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1 – 10 of over 19000
Article
Publication date: 19 July 2022

Yung-Cheng Shen, Heng-Yu Lin, Cindy Yunhsin Chou, Po Han Wu and Wei-Hao Yang

This study investigates the role of source familiarity in moderating the effect of service adaptive behavior (SAB) on customer satisfaction. Applying the…

Abstract

Purpose

This study investigates the role of source familiarity in moderating the effect of service adaptive behavior (SAB) on customer satisfaction. Applying the accessibility–diagnosticity framework and situated cognition theory as the theoretical basis, this research hypothesizes that when customers are familiar with the source that provides the service (i.e. brand familiarity for Study 1 and personal familiarity for Study 2), customer satisfaction responses to SAB would be more moderate than when customers are not familiar with the source. Two studies were conducted to test the hypotheses.

Design/methodology/approach

Two experiments manipulating SAB and the brand name familiarity (Study 1) and personal familiarity with the service staff (Study 2) as the source familiarity were conducted. Customer satisfaction as a function of source familiarity was measured to test the hypothesis that source familiarity moderates the relationship between SAB and customer satisfaction.

Findings

Compared to unfamiliar sources, familiar sources generated a more moderate response in customer satisfaction as a function of SAB. High familiarity with the brand and service staff induced top-down, memory-based processing that overrides external stimuli as the basis of satisfaction judgment; bottom-up, stimulus-based processing relying on SAB for judgment kicked in only when the source familiarity is low.

Practical implications

From a practical point of view, this study indicates the importance of SAB, especially for brands with low awareness, and alludes to the comparative importance of relationship building in service delivery processes.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature by validating the role of contextual factors in influencing the impact of SAB on customer satisfaction.

Details

Journal of Service Theory and Practice, vol. 32 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2055-6225

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 July 2022

Maizaitulaidawati Md Husin, Shahab Aziz and Tariq Bhatti

This paper aims to investigate the influence of investors’ attitudes on their decision-making. Two subjective perception factors, brand familiarity and perceived trust, were…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the influence of investors’ attitudes on their decision-making. Two subjective perception factors, brand familiarity and perceived trust, were proposed to influence investors’ attitudes and decision-making. This paper also suggests the potential mediating effect of attitude on decisions on Islamic stock investment.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected using a primary data collection method. Questionnaires were used and distributed to a sample size of 250 Malaysian investors in the Klang Valley aged between 25 and 50 years old. Data were analysed using SPSS and Structural Equation Modelling–Partial Least Squares.

Findings

Seven hypotheses were proposed, and six were supported. The findings show that brand familiarity and perceived trust have a significant relationship with attitude. Brand familiarity and attitude have a significant relationship with investment decision behaviour. The relationship between perceived trust and attitude also reveals significant findings. However, perceived trust was found to have an insignificant relationship with investment decision behaviour. Mediation analysis shows that attitude mediates the relationship between brand familiarity and investment decision behaviour. Attitudes are also found to mediate the relationship between perceived trust and investment decision behaviour.

Practical implications

It is recommended that publicly listed companies emphasize and devote extra efforts to enhancing investors' familiarity with and favour their brand. In addition, to build an investor’s trust, a company must be consistent in dividend payments. Such action may improve the probability of the company’s stock being chosen for investment.

Originality/value

Subjective perceptions of investors' decision-making in Islamic stock investment have yet to be thoroughly explored in the literature, especially in the Malaysian context. In this paper, the indirect relationship between brand familiarity and perceived trust in attitude is tested. This paper contributes to consumer behaviour and marketing of Islamic stock investment research area.

Details

Journal of Islamic Marketing, vol. 14 no. 8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1759-0833

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 31 October 2022

Vera Herédia-Colaço

This research aims to compare consumer responses to pro-environmental communication and appeals to recycle packaging when these messages come from a high-familiarity versus a…

1746

Abstract

Purpose

This research aims to compare consumer responses to pro-environmental communication and appeals to recycle packaging when these messages come from a high-familiarity versus a low-familiarity brand.

