Mediated-moderated effects: High and low store image,brand awareness,perceived value from mini and supermarkets retail stores

This paper addresses how different store formats moderate the relationship between store image and purchase intention, mediated by brand awareness and perceived value. Questionnaire data was collected through face-to-face interviews with retail customers on the streets of a city in southern Brazil. Hypotheses testing were performed using the partial least squares structural equation modeling, supported by Smart-PLS and the Bootstrapping procedure run in the Process software. The model's sample included 298 retail customers for each store format (supermarket and mini-market). Results showed that store image positively impacted customer purchase intentions and the mediators, perceived value and brand awareness, which had a distinct effect on the direct relation of store image and purchase intention. Store format presented moderation effects on the relation between store image and brand awareness for both store formats: the higher the perception of store image, the greater the consumer's brand awareness. However, store format did not present a moderating effect on the relationship between brand awareness and purchase intention. Store image was found to be an important independent construct that improves brand awareness and increases perceived value. The number of mini-markets in Brazil is increasing, indicating that they are supplying a need unmet by supermarkets. The study design's implementation in the city streets, respondents were requested to imagine store image, which may have affected some of the parameters. The model integrated store image as an important construct influencing purchase behavior and this study presented a mediated-moderated model with managerial implications.     

Additive omnichannel atmospheric cues: The mediating effects of cognitive and affective responses on purchase intention

In today's channel-centric retail ecosystem the right mix and orchestration of online and offline stimulus is paramount towards providing an optimal store atmosphere and shopping experience. Applying the S-O-R framework, this research explores additive omnichannel atmospheric cues stimuli, in order to discover their impact on affective (i.e., pleasure, arousal and dominance) and cognitive (i.e., store environmental quality perception) states and their consequential effect on consumer responses in the form of purchase intention. Employing a four-condition repeated measures experimental design in a physical store, utilizing mobile, IoT and social media channels (Study 1), as well as a between-subjects online lab experiment (Study 2), this research sheds light into the affective and cognition-mediated causal mechanisms that influence shopping outcomes. This work reveals that combining stimulus from all retail channels within the physical store (i.e., omnichannel atmospheric cues) increases consumers' pleasure, arousal and the quality of the environment as a whole, which in turn positively influences purchase intention. However, the impact of dominance is only prominent at the more controlled, laboratory setting, in which purchase intention increases while dominance attenuates.     

The Effects of Credible Online Reviews on Brand Equity Dimensions and Its Consequence on Consumer Behavior

Consumers are using social media platform to gain and share knowledge on brands. In the virtual environment, consumers are exposed to various online reviews on brands that leave an impression of brands on the minds of the consumers. The present study combines Yale attitude change model and attribution theory to examine the effects of credible online reviews on brand equity dimensions. The present study views, through the lens of Yale attitude change model, the various factors that affect credibility evaluation of online reviews. Further, attribution theory is used as the theoretical backbone to analyze the effects of credible online reviews on brand equity dimensions and finally on purchase intention. This study uses structural equations modeling (SEM) to investigate the impact of online credible reviews on customer based brand equity (CBBE) dimensions and its consequence on consumer behavior (purchase intention). Results indicate that source and review quality are the most important factors that affect consumer's credibility evaluation of a review. Online credible reviews have more significant impact on brand awareness, perceived value and organizational associations and thus leads to consumer's purchase intention in the context of consumer electronic products in India.     

Managing a Global Retail Brand in Different Markets: Meta-Analyses of Customer Responses to Service Encounters

