Uncertainty in Prerelease Advertising

Firms frequently advertise products and services before they are launched. Yet how to best design such advertisements is not well understood. The current article investigates how consumers respond to uncertainty in prerelease advertisements. Across five studies, including both field and lab studies, we first provide evidence for the positive effect of uncertain prerelease advertisements using real consumer behavior on Facebook and YouTube and at the box office. Next, we uncover the mechanism underlying this effect (i.e., inflated outcome expectancies), outline a managerially relevant boundary condition (i.e., the positive effect reverses when a preorder opportunity is offered), and demonstrate that the effect of uncertainty on consumer response differs in prerelease versus postrelease advertisements depending on consumers’ perceived risk. Finally, we discuss implications for marketing research as well as for the design of prerelease advertisements for stimulating prerelease buzz and word of mouth.     

Consumer behaviour in cross-border e-commerce: Systematic literature review and future research agenda

Cross-border electronic commerce (CBEC) was developed from traditional e-commerce to cater to the growing demand for online transactions among global traders. Consumer behaviour is one of the most important topics that multistakeholders (e.g., e-commerce platforms, entrepreneurs, governments and third-party service providers) need to understand to develop CBEC. Although for over a decade studies across disciplines and regions have explored various consumer behaviours and their factors in CBEC through diverse research methods and theoretical lenses, the current literature is still fragmented and lacks consolidation of past contributions. In the present study, we conduct a systematic literature review based on 40 CBEC studies to present an overview of the current research status of the field. This study analyzes research contexts, theoretical applications and methods, and unifies a CBEC definition as a benchmark for future research. More importantly, we employ the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S–O–R) framework to categorize factors into the inner and outer CBEC ecosystem stimuli, cognitive and affective states, and approach and avoidance behaviours, and to generalize two consumer behavioural patterns to provide a comprehensive understanding of consumer behaviours in CBEC. With the proposed future research directions, we believe that this review can serve as a fundamental and informative guideline for researchers to continue advancing knowledge of the field.     

How motivations for CSR and consumer-brand social distance influence consumers to adopt pro-social behavior

This study proposes that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) practices may influence consumers’ pro-social behavior. We propose that this influence depends on the firm's motivation for CSR, and is moderated by the consumer-brand social distance. Two experiments demonstrate that consumers close to a brand become less pro-social when the firm's motivation is perceived as self-serving (vs. public-serving), whereas consumers distant from the brand are equally influenced by the CSR action regardless of the motivation behind it. A mediation analysis supported the hypothesis that this effect occurs because of consumer skepticism about the CSR action. When the firm's motivation is self-serving (vs. public-serving), consumers close to the brand become more skeptical, which decreases their intention to support a social cause. Our results contribute theoretically by showing that the positive and negative effects of CSR practices on consumers’ pro-social behavior are moderated by consumer-brand social distance. We also show the mediating role played by consumer skepticism. Moreover, we demonstrate that CSR influences consumer behavior beyond the consumer-brand dyadic relationship.     

企业社会责任缺失归因中的消费者失责及其影响研究

频发的企业社会责任缺失(Corporate Social Irresponsibility, CSI)引起了学者们的广泛关注，尽管学者们对企业社会责任缺失归因进行了丰富的研究，但受消费者影响的企业社会责任缺失归因中的消费者失责研究仍十分有限，这类“受消费者影响的企业社会责任缺失”是指因消费者不良需求(需要)、消费习惯及消费者参与等直接或间接促成的企业社会责任缺失。文章通过综合运用定性(访谈法)和定量研究方法(问卷调查法和实验法)，聚焦于消费品类生产企业，研究企业社会责任缺失归因中的消费者失责问题，结果表明消费者能区分出企业社会责任缺失归因中的消费者失责归因；消费者失责表现为过度消费、对社会责任缺失企业的纵容等；消费者失责增加消费者弥补意愿。研究企业社会责任缺失归因中的消费者失责丰富了企业社会责任缺失归因理论研究，对提高消费者责任消费意识及行动具有实践意义。     