Design/methodology/approach

Two online between-subjects experimental studies evaluate consumer perceptions and the willingness to comply with recycling appeals in response to pro-environmental communications from a high-familiarity versus a low-familiarity brand. To test the hypotheses, the studies examine the moderating role of sustainability habits and the mediating role of shared environmental responsibility.

Findings

Findings show that communicating a brand’s adoption of sustainable packaging is more salient to consumers when the appeal comes from a low-familiarity rather than a high-familiarity brand, especially when sustainability habits are weaker. The mediating role of shared environmental responsibility partly explains consumers’ commitment to act pro-environmentally.

Research limitations/implications

Sustainability officials and policymakers should consider the impact of pro-environmental interventions that encourage collective recycling between brands and consumers. Practitioners are encouraged to examine revised waste management schemes such as extended producer responsibility programs to elicit the collaboration of consumers in initiatives that boost recycling and stimulate pro-environmental behaviors.

Originality/value

Using the diagnosticity–accessibility framework and habit theory, to the best of the author’s knowledge, this research is among the first to empirically examine the role of sustainability habits in consumer responses to pro-environmental brand communications. It also highlights consumers’ willingness to comply with brands’ take-back programs in a shared effort to reduce plastic waste and encourage a circular economy.

Article
Publication date: 22 February 2008

Jackie L.M. Tam

The purpose of this paper is to examine the moderating effects of brand familiarity on satisfaction evaluations and behavioral intentions.

10093

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the moderating effects of brand familiarity on satisfaction evaluations and behavioral intentions.

Design/methodology/approach

A longitudinal survey involving pre‐purchase measures and post‐purchase measures was conducted with consumers in a restaurant setting. The hypotheses were assessed through LISREL methodology.

Findings

The results showed that there are some similarities and differences among customers with different levels of brand familiarity regarding satisfaction formation and behavioral intentions.

Research limitations/implications

A self‐reported item was used to measure brand familiarity. Although there was some evidence to support that the measure captured what it was intended to measure, it would be desirable to develop a multi‐item scale for this construct. There is also a need to extend the findings to other service industries.

Practical implications

Marketers should familiarize customers with a service while capturing opportunities to create a positive experience to gain customers' future purchases.

Originality/value

The study offers some insights into the effects of brand familiarity on satisfaction evaluations and behavioral intentions. It is particularly relevant for marketing services that are high in experience qualities.

Details

Journal of Services Marketing, vol. 22 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0887-6045

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 June 2020

Sunhee (Sunny) Seo, Kawon Kim and Vieta Annisa Nurhidayati

This study aims to investigate the influence of image and reputation of imported fresh fruits on consumer satisfaction and purchase intentions. The moderating role of familiarity…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the influence of image and reputation of imported fresh fruits on consumer satisfaction and purchase intentions. The moderating role of familiarity with imported fruits was also assessed.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 332 Taiwanese consumers who had purchased imported Korean pears participated using an online survey and were grouped based on their familiarity to Korean pears. Multi-group analysis with structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

Image and reputation of imported Korean pears were identified as predictors of the satisfaction and purchase intention. Multi-group analysis results found the moderating effect of familiarity between image and satisfaction. Images were identified as predictors of the satisfaction and purchase intention of imported Korean pears for consumers with low familiarity, whereas image did not show any influence on satisfaction for consumers with high familiarity.

Originality/value

This study can contribute to the limited understanding of imported fresh fruit markets and provides insights into familiarity for consuming imported fresh fruits.

Details

British Food Journal, vol. 122 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0007-070X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 January 2021

Yoon Jung Jang

This study aims to examine the impact of green atmospheric and communicative servicescape dimensions on customers’ emotional and behavioral outcomes and explores the moderating…

2087

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the impact of green atmospheric and communicative servicescape dimensions on customers’ emotional and behavioral outcomes and explores the moderating effect of customer familiarity.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from coffee shop customers in the USA. Structural equation modeling and a multigroup analysis were used for analysis.