This study investigates how retailers can leverage their brand to shape customers’ satisfaction with service encounters. It develops and tests hypotheses about how brand, store, and consumer factors moderate customer responses to experience clues during retail service encounters. Six meta-regression analyses synthesize and compare results from 842 satisfaction equations describing customers’ encounters with a global retailer operating 400 stores in 32 countries. The results show how customers weigh their perceptions of service encounters differently depending on brand, store, and consumer factors. In markets where customers believe the retailer has high holistic brand quality, they place less weight on experience clues within the store. In markets where customers believe the retailer’s service brand promise, they place more weight on in-store experience clues. In markets where the retailer promises utilitarian value, customers weigh functional experience clues more heavily. In markets with an online purchasing channel, the effect of experience clues common to offline and online store environments is magnified, and unique clues are diminished. In addition, customers heavily weigh experience clues that fit their goals. In general, retail success factors include high brand quality (which makes customers more forgiving), a service brand promise that is mirrored in the store image (which makes customers attend to the experience clues aligned with them), and the careful monitoring and managing of retail touchpoints (to customize experience clues to each market). In this way, retailers can use customer-based strategies to effectively design and manage their global retail brand in different markets.     

“Showrooming” in Consumer Electronics Retailing: An Empirical Study

The present study focuses on multichannel retailing strategies and describes the state of consumer behavior regarding “showrooming” (the practice of examining merchandise or products in a retail store and then buying it online). Founded on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the authors examine the antecedents of showrooming using data collected from a sample of 176 retail consumers. Based on their results, they define perceived control, website compatibility, and subjective norms as the main antecedents of consumer attitudes toward online purchases. Additionally, they state that previous experience and reasons against purchasing online are directly associated with consumers’ intention to purchase on the retailer’s website. Finally, some theoretical conclusions and practical implications for retailers are discussed.     

Different Effects of Utilitarian and Hedonic Benefits of Retail Food Packaging on Perceived Product Quality and Purchase Intention

Since consumers primarily make in-store purchase decisions, firms use product packaging to attract potential consumers. Ever-increasing market competition in many food product industries has further fueled this phenomenon in firms. However, the question of how retail food packaging affects consumer processes has received very little attention. This study investigates the benefits of food packaging on consumer responses to hedonic products by comparing different benefits (i.e., utilitarian and hedonic) of food packaging to understand which one has more impact on consumers’ perceived quality and purchase intention. The results show that both utilitarian and hedonic benefits of retail food packaging are critical predictors of consumer evaluations but play different important roles in determining customers’ reactions. Utilitarian benefits of food packaging impact perceived quality more than hedonic benefits do. Compared to utilitarian benefits, hedonic benefits of retail food packaging have more impact on consumer purchase intention.     

商店忠诚、自有品牌态度及其购买意向的关系研究——消费者交易倾向和产品社会可见性的调节作用

文章探讨商店忠诚、自有品牌知识对自有品牌态度的影响,以及自有品牌态度对购买意向的影响,并考察消费者交易倾向和产品社会可见性对上述关系的调节作用。研究发现,自有品牌知识和商店忠诚对自有品牌态度都有正面作用,交易倾向正向调节自有品牌知识对自有品牌态度的影响,负向调节商店忠诚对自有品牌态度的影响;自有品牌态度对自有品牌购买意向有正面作用,产品的社会可见性负向调节这种影响作用,质量易评估性的调节作用缺乏显著性。     

Effect of the use of social media in trust,loyalty and purchase intention in physical stores

This research evaluates the effect of the use of social media on consumer trust, loyalty and purchase intention in physical stores. We used six constructs in a structural model: a consumer’s use of social media, company-generated communication in social media, user-generated communication on social media, trust, loyalty and purchase intention. We considered 406 valid respondents in the analysis. The results suggest that the use of social media, company and user-generated communication positively affects trust of the physical store. Trust, in turn, has a direct positive effect on consumer loyalty to the store, and both trust and loyalty have positive impacts on a consumer’s purchase intention. We note the impact of the use of social media on purchase intention in physical stores, through the building of trust and loyalty with the store, as a fundamental element in the definition and implementation of a successful marketing strategy by high street retailers.     

