Brand relationships in wireless mobile environments: The mediating role of apps

Brands use branded mobile apps to interact with users and to develop brand relationships in wireless mobile environments. These apps collect data about users and app usage, which are potentially helpful for brand relationship research. We aim to contribute to understanding the user–brand relationship (UBR) measurement mediated by branded apps, an area with very limited research, with a focus on leveraging these apps as a gauging context to measure the UBR strength. We propose a data-driven model to measure the UBR strength that combines metrics computed by using branded app data with close interpersonal relationship indicators. We conducted a computer simulation to test the proposed model. Our findings show that app usage time is the metric that most affects UBR strength measurement. The results suggest that time is essential for developing brand relationships in wireless mobile environments, much like in interpersonal relationships. The proposed model can be supplemented with other metrics to study new attributes associated with the UBR that might emerge in these environments.     

Determinants of switching intention from web-based stores to retail apps: Habit as a moderator

Online retailers seek to motivate their customers to switch from web-based stores to retail apps as using the latter as a shopping channel has many benefits for retailers compared to web-based stores. This study aims to examine the drivers of customers' intention to switch from web-based stores to retail apps by applying the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S–O-R) model. The moderating role of habit was investigated. Data were collected from 389 Malaysian individuals through an online survey and analysed using the partial least squares technique. The results indicated that performance expectancy has a significant influence on switching intention and is driven by mobile characteristics. Furthermore, effort expectancy has a positive effect on both performance expectancy and switching intention and is triggered by visual complexity and aesthetic quality. The moderating effects of habit on the associations between performance expectancy, effort expectancy and switching intention were not supported. The findings extend the literature on retail apps by exploring the switching intention drivers and testing the moderating effect of culture, which have received less attention. The results enable retail apps' developers and marketers to strategise retail apps development and marketing activities in a way that encourages current web-based stores’ customers to use retail apps as a better alternative.     

Revisiting food delivery apps during COVID-19 pandemic? Investigating the role of emotions

Food delivery apps (FDAs) have transformed the way consumers order and consume food, especially during the mobility limitations of the COVID-19 pandemic. The hospitality industry, especially restaurants are heavily reliant on mobile technology during the pandemic to strengthen essential online to offline food delivery, helping large number of consumers. This study investigates the role of app aesthetics in evoking emotions which predict continued usage intentions for FDAs using the theoretical lens of the pleasure arousal dominance (PAD) framework. Data was collected from 341 consumers during the pandemic. Findings indicate that app aesthetics generate pleasure, arousal, and dominance emotions among consumers during pandemic where pleasure is the most significant predictor of continued usage intentions followed by dominance. Findings also confirm the mediating effect of arousal on pleasure and pleasure on continued usage intentions. The study has implications for academicians, food delivery companies, app designers and other app-based businesses as it proves the significance of an aesthetic app design in evoking positive PAD emotions in consumers during a crisis and strengthens the explanation of continued usage intentions.     

Antecedents of mobile app usage among smartphone users

Although mobile apps are already an influential medium in the new media industry as a whole, these apps have received little academic attention within the communication and marketing literature. This study develops and tests a hypothesized model to explain antecedents affecting app usage among smartphone users. The analysis of the structural equation model determined a final model with four significant factors (perceived informative and entertaining usefulness, perceived ease of use, and user review). Cost-effectiveness, a key variable of this study due to the particularity of 99-cent app price, had no influence on app usage. This study not only includes marketing implications but also offers insight into various theoretical applications to the field of mobile communication research by suggesting a conceptual model for the acceptance of mobile apps.     

Examining consumers' continuous usage of multichannel retailers' mobile applications

This paper examines the variables influencing a consumer's satisfaction and continuous use of a multichannel retailer's mobile application. Drawing upon the Expectation Confirmation Model for Information Technologies, post-adoption literature, and consumer behavior literature, we assess pertinent factors on the continuous usage of multichannel retailers' mobile apps. Through a sample of 1009 consumers who retained a retailer's mobile app for more than 6 months and conducting Structural Equation Modelling, the findings illustrate that utilitarian variables (perceived usefulness, ease of use, and personalization), hedonic variables (perceived enjoyment), and a brand-related variable (consumer loyalty intention toward the retailer's brand), play a significant role in influencing continuous usage of multichannel retailers' mobile apps. In contrast to e-commerce research, the study outlines that escapism plays a negative role in both consumer satisfaction and intention to continue to use a multichannel retailer's mobile app. Previous research points to the fact that consumers' retention of retailers' apps is low. This paper contributes to the emerging literature on consumers' continuous use of retailers' mobile apps through enhancing our understanding of technology and non-technology-related variables.     