Condoms and bananas: Shock advertising explained through congruence theory

This research examines the impact of shock advertising on consumer brand evaluations, for both socially acceptable and controversial product categories. The intervening roles of brand familiarity, perceived incongruity and disgust are also investigated. Utilizing two experiments and drawing upon congruence theory, this research offers empirical evidence to demonstrate that: (1) when familiar brands are advertised using a shock advertisement, consumers will show less favorable evaluations towards brands in a socially acceptable product category as compared to controversial products, and (2) for familiar brands, the differences in consumer evaluations between a socially accepted versus controversial product categories is mediated by perceived incongruity and disgust (a serial mediation). Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

Effects of Expiration Date-Based Pricing on Brand Image Perceptions

Expiration date-based pricing (EDBP) occurs when a grocery retailer reduces the price of a perishable product according to its remaining shelf life. While, conventional wisdom suggests that this practice leads to negative consumer evaluations of brand quality, a series of field experiments reveal negative effects on brand quality perceptions only among loyal consumers and those who perceive low risk associated with perishables. The effect is also mediated by consumer distrust (Study 1). In addition, EDBP has no effect on brand quality image if consumers are already familiar with this pricing practice (Study 2), and it may even generate positive consumer evaluations when framed as a cause-related marketing activity to reduce waste (Study 3). Additional evidence indicates that psychological contract violation perceptions provide the underlying mechanism for explaining consumer responses to EDBP (Study 4). This article ends with an agenda for further research and implications for retail practice.     

Drivers of consumer adoption of e-Commerce: A meta-analysis

E-commerce has significantly reshaped consumers’ shopping processes and habits. The need to understand the key drivers of online shopping has received keen attention and fueled a rich strand of studies. To help managers and researchers synthesize this growing body of evidence, we conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis to unearth the factors that influence consumers’ online shopping. Our main takeaways reveal that the most important drivers of online shopping (a) conform to the TAM and TPB theories, in addition to (b) website characteristics and past experience. In particular, the multiple predictors are strongly related to online purchase intentions and purchase behavior, where attitude and convenience show the strongest impact. Furthermore, moderator analyses indicate that cultural traits have specific moderating effects on the links between purchase intention and some of its drivers. For instance, power distance and uncertainty avoidance have a positive effect, while individualism, indulgence and masculinity have a negative one. Finally, we apply meta-analytic structural equation modeling to test a conceptual framework including four groups of drivers (consumer–channel interactions, website characteristics, social influence, and consumer characteristics) and different aspects of online shopping. The findings provide valuable insights for online shopping research and practice.     

Consumer Innovativeness and Loyalty to Non-GMO Foods: The Role of Cognitive and Affective Beliefs

Public concern over genetically modified (GMO) foods has led marketers to promote non-GMO branded foods to consumers. However, factors affecting consumers’ loyalty to non-GMO branded foods are still largely unknown. Building on the product diffusion model, the present research predicts and finds that consumer innovativeness has a positive effect on consumer loyalty to non-GMO foods. In addition, the present research draws from previous research on attitude formation and tests whether cognitive and/or affective beliefs may mediate the relationship between consumer innovativeness and loyalty to non-GMO foods. The results of a parallel multiple mediation model suggest that cognitive, but not affective, beliefs fully mediate the effect of consumer innovativeness on loyalty to non-GMO foods. These results have direct implications for marketers of non-GMO foods and, in general, increase our understanding of the process by which consumer innovativeness may affect consumer loyalty.     

Virtual and augmented reality: Advancing research in consumer marketing

Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) technologies are having a profound impact on a variety of marketing practices and are attracting increasing attention from marketing researchers. In this article, we review developments in VR/AR applications and research in the area of consumer marketing. We propose a conceptual framework for VR/AR research in consumer marketing that centers around consumer experiences provided by VR/AR applications along the customer journey and the effectiveness of such applications, and delve into the key concepts and components of the framework. Next, we provide a comprehensive overview of VR/AR applications in current practices and extant research on VR/AR in consumer marketing. Finally, based on this framework, we offer an outlook for future developments of VR/AR technologies and applications, discuss managerial implications, and prescribe directions for research on consumer marketing.     