Utilitarian,hedonic, collecting,epistemic, and high values as determinants of the attractiveness of premium promotions

Modern retail is fiercely competitive, forcing grocery retailers to enhance promotions including premium redemption to attract customers. Taiwan’s leading convenience store chains have even established an integrated marketing department to develop unique premium rewards and campaigns that seek to induce customers to spend more or switch from other retailers. However, research on premium attractiveness is relatively scarce despite its importance in determining the success of a premium promotion. This empirical study identifies the premium value hierarchy that drives attractiveness from the consumer’s perspective. It finds that epistemic value is the most important driver behind making a premium reward attractive, which in turn, raises customers’ brand attitude toward the retailer and purchase intention in the retailer’s stores. High premium value can also make a customer develop a positive brand attitude. By contrast, utilitarian, hedonic, and collecting values only indirectly affect a customer’s brand attitude via the epistemic value. In addition, the trading stamps promotion only works with frequent customers; it is not effective in enticing VIP customers. This study provides suggestions on how to develop an attractive premium product and successful trading stamps promotion.     

Why do consumers prefer a hometown geographical indication brand? Exploring the role of consumer identification with the brand and psychological ownership

This research investigates the consumer purchase intention of products with geographic indications (GIs) based on a sample of 351 valid responses in three representative regions that are well known for their GIs of navel orange brands. Drawing on theories of consumer-brand relationship, social identity or consumer identification with the brand, and psychological ownership, our empirical results support our research hypotheses. Specifically, it is found that consumers tend to have a higher purchase intention for hometown GI brands than for non-hometown GI brands. Meanwhile, the impact of brand origin, that is, hometown versus non-hometown GI brand, on consumer purchase intention of GI products is found to be mediated by consumer identification with the GI brands. In addition, psychological ownership moderates the impact of hometown GI brands on purchase intention in that high psychological ownership enhances the impact of brand origin on purchase intention, whereas low psychological ownership negates this effect. Theoretical contributions and managerial implications are provided.     

Managing the consumer-based brand equity process: A cross-cultural perspective

Most consumer-based brand equity (CBBE) models are linear and fail to capture the complexity of the brand equity construct and its benefits in terms of key consumer behavioral outcomes. More complex and dynamic models focusing on CBBE as a process often lack empirical support particularly from more than one country. This study builds on and extends previous research by empirically examining the configural nature of the CBBE building process cross-nationally, and by investigating differences vis-a-vis key consumer behavioral outcomes (namely, willingness to pay a price premium, brand recommendation and repurchase intention). These differences are postulated and explained through culture theory particularly the cultural dimension of individualism/collectivism. Using fuzzy-set/Qualitative Comparative Analysis (fs/QCA), survey data from Greece and Germany support the robustness of the extended CBBE model. The model shows that overall brand equity and consumer behavioral outcomes are created through the brand building, brand understanding, and brand relationship blocks, and identifies core causes and common patterns across countries providing a useful diagnostic tool for international brand management.     

How does the biophilic design of building projects impact consumers’ responses? – Case of retail stores

The study that biophilic store design (BSD) has a much higher perceived visual quality, increases the desire to patronize, increases willingness to spend retail stores shopping times is on the increase in the literature. The study of greenery in building environments has been vastly studied, however, the inclusion of greenery study in retail stores and its potentials to provide a strategic business advantage have been scarcely explored. This research work draws from the Attention Restoration Theory to unearth the impact of biophilic design attributes on consumer responses. Hence, this study asked: “How do attributes of biophilic design in retail stores impact consumers’ responses in retail stores”. A quantitative research method with an online questionnaire was employed; 177 participants were recruited. Multiple regression analysis was computed via SPSS and demonstrated that the four attributes (predictors) of biophilic design positively impact consumer responses. Findings for three attributes (biomorphic forms and patterns, material connection with nature, and complexity and order) were significant, while a visual connection with nature was not significant. These findings suggest that a biophilic design positively impact consumer responses; however, simply presenting or using natural elements is not sufficient to produce positive consumers' responses. Additionally, the t-test revealed that intent to purchase was significantly higher for a store low in biophilic attributes than the study hypotheses. The study's limitations and implications are discussed herein. This work contributes to the biophilic design paradigm of building projects by empirically demonstrating the restorative potential of lifestyle centers.     