“Yes,we do. Why not use augmented reality?” customer responses to experiential presentations of AR-based applications

Augmented reality (AR) is regarded as a visually transformative technology that enables consumers to gain immersive and enjoyable information about experience products/services during the purchasing process. Based on the stimulus-organism-response (S–O-R) paradigm, this study investigates how experiential AR applications (apps) influence customers' experiential value, in turn enhancing continued usage intention. Furthermore, perceived customer support plays an even more important role in enhancing customers’ continued usage intention. This study obtained data through an online survey of 437 customers of the YouCam Makeup app in Taiwan. We used SmartPLS software to analyze the data and test the hypotheses. The findings suggest that the features of an experiential AR app have a greater positive impact on hedonic value than utilitarian value; in turn, only hedonic value has a positive impact on continued usage intention. The results further demonstrate that the effect of hedonic value on continued usage intention is positively moderated by perceived customer support.     

Identification of two decision-making paths underpinning the continued use of branded apps

This study investigates two decision-making paths that underpin the continued use of branded apps. One path originates from past use of a category of apps and leads to continued use of a branded app from that category via recognition. The second path also starts with past use, but leads to continued use through the evaluation of the app's benefits. Two empirical studies test and subsequently validate the resulting conceptual model, confirming that both paths underpin continued use; however, the strength of the theoretical links varies, and the two paths warrant separate investigation. These outcomes support the generalizability of the proposed model, highlighting its potential as a tool to advance the understanding of consumer decision-making leading to the continued use of branded apps. The findings of this study also yield practical relevance, especially for the delineation of strategies to enhance the chances of market survival of branded apps.     

Extrinsic and intrinsic motivators for usage continuance of hedonic mobile apps

This study explores intrinsic (i.e., perceived enjoyment, perceived involvement) and extrinsic motivator (i.e., perceived usefulness, convenience, perceived ease of use) for usage continuance of hedonic mobile applications (apps). Satisfaction serves as an important link between motivators and continued willingness to use, therefore its effect was analysed through mediation. Data was collected through an online survey and a total of 720 valid responses were received. Results showed that intrinsic motivators had a significant effect on continued willingness to use (CWU) and extrinsic motivators on satisfaction for hedonic mobile apps. Extrinsic motivators strongly mediate the relationship between intrinsic motivators and satisfaction. Factors related to viewing patterns (i.e., viewing frequency, viewing time) and demographic factors (i.e., age, education) moderated relationships in the model. This study provides significant theoretical and practical implications for researchers in the domain of mobile applications. The study introduces convenience as a determinant of satisfaction and validates the existence of duality for dimensions of motivators.     

Beyond the Usefulness of Branded Applications: Insights from Consumer–Brand Engagement and Self‐construal Perspectives

Branded mobile applications (apps) present one of the most promising opportunities for marketers to reach current and potential customers, sell products or services, and facilitate customer engagement with brands. This study aims to explore how branded apps influence consumers’ brand repurchase intention and continuance usage intention. Integrating the utilitarian view from information systems research and the view of consumer–brand engagement from marketing research, a complementary engagement path alongside the utilitarian path was devised and tested in order to elucidate consumer perceptions toward branded apps. Independent self‐construal and interdependent self‐construal moderate relationships along the utilitarian path and engagement path, respectively. Data collected from 637 respondents support most of the proposed hypotheses. Results show that the engagement path has more influence on continuance intention and equal influence on repurchase intention when compared to the utilitarian path. Findings show that apps users have different thoughts along each of the two paths, depending on their self‐construal. The study's findings also provide app designers and marketers with new perspectives on how to better design branded apps.     

