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This study highlights the effect of an inductee's altruism on referral reward programs (RRPs) on an online shopping guide platform to determine the optimal RRP and referral reward allocation under a Cashback and Referral RRP.

The authors consider a Stackelberg game with a platform, seller, inductor and inductee, where the inductee's altruism plays a vital role in determining the optimal RRP in equilibrium.

The authors show that the conditions under which it is optimal to reward the inductor only or reward both inductor and inductee are equal or unequal depending on the degree of the inductee's altruism. Suppose the platform is unable to dynamically decide the commission fee. In that case, the platform may not always be involved in RRPs and will gradually reduce the rewards for inductees as the altruism increases.

This study focuses on a free-to-consumers model where sellers pay membership fees. Thus, this study has limitations regarding other pricing schemes such as a model in which consumers pay a fee while sellers do not or a model in which both types of users pay fees.

This analytical work can help platforms optimize referral reward strategies and referral reward allocation considering the influence of an inductee's altruism.

In a Cashback and Referral RRP on a shopping guide platform, the authors provide applicable conditions for the platform to involve in the RRPs when rewarding an equal bonus for the inductor and inductee first. Further, the authors show the optimal referral reward strategy and referral reward allocation when giving the different bonuses to the inductor and inductee.

To better understand the online reviews and help potential consumers, businessmen and product manufacturers effectively obtain users’ evaluation on product aspects, this paper aims to explore the distribution regularities of users’ attention and sentiment on product aspects from the temporal perspective of online reviews.

Temporal characteristics of online reviews (purchase time, review time and time intervals between purchase time and review time), similar attributes clustering and attribute-level sentiment computing technologies are used based on more than 340k smartphone reviews of three products from JD.COM (a famous online shopping platform in China) to explore the distribution regularities of users’ attention and sentiment on product aspects in this paper.

The empirical results show that a power-law distribution can fit users’ attention on product aspects, and the reviews posted in short time intervals contain more product aspects. Besides, the results show that the values of users’ sentiment on product aspects are significantly higher/lower in short time intervals which contribute to judging the advantages and weaknesses of a product.

This paper cannot acquire online reviews for more products with temporal characteristics to verify the findings because of the restriction on reviews crawling by the shopping platforms.

This work reveals the distribution regularities of users’ attention and sentiment on product aspects, which is of great significance in assisting decision-making, optimizing review presentation and improving the shopping experience.

This case is about “Red”, a cross-border e-commerce platform developed from a community which was built to share overseas shopping experience. With sharp insights into the consumption behavior of urban white-collar women and riding on its community e-commerce advantage, “Red”, a cross-border e-commerce startup, pulled in three rounds of financing within just 16 months regardless of increasingly competitive market. On the other hand, well-established platforms such as T-mall International and Joybuy also stepped in, and their involvement will also speed up the industry integration and usher in a reshuffling period. Confronted with the “price war” started by those e-commerce giants, in what ways can “Red” adjust its shopping experience and after-sales services to enhance the brand value and sharpen its edge?

Based on the perspective of knowledge management capability, this paper aims to reveal the internal mechanism of the digital empowerment of mobile social platforms to improve the operational performance of Chinese traditional retail enterprises. Such improvements have crucial theoretical value and practical implications for Chinese traditional retail enterprises to achieve transformation and sustainable development.

This study applied the typical analysis method, selected China’s leading mobile social platform, WeChat, as a typical case, and observed and analyzed the public data of the traditional retail industry and social platforms and interviews with relevant enterprises. On this basis, this study used the inductive and deductive methods of qualitative research to conduct an in-depth analysis of the mechanism by which WeChat’s digital empowerment improves the operational performance of Chinese traditional retail enterprises. It also discussed the critical role and path knowledge management capabilities play in this mechanism.

This research demonstrated that mobile social platforms empower Chinese traditional retail enterprises to build diversified digital channels, enhance the knowledge acquisition capability of enterprises and thus improve their performance; empower Chinese traditional retail enterprises to build digital community networks, enhance the knowledge diffusion capability of enterprises and thus improve their performance; and empower Chinese traditional retail enterprises to integrate online and offline businesses, enhance the knowledge integration capability of enterprises and thus improve their performance.

This study clarifies the internal mechanism of how the digital empowerment of mobile social platforms can improve the performance of Chinese traditional retail enterprises. This mechanism implies that knowledge management capabilities (knowledge acquisition, diffusion and integration capability) are the underlying logic for Chinese traditional retail enterprises to achieve higher performance levels. This has important practical implications for managers of Chinese traditional retail enterprises to leverage the digital infrastructure of mobile social platforms to achieve the sustainable development of enterprises.

This study provides an in-depth analysis of how the traditional retail industry uses digital social platforms to improve operational performance from the perspective of knowledge management capabilities, which can further promote the theoretical research and practical development of digitalization and knowledge management. At the same time, this study explored the research on the operational performance of Chinese traditional retail enterprises from the perspective of knowledge management capabilities and expanded the research on knowledge management in related fields. The authors have initially sorted out the impact of knowledge management capabilities on the operational performance of Chinese traditional retail enterprises in the digital era. This will help better understand the role and function of knowledge management in strategic transformation and expand the application of knowledge management theory.

Addressing the significant differences between referral programs and traditional promotional marketing, this paper aims to investigate and examine the impact of how reward-related information is presented within referral programs and how it interacts with reward size and reward allocation.

This study adopts framing effect and equity theory to build the relationship between reward presentation, reward size and reward allocation. Then, two scenario-based experimental studies are designed and conducted on Amazon Mechanical Turk.