What drives consumers to customize products? The mediating role of brand experience

Brands are increasingly seeking ways to engage consumers in deep and meaningful brand experiences. As technological advances have developed, brands have an increasing arsenal to draw on in creating brand experience. One increasingly common tactic is product customization, whereby consumers are provided the ability to create their own products from a set of options. With this study, we seek to understand the mediating role of brand experience in consumer decisions to customize products. Specifically, we investigate the interplay of non-brand drivers (those intrinsic to the consumer) and brand drivers (those extrinsic to the consumer) in the context of customization. In doing so, we develop an understanding of consumers' intention to use a customization toolkit and their subsequent intention to purchase customized products. We find brand experience drives intention to use a customization toolkit, mediating the relationship between individual factors and usage intentions. A customer's prior experience and their intention to use a customization toolkit are also direct drivers of customized product purchase intention.     

Does Social Media Matter? Investigating the Effect of Social Media Features on Consumer Attitudes

The purpose of this study is to explore the impact of social media's features (i.e., entertainment, usefulness, informativeness and irritation) toward consumers’ attitude toward the brand. Subsequently, this study explores the impact of this attitude toward consumers’ brand loyalty, brand awareness and purchase intention. Data for this study was collected through a large public university in Australia. Paper surveys were distributed to students, their friends and members of their immediate families (N = 724). The findings show that entertainment feature has the strongest impact on consumers’ attitude toward the brand's social media use, followed by informativeness, usefulness and finally, irritation. Consumers’ attitude toward a brand's social media strongly influences consumer loyalty, awareness and purchase intention. The findings of this research provide some insights into the impact of different features of social media which will be useful for practitioners and academics interested in social media.     

Under the sway of a mobile device during an in‐store shopping experience

Mobile device technology is transforming the retail shopping experience. Today's consumers are mobile dependent, preferring to consult with their phone, instead of using the salesperson, while shopping at the retail store. In the absence of literature investigating how the salesperson might sell to this omni‐channel, mobile‐connected consumer, this paper proposes a conceptual model and tests its proposed linkages. The empirically tested model presents a dyadic view of the omni‐channel consumer and the salesperson. Uniquely contributing to the omni‐channel and marketing literature, samples from an emerging economy (India) and developed (United States) economy represent the contexts. Specifically, the research examines the salesperson's role in selling to a mobile‐dependent consumer who uses mobile technology to search for information during the sales meeting. Findings show that adaptive selling can affect purchase intention and customer predisposition to comply with salesperson input. Results also reveal how perceived control, mobile dependence, and customer predisposition to comply with mobile device input affect purchase intention. Managerial and research implications specifically appropriate for the omni‐consumer retail setting are offered.     

Do brands’ social media marketing activities matter? A moderation analysis

Considering the increased interest in the role that a brand's social media marketing activities (SMMA) play in providing better experiences, the current study examines associations among SMMA, brand experience, purchase intention, and attitude towards the brand. This study also assesses the customer generation (Millennials vs. Non-Millenials) and customer engagement level (high vs. low) as moderators in the SMMA-brand experience link. 413 responses were collected from individuals who follow a brand on social media and employed structural equation modelling for the analysis purpose. The results suggest an essential role of SMMA in driving brand experience, purchase intention, and attitude towards the brand. Results also establish that the SMMA-brand experience link varies across consumer generation (Millennials vs. Non-Millenials) and customer engagement level (high vs. low) with the brand's SMMA. These results aid marketers in realizing the role of consumers' generation and their engagement level relating to SMMA-brand experience relationship. The study concludes with implications, limitations, and future research avenues.     