On the monetization of mobile apps

Though the mobile app market is substantial and growing fast, most app providers struggle to monetize apps profitably. Monetizing apps is done in two ways: a) selling advertising space within a free version of the app, and b) selling a paid version, termed freemium or in-app purchase strategy. In this paper, we present a framework for monetization of mobile apps, using two central empirical regularities concerning the relationship between users and their mobile apps: a) Sampling: While consumers have some prior knowledge of their fit with the app, they remain uncertain regarding their exact utility until they are using it; and b) Satiation: The utility of using the app may decrease with time. While work on the monetization of digital goods has largely overlooked the role of satiation and the consequent retention issues, we show that in combination with uncertainty, it elucidates the role of the segments of consumers that download the free vs. paid version of the app, and how to balance these two segments so as to monetize mobile apps. We encounter two distinct scenarios: In the first, advertising drives most of the revenues; while in the second, revenues are driven by the paid version of the app. We explain how uncertainty and satiation affect the prevalence of the respective scenarios and impact the share of revenues from the paid vs free version of the app. We also demonstrate that an app provider can profit from offering a free version with ads even if advertisers are not paying for these ads. In other words, the app provider benefits from offering a “damaged good” version of the app that includes ads, even if this version is free to consumers, and the advertisers are not paying for the ads.     

Branded app atmospherics: Examining the effect of pleasure–arousal–dominance in brand relationship building

Given the incredible ability to interact with consumers, branded apps have become a new important brand relationship building platform for marketers. However, despite the remarkable growth of app users, many brands are still struggling to attract continuous usage among user. Past research emphasized on the functional perspective of branded apps usage, yet emotional factors have received less attention. Therefore, to address the research gap, present research draws from the conceptual lens of pleasure-arousal-dominance (PAD) model from environmental psychology to examine the emotional factors of branded apps. The objective of this research is to investigate the drivers of branded app atmospherics in brand relationships. We recruited 408 users by an online survey. Results identify atmospherics cues that influence the experiential emotions of pleasure, arousal and dominance, which generates usage intention. This research contributes knowledge by extending PAD model to branded app context and provide an important ground where practitioners can design atmospherics cues that create emotional experience in branded app to foster brand relationship.     

Examining consumer experience in using m-banking apps: A study of its antecedents and outcomes

The purpose of this study is to examine the antecedents and outcomes of consumer experience (CX) with mobile banking (m-banking) apps. To understand the linkage of CX with other constructs, data collection was done using a structured questionnaire through an online survey. A sample of 473 respondents were analysed using structural equation modeling by testing the proposed hypotheses in AMOS (Analysis of Moment Structures) version 22.0. The findings revealed that convenience, trust, and social influence play a significant role in enhancing CX with the m-banking app use. Apps attributes was found to be relatively less important and no relationship was found between customer support and CX. Customer loyalty and customer intention to continue using the m-banking apps were observed as significant outcome variables. This study will contribute to the growing literature on CX and will guide managers in recognizing the importance of CX in designing appropriate strategies for the promotion of m-banking and engaging their customers in a developing country context.     

An examination of mobile app usage and the user’s life satisfaction

Increased engagement with mobile apps is an emerging trend with people today. Mobile devices have become so personalized that many people consider their mobile device as an extension of themselves. Research has suggested that one driving factor in a person’s adoption of mobile apps is the pursuit of happiness. However, there is little research regarding the influence of apps on a person’s well-being. The purpose of this paper was to examine mobile app usage among college students and the relationship between app usage and one’s satisfaction with life. Findings suggest that there is a correlation between mobile app usage and a person’s level of satisfaction with life. Gender differences in app usage were also found.     

The rules of engagement: how to motivate consumers to engage with branded mobile apps

ABSTRACT

This research presents and validates a framework, which illustrates how to motivate consumers to engage with branded mobile applications, or apps. The framework shows that consumer involvement with branded apps underpins two sets of consumer perceptions of the benefits that the app offers, which reflect the different motives for engaging with the app, as consumers experience them. These perceptions include the utilitarian motives of security, usefulness and ease of use; and the hedonic motives of interpersonal utility, attachment (with the device) and entertainment. This range of motives leads to the willingness to pay for the app and the willingness to recommend it. This research contributes to marketing theory by clarifying specific details of the psychological process through which it is possible to motivate consumer engagement with branded apps - i.e. by means of binding involvement, perceptions of how apps’ benefits meet individual needs and two key outcomes. The findings also yield managerial relevance. Above all, the outcomes of this research suggest that, by involving and motivating consumers through the improvement of the benefits that a branded app offers, it is possible to increase the app’s revenues and to encourage word-of-mouth, creating value for app providers and consumers.     

