a key variable for e-fulfillment, have been explored. Second, authors find five e-fulfillment components at the marketing and operations interface: website quality, customisation strategy, distribution strategy, last mile delivery and return management. Continuing with the e-fulfillment interface with marketing, the linkages between e-fulfillment and select post-purchase consumer behaviours measures across different product types have been reviewed. The paper thus with a focus on synthesising e-fulfillment literature from a process perspective emphasises the consumer behaviour metric for measuring e-fulfillment performance.
Practical implications
This study would help academicians, researchers, e-tailers and practitioners to understand e-fulfillment from a process perspective. For the researcher, it presents areas for future research by giving possible research directions in this emerging area. This study also brings out the impact of e-fulfillment according to product type on the post-purchase consumer behaviour measures, which will help e-tailers to link e-fulfillment to consumer behaviour metrics.
Originality/value
The paper classifies the fragmented literature to develop constructs and propositions for e-fulfillment. This is the first kind of study on e-fulfillment process and its impact on select post-purchase consumer behaviour measures across product types.
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Lingli Wang, Qiang Yan and Wenjing Chen
The purpose of this study is to examine the strategies used by consumers to control themselves in the Singles’ Day promotion. It also examines how promotion and social influence…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the strategies used by consumers to control themselves in the Singles’ Day promotion. It also examines how promotion and social influence affect consumers’ purchase behavior and post-purchase evaluation.
Design/methodology/approach
A mixed methods approach including a quantitative study (N = 480) and a follow-up qualitative study (N = 35) was conducted to verify the hypotheses and provide deeper insights.
Findings
This study demonstrates that consumers allocate in-store slack in shopping budgets to restrict unplanned purchases and in-store slack is positively related to post-purchase evaluation. Social influence, which helps consumers rationalize purchase decisions, has positive effects on planned purchases and post-purchase evaluation. Both promotion strength and promotion range moderate the relationship between in-store slack and unplanned purchases.
Originality/value
Most studies investigate how promotion designs affect consumers’ in-store decision-making. This study focuses on the Singles’ Day promotion in China and examines the tactics consumers use to control purchase behavior in the promotion.
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