What is digital possession and how to study it: a conversation with Russell Belk,Rebecca Mardon,Giana M. Eckhardt,Varala Maraj,Will Odom,Massimo Airoldi,Alessandro Caliandro,Mike Molesworth and Alessandro Gandini

ABSTRACT

The platformisation of digital consumption, means that increasingly many of the things that we call ours – our messages, photos, music, achievements – are entangled in complex socio-technical arrangements which require ongoing market mediation. In this context, refining our understanding of what digital possessions are and how to study them is vital. This requires refocusing research away from existing comparative analyses between digital and material possessions. To do so, we organised an interdisciplinary roundtable discussion with critical marketers and digital media scholars, consumer researchers, digital sociologists and researchers in Human Computer Interaction (HCI) at the 11^th Interpretive Consumer Research Conference held in Lyon in May 2019. The result of that discussion is this curation of comments which deal with theoretical, methodological and critical issues and a bold agenda for future research.     

When does an ethical attribute matter for product evaluation? The role of warm-glow feelings for low-rated products

Research on the effects of ethical attributes has recently gained traction. However, limited research has addressed consumer response to ethical attributes in the current context where product ratings have become of primary importance to make decisions. Specifically, this study examines the relative effect of ethical attributes on product evaluations across different product ratings. Building on cue consistency theory and the negativity bias, we suggest that ethical attributes gain weight when consumers evaluate a low-rated product. This process leads consumers to anticipate more warm-glow feelings, generating better evaluations for such low-rated products featuring an ethical attribute (vs. another type of attribute). Two experiments provide consistent empirical support for this prediction, and demonstrate that, compared to other attributes or no attribute, an ethical attribute increases product evaluations to a larger extent when the product received low (vs. higher) ratings. We show that this effect occurs because of warm-glow feelings: when product ratings are low, consumers anticipate more warm-glow feelings from purchasing a product with an ethical attribute (vs. another type of attribute), leading to better product evaluations. These findings have direct managerial and ethical implications for practitioners.     

Netnographic inquiry and new translocal sites of the social

As consumers' lives are increasingly gliding into online worlds and global information networks, researchers face a range of important methodological questions particular to the digital times. In prior research, online ethnographic methods or netnography has been suggested to address some of these challenges, especially when new forms of post‐modern and sub‐cultural consumer collectives and cultures have been the focus. Extending this work further, the article investigates the transnational nature of online cultural phenomena, and suggests a theoretical–methodological approach as a netnographic variant well suited for accessing its logics. In doing so, the article argues that a better understanding of the new ‘translocal sites’, such as transnational online communities and consumer networks, can open up new avenues for research on the ever globalizing and tribalizing consumer culture.     

Dynamische Preissetzung — Wer profitiert?

In the context of digitalisation, recent approaches for automatic price adjustment are gaining importance. However, these approaches can affect consumer behaviour in a way which is disadvantageous for consumers, businesses and the state as a whole. In September 2016, consumer researchers met at the Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf in order to discuss the impact of dynamic pricing from the viewpoint of their research fields. As the articles make clear, the researchers found that dynamic pricing based on competitors’ prices is common, while personalised prices are extremely rare. The question arises as to what extent consumers consider dynamic prices unfair. The experts disagree about the necessity of a stricter legal regulatory framework. Furthermore, digital technology can be used to help consumers find their way through the complex online world. Ultimately, the question of who profits–the consumer or the trader–has not been settled. The discussants conclude that there is need for further research in many different research fields.     