The moderating influence of brand image on consumers' adoption of QR-code e-wallets

In a post-pandemic era marked by thriving digital payments and e-commerce transactions due to physical distancing norms, the growth of mobile payments or E-wallets is expected to expand in tandem with the global trend toward cashless payment solutions. However, it is unclear whether this momentum would be sustained for over-the-counter (OTC) retail payments, particularly QR-code E-wallets, that are more affordable and accessible to merchants and customers than NFC-based (near field communication) systems in emerging markets. This study aims to model the interaction effects of brand image in shaping consumers’ E-wallet usage intentions. Incorporating a consumer-brand relationship element (i.e., brand image) should improve the understanding of consumers’ digital service experiences in proximity-based retail encounters. The research model was empirically tested using 305 responses from QR-based E-wallet users in the Klang Valley, Malaysia. Statistical analysis was performed using structural equation modeling (SEM) to test the hypotheses. An empirical examination of the model revealed effort expectancy, social influence, hedonic motivation, and perceived value as significant positive predictors of consumer usage intention. Furthermore, brand image was found to significantly strengthen the positive effect of perceived value and weaken the positive impact of hedonic motivation on the outcome. The study’s key contributions include reaffirming the crucial contingent role of brand image in consumer technology adoption studies and investigating consumer perceptions of QR-based E-wallets, which are expected to gain traction, especially in emerging markets. E-wallet providers should reinforce their value propositions by providing seamless, engaging, and easy-to-use experiences that improve users' brand perceptions.     

Growth factors of store brands in different store formats in Italy

Since the beginning of the consumer crisis, which in Italy can be traced back to the second half of 2008, there has been a significant development of store brands? market share which has reached close to 25% in some leader groups (for example Coop, Conad, Esselunga). The acceleration of the rate of penetration of store brands differs by category and store format. The main reason for this result is the different consumer purchase behavior. In this framework, this work aims at analyzing the elements that have determined the store brands success in the main store format (hypermarket, supermarket, convenience store), through analysis of single retail mix levers management. The factors that have mostly influenced the growth in store brands, in each store format, are investigated throughout a complete informative retail database. The aim of this study is to verify whether the management of the individual retail mix levers produces the same results in different store formats. Additional enhancement to the understanding of store brands management and further support to modern distribution management policies are also provided. A relevant finding is that the performance of store formats depends on the use of specific retail mix levers.     

Billion Dollar Baby: Local Foods and U.S. Grocery

This study reviews consumer purchasing of locally produced foods in retail grocery stores. A U.S. sample of 590 consumers was drawn via an online survey, with structural equation modeling used to assess hypothesized relationships of attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, intention to purchase, extent of purchase, and the moderating effects of shopping channel type. Results from structural model testing suggested that all hypothesized relationships except that of purchase intention and extent of purchase were found to be significant, with group differences existing between supercenters/warehouses and farmers’ market shopping channels. Implications and future research directions are provided.     

Inclusive advertising featuring disability on instagram: Effect on consumer well-being,brand engagement,and purchase intention

Should advertisers continue to promote their brands through brand endorsers without considering their diverse characteristics, or should they embrace diversity in advertising? Gender, age, ethnicity, and sexual orientation are some of the aspects of diversity that have been investigated in advertising research, primarily in the context of Western and developed countries. However, it remains underexplored how physical disabilities in influencer advertising on Instagram affect consumer well-being and consumers’ responses toward brands in a non-Western market. Through an experimental design (including both inclusive and non-inclusive samples), this study examined the effects of inclusive advertising (including disabled persons) on consumer well-being (both hedonic and eudaimonic), brand engagement, and purchase intention. Two studies were conducted to test the hypotheses. In Study 1 (shampoo brand case), a data analysis of 260 young Pakistani consumers revealed that inclusive (vs non-inclusive) advertisements enhance both hedonic well-being (HWB) and eudaimonic well-being (EWB), with a stronger effect for EWB. The spillover effects of EWB and HWB indicated a significant influence on brand engagement and purchase intention, whereas the effect of HWB is significant only on brand engagement. The effects of HWB on brand engagement and of EWB on purchase intention showed a greater influence in the case of inclusive advertisements than in traditional non-inclusive advertisements. In Study 2 (clothing brand case), an analysis of 235 respondents revealed that inclusive advertising drives both HWB and EWB, which have a greater influence on brand engagement and purchase intention when individuals are exposed to an inclusive advertisement featuring disabled persons than a non-inclusive one. These studies confirm that inclusive advertisements attract a more diverse customer base in addition to existing customers. These findings offer theoretical and practical insights for advertising and consumer research.