The results show that there is no direct impact of reward presentation on referral likelihood, while the effect relies on reward size. As the levels of reward size increase, the referral likelihood gradually shifts from percentage form to dollar form as perceived size mediates the interaction effect on referral likelihood. Further, adding information about reward allocation also indicate the different impacts of equity and inequity on influencing the above findings.

The study contributes to the literature by introducing reward presentation and emphasizes its impact on individual’s behavior decisions in the context of referral programs. This study extends and broadens the scope and effectiveness of the framing effect on traditional promotional marketing strategies, while also bridging the gap in the literature by examining the combined role of information about rewards.

This study elicits the critical attributes, consequences and values associated with the purchasing process in the context of cross-border e-commerce (CBEC). The purpose is to provide a better understanding of the fundamental factors that determine consumer values in CBEC.

The study applies the means-end-chain theory and soft-laddering techniques to interview 60 CBEC consumers to construct an implication matrix and a hierarchical value map (HVM) of the consumer purchasing process, consisting of attribute-consequence-value (A-C-V) paths.

By analyzing the significant linkages, elements, ladders and chains in the HVM, four dominant A-C-V paths were identified: economic-driven, efficiency-driven, progress-driven and quality-driven paths.

This study included only Chinese CBEC buyers. This limitation might affect the generalizability of the conclusions as culture, purchase habits and economic development differ between China and other countries.

The results of this study provide CBEC practitioners an understanding of the consumer purchasing process and how consumer values are associated with platform characteristics. Thus, the results aid practitioners in allocating resources and developing CBEC platforms in an appropriate manner and direction.

This study sheds lights on the emerging phenomenon of CBEC. By applying the means-end-chain approach, the study provides a comprehensive HVM for interpreting the consumer online purchasing process in this novel context. By illustrating the dominant paths, this research provides deeper theoretical insights into the specific focuses of CBEC consumer purchasing.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the dilemma that is based on a decision to disclose or not to disclose social shopping rewards (SSRs), in an effort to enhance the effectiveness of social shopping. To protect consumers and guide marketers, emergent forms of online commerce on social media platforms warrant closer examination. One such form is social shopping, which combines social media and online shopping. To motivate word of mouth (WOM) through social signs of approval or endorsement of brands, marketers have typically relied on social shopping rewards (SSRs). It is not typical, however, for the reason behind the social endorsement to be disclosed, leaving the branded message open to multiple interpretations.

The dilemma of SSR disclosures is presented in a marketing and public policy analysis, drawing from findings from the WOM literature on disclosure, incentives, source credibility and on social media Disclosure Guidelines by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA). Based on this analysis and on an extension of the Dual Credibility Model, a conceptual model is proposed that shows how disclosure works through source credibility to produce positive social shopping outcomes.

In addition to the conceptual model, recommendations are made for marketing research, practice and public policy. Of significance are proposed SSR Disclosure Guidelines that extend FTC and WOMMA guidelines for best practices in disclosures in social media.

This paper represents pioneering research on the disclosure of SSRs.

Internet + and Electronic Business in China is a comprehensive resource that provides insight and analysis into E-commerce in China and how it has revolutionized and continues to revolutionize business and society. Split into four distinct sections, the book first lays out the theoretical foundations and fundamental concepts of E-Business before moving on to look at internet+ innovation models and their applications in different industries such as agriculture, finance and commerce. The book then provides a comprehensive analysis of E-business platforms and their applications in China before finishing with four comprehensive case studies of major E-business projects, providing readers with successful examples of implementing E-Business entrepreneurship projects.

Internet + and Electronic Business in China is a comprehensive resource that provides insights and analysis into how E-commerce has revolutionized and continues to revolutionize business and society in China.

Mobile shopping emerges, but the marketing factors driving consumers’ mobile shopping lack clarification. Literature gaps also exist to view mobile shopping from a consumer behavior’s perspective. The purpose of this paper therefore is to empirically explore the issue based on the lifestyle perspective, 4Ps marketing theory and the information system (IS) success model.

A survey method was adopted. Data were gathered from consumers who had experience in mobile shopping. The collected data were analyzed with PLS to explore the issues.

The results showed that platform use habit, price comparison preference, shopping independence preference and promotion marketing quality were significantly associated with consumers’ use of mobile shopping apps/websites. They also showed that promotion marketing quality, price marketing quality and product marketing quality were the important marketing factors driving consumers’ user satisfaction of mobile shopping apps/websites. Finally, the results also indicated the importance of both consumers’ use and user satisfaction of mobile shopping apps/websites in arousing their continuous use intention.

The results of the study bridge the gap between the 4Ps marketing theory and the IS success model. They provide a direction for further studies to bridge the marketing theories and the IS theories in exploring the development of mobile commerce.

The results facilitate the management of mobile shopping apps/websites in building and keeping a long-term relationship with consumers through providing good marketing qualities in the core marketing mix. The results also indicate the importance of user satisfaction in branding management and relationship management of mobile shopping apps/websites.

The results showed that price comparison preference and shopping independence preference were significantly associated with consumers’ use of mobile shopping apps/websites due to the convenient access empowered by mobility in shopping services. The results also suggest that with good design in 4Ps marketing qualities of mobile shopping apps/websites, including product, price and promotion, mobile shopping could be a suitable lifestyle satisfying consumers. However, the results also showed that factors driving consumers’ system use and user satisfaction of mobile shopping apps/websites were not the same. Finally, the results validated the significant impact of both system use and user satisfaction in activating consumers’ continuance intention of mobile shopping. They provided a positive link between consumers’ mobile shopping apps/websites use to their keeping the lifestyle of mobile shopping.