Findings

The findings indicated that the atmospheric dimensions of green coffee shops have a greater impact than communicative dimensions on customers’ green place attachment and loyalty. However, the effects of green servicescape depend on customer familiarity. The impact of the communicative servicescape on customers’ attachment and loyalty is significantly greater in a high-familiarity group than in a low-familiarity group.

Practical implications

The findings provide coffee shop managers with insights into effective design of a green service environment. Although managers focus on both dimensions, they may use customer familiarity as a segmenting or targeting tool in designing the green service environment and developing a sustained relationship with customers with different levels of familiarity.

Originality/value

This study extends the existing servicescape models by incorporating green place attachment as a construct to comprehend customers’ inner evaluations. It also contributes to the literature on attachment by demonstrating the clear linkage between both green servicescape dimensions and place attachment. This study highlights customer familiarity construct that should be a critical issue in advancing the understanding of customer behavior in the green servicescape context.

Details

International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, vol. 33 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-6119

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 10 August 2015

Wee-Kheng Tan and Yun-Ghang Chang

The purpose of this paper is to use a familiarity and psychological distance framework to investigate the effects of psychological distance (responsibility distance and temporal…

1880

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to use a familiarity and psychological distance framework to investigate the effects of psychological distance (responsibility distance and temporal distance) and destination familiarity on electronic-word-of-mouth (eWOM) consumption in the tourism context. The performance of eWOM is compared with that of traditional-word-of-mouth (tWOM) and the web site of the destination marketing organisation (DMO).

Design/methodology/approach

An experiment approach was used to collect the relevant data. For each of the eight scenarios generated by varying psychological distance dimensions and destination familiarity levels, 200 participants rated the extent that they would use eWOM, tWOM and the DMO web site to search for attraction and local transport information. The data were analysed using 2×2×2 within-subject ANOVA and t-test.

Findings

The analysis highlighted the versatility of eWOM in different psychological distances and familiarity levels. By and large, eWOM performs better than the DMO web site but is on par with tWOM. The advantages of eWOM over tWOM are meaningful under certain circumstances. Despite sharing a common psychological basis, psychological distance dimensions affect information search differently, and the effects are shaped by the types of tourism products being searched. When psychological distance, destination familiarity, tourism products and information sources are considered in totality, a complex picture of their relationship with intensity of information search is shown.

Originality/value

This study bridged the research gap by increasing our understanding of the performance of eWOM under different psychological distances and familiarity levels. The study also provides some suggestions for DMOs to leverage on eWOM and to improve the standing of DMO web site as a tourism information source.

Details

Online Information Review, vol. 39 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1468-4527

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 March 2020

Aneeshta Gunness and Harmen Oppewal

Effects of stockouts on purchase decisions have been examined from a variety of perspectives; little is yet known about how consumers react to stockouts in online shopping…

Abstract

Purpose

Effects of stockouts on purchase decisions have been examined from a variety of perspectives; little is yet known about how consumers react to stockouts in online shopping contexts. The present study investigates how stockout reactions depend on a consumer's mindset and familiarity with a website and investigates the role of negative affect in determining a consumer's stockout reaction.

Design/methodology/approach

Shopping mindsets (deliberative vs. implemental) and website familiarity (high vs. low) were manipulated in an online experiment consisting of a simulated shopping task at an existing website which next was presented as having a stockout. The study observed the participants' switching responses and measured their negative affect.

Findings

Findings indicate that when encountering an online stockout, consumers in an implemental mindset are more likely to switch away from the website than those in a deliberative mindset and are more likely to search for additional items at a competing site. Consumers who are more familiar with the website where they encounter the stockout display a higher likelihood of defecting to a competing site; however, when they are in an implemental mindset, their inclination to defect decreases. The study also shows that the strength of negative emotions affects OOS responses in that buyers that experience more negative emotions are more likely to defect from the site.