消费品中化学物质暴露模型研究概况

消费品作为人类生活必需品,其化学安全已引起广泛关注。各国相关机构高度重视消费品中有害化学物质暴露引起的健康问题,研发了一系列消费者暴露模型,包括常规模型和计算机软件模型。而我国由于起步较晚,在模型研究领域还处于初级阶段。基于我国对消费品中化学物质有效暴露模型的迫切需求,本文概述了暴露评估方法及暴露模型在暴露评估中的作用,综述了国内外暴露模型和消费者暴露模型的研究概况,以及现有的暴露模型和参数设置。以期对我国相关暴露评估人员在进行消费品暴露评估时在模型选择及模型构建方面提供参考和指导,推进我国在消费者暴露评估领域的发展。     

Does character's gender matter in inspirational brand story? Exploring the moderating effect of gender role conformity

Inspirational brand story is a widely used marketing strategy in brand building. However, few empirical studies have investigated the underlying mechanism and boundary conditions of a successful brand story strategy. The current study examined the influence of lead character's gender in inspirational brand story on consumer–brand identification based on the social identity theory, benevolent sexism, and gender schema theory. Results from two experiments demonstrated that the gender of inspirational brand stories has an impact on consumer brand identity through the mediation effect of sympathy. Compared with a male character, a female character elicits viewers' sympathy, which results in high brand identification. Such a gender effect is stronger when there is a high level of perceived gender role conformity. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.     

Are two reasons better than one? How natural and ethical appeals influence consumer preferences for clean meat

Clean meat shows great potential as an alternative to conventional meat and may help to mitigate sustainability problems stemming from the meat industry. However, this novel method of producing meat is currently being met by consumer hesitancy due to perceptions of unnaturalness and feelings of disgust. While prior research has shown that appeal positioning based on naturalness and ethicality, for example, may enhance the acceptance of clean meat, these findings are limited because prior research has only examined different appeals in isolation, and no research has explored the psychological mechanism underlying the effect of these appeals. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to examine how a joint appeal based on both natural and ethical aspects of clean meat is more effective in enhancing consumer preference. Specifically, two experiments were conducted among participants from the US (n = 302) and the UK (n = 303) to examine whether a joint appeal is more effective than a single appeal focusing on either naturalness or ethicality, and no appeal. Extending the current literature, our findings show that the joint appeal increases the effectiveness of the communication, with participants in this condition showing a significantly higher preference toward the product when compared to those in the single-appeal or no-appeal conditions. The results also demonstrate that disgust and compassion underlie the effect of the joint appeal on consumer preference. Taken together, the current research provides insights to enhance the effectiveness of marketing interventions in promoting consumer preference for and acceptance of clean meat.     

Connecting the dots: how personal need for structure produces false consumer pattern perceptions

The human tendency to recognize patterns even when none exist is shown to have applications in consumer behavior. The current research demonstrates that as one’s personal need for structure (PNS) increases (i.e., requiring predictability and disfavoring uncertainty), false consumer pattern perceptions emerge. Construal level moderates this relationship such that as abstract mindsets (high construal) seek out underlying explanations and enhance, concrete mindsets (low construal) evaluate consumer-related stimuli in terms of its contextual elements and therefore attenuate the effect. Types of consumer patterns are characterized by false expectations about the performance of a cellular phone (study 1), the association of human characteristics toward personal computers (study 2), and the development of beliefs in corporate conspiracy theories (study 3). This research has implications for practitioners and academics as it expands on the literature related to false pattern perceptions by investigating it through the lens of consumer decision-making.     

Recycling as a marketing problem: A framework for strategy development

This article provides a framework for integrating past recycling research by conceptualizing recycling compliance as a marketing problem. Within a social marketing framework, recycling behavior is considered the product, and the marketing problem is to sell recycling to the consumers or public. Recycling research is then categorized as consumer research (research on characteristics of the recycler), pricing research (research on the costs to the consumer, including implicit or less tangible costs), distribution research (research on modes of participation for the recycler), and promotional research (research on intervention strategies such as raffles and contests, personal selling techniques such as block leader programs, and persuasive communications). Using this framework, we provide an integration of a vast amount of recycling research, and also suggest how this research can be used to design actionable strategies for the development of community recycling programs. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.