Practical implications

The study's findings provide suggestions as to how retailers can manage and minimize defection behaviours associated with online stockouts. In designing operational and marketing strategies retailers need to pay close attention to how consumers' individual mindsets may vary by trait or circumstance and how they hence may respond differently to stockouts.

Originality/value

The authors introduce a novel perspective to the literature on stockout induced reactions and contribute by furthering investigation into previously unexplored specific consumer characteristics and intricacies of stockouts that drive particular stockout reactions.

Details

International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, vol. 48 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-0552

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 February 2005

Jihye Park and Leslie Stoel

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of brand familiarity, the number of pieces of product information presented on a web site, and previous online apparel shopping…

20828

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of brand familiarity, the number of pieces of product information presented on a web site, and previous online apparel shopping experience on perceived risk and purchase intention.

Design/methodology/approach

The experiment was 2 (brand familiarity)×2 (information availability) factorial design and 166 students participated in this study.

Findings

Multivariate and univariate analyses found a significant effect of brand familiarity and previous experience on perceived risk and purchase intention, and no effect of amount of information on perceived risk and purchase intention.

Research limitations/implications

Participants may not have carefully considered the product information because the experiment was not an actual purchase situation, although a scenario was given. In future studies, creating an actual purchase situation may be necessary to investigate the effect of the amount of information available on the web sites on perceived risk and decision making.

Practical implications

The present study suggests that internet retailers should capitalize on the power of their brand names. Multi‐channel retailers may be able to derive significant advantages from brand familiarity among their customers.

Orginality/value

This study has added to the in‐home shopping literature by extending findings of previous research to internet shopping. Findings suggest that internal information, specifically familiarity with brands offered online and previous experience of shopping online, influence perceptions of risk associated with shopping online, as well as intentions to purchase online.

Details

International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, vol. 33 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0959-0552

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 22 February 2008

Sadrudin A. Ahmed and Alain d'Astous

The purpose of this paper is to provide an in‐depth examination of country‐of‐origin (COO) perceptions of consumers in a multinational setting. It shows how explanatory factors…

6528

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide an in‐depth examination of country‐of‐origin (COO) perceptions of consumers in a multinational setting. It shows how explanatory factors like demographics, familiarity with a country's products, purchase behaviour and psychological variables jointly work to explain consumers' COO perceptions.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a quantitative study using a drop‐off and pick‐up survey among three samples of consumers in Canada, Morocco and Taiwan. The final sample size was comprised of 506 male consumers. The data were analyzed using factor analysis to group countries of origin and analyses of variance to relate COO perceptions to the explanatory variables.

Findings

The familiarity with products made in a country was the strongest predictor of country perceptions, followed by nationality and the manufacturing process and product complexity dimensions of country evaluation. Canadians had the highest propensity to distinguish between countries of origin on the basis of product technological complexity and manufacturing dimensions and Moroccans the least. Taiwanese appeared to show animosity towards China.

Research limitations/implications

The study used an only‐male sample from a limited number of countries. Future research should seek to develop a multi‐dimensional scale for the familiarity construct. They should also explore the concept of consumer capacity to distinguish between COOs. Cross‐national studies using cognitive style scales should be carried out. A qualitative examination of Taiwanese's COO perceptions is also recommended.

Practical implications

It seems important to increase consumers' familiarity with a COO and its products to improve its overall perception. Products made in Latin American countries have the lowest level of familiarity in general. Thus, increasing familiarity with their products is particularly important to achieve export success.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the marketing and international business literatures and provides insights to international marketers by bringing valuable information that can help make decisions as to where to manufacture and how to promote global products. It provides guidance as to what types of nations are likely to require multi‐dimensional information about countries of origin.

Details

International Marketing Review, vol. 25 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0265-1335

Keywords

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