Factors affecting users’ continuance intention of mobile social network service

This study investigates the factors that influence users’ intention to continue using social network service applications (apps) on mobile devices. We drew on the uses and gratifications (U&G) paradigm and innovation diffusion theory; these were augmented with the factors that characterize mobile social network service (MSNS) usage. The proposed framework explained the relationships between these factors and the intention to continue using MSNS apps. A web-based survey was used to collect data for analysis. The results indicated that critical mass, mobility, compatibility, purposive value, and entertainment value were important drivers of users’ intention to continue using MSNS apps. The findings contribute to existing U&G paradigm, innovation diffusion theory, and MSNS usage literature. The paper closes with a discussion of useful insights relevant to researchers and practitioners in terms of developing and implementing MSNS apps that have high retention rates.     

Impact of apps aesthetics on revisit intentions of food delivery apps: The mediating role of pleasure and arousal

Online food delivery (OFD) apps are changing the way we consume food. Despite increasing the popularity of OFD apps, limited studies have explored the reason behind popularity which contributes to the revisit intentions. This study investigates the drivers of revisit intentions by adopting stimulus-organism-response (SOR) theory and pleasure arousal dominance (PAD) theory as a theoretical lens. A model is conceptualized by including aesthetic formality and aesthetic appeal of OFD apps as stimuli, pleasure, and arousal as the internal state of the organism, and revisit intentions and word of mouth (WOM) as a response. Data is collected from OFD app users through a survey questionnaire. Findings indicate that aesthetic appeal is associated with pleasure and arousal. Aesthetic formality is associated with pleasure, word of mouth, and revisit intentions. Further, pleasure influences arousal, word of mouth, and revisit intention. The findings also confirmed the mediating role of pleasure and arousal. The study contributes to the practice and theory in the context of online food delivery apps.     

How to achieve consumer continuance intention toward branded apps—from the consumer–brand engagement perspective

Branded mobile applications (apps) serve as useful marketing tools to assist existing and potential customers and greatly motivate consumers to engage with brands. This paper aims to investigate how branded apps achieve consumer continuance intention from the perspective of consumer–brand engagement (CBE). Data are collected from 509 users of Chinese branded mobile applications and analyzed using a structural equation model. Results showed three dimensions of CBE that have unique interrelationships that promote continuance intention. Perceived informational usefulness serve as a utilitarian motivation, while perceived entertainment and social presence as hedonic motivations, all contributing to CBE in different ways.     

Are men from Mars,women from Venus? Examining gender differences towards continuous use intention of branded apps

In this age of technology, consumers have become comfortable shopping with their mobile devices. In light of this growing trend, the branded app market has grown steadily, surpassing all other types of mobile commerce. Although many retail businesses go mobile, consumers’ continuous use of the branded app remains a key challenge in gaining a competitive advantage in the contemporary market. By integrating both the stimulus-organism-response (S–O-R) model and gender schema theory (GST), this study aims to investigate how gender differences affect the factors that drive branded app continuous use intention (CUI). Survey data collected from 715 millennial mobile shoppers were analyzed using the partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) technique. The results demonstrate that telepresence and social presence have a significant effect on customer engagement (CE) and value co-creation (VCC), which consequently impact CUI. Furthermore, the moderation results indicate that both genders play rather different roles in the proposed relations. Therefore, our work contributes to the information system and consumer behavior literature, while providing practitioners with useful information about effective strategies to drive the continuous usage of a branded app.     

A different perspective on consumer engagement: exploring the experience of using health apps to support healthier food purchasing

ABSTRACT

Healthy food purchasing behaviour may be facilitated through the use of health apps if used for the necessary time period. However, little is known on the factors that influence the user experience and facilitate or impede their continued use. The purpose of the present research is to explore the lived experience of using a health app to support healthier food purchasing behaviour. Findings identify the presence of behaviour change motivation and anticipated effort levels as drivers of app engagement. It appeared that behavioural, cognitive and emotional dimensions of engagement may influence one another, driven by contextual influences, to simultaneously contribute to the intrinsic experience of engagement. The research makes practical and theoretical contributions to the consumer engagement literature and highlights the need to focus on understanding and capturing the specific engagement context to better understand engagement.     

Mobile payment apps filling value gaps: Integrating consumption values with initial trust and customer involvement

This study aims to understand the consumption values that positively influence the adoption of mobile payment apps (MPAs). The theory of consumption values and two more constructs, initial trust (INT) and customer involvement (COI) are used to create a model tested using structural equation modeling with data collected from 880 Indian consumers. The results obtained from the analysis identified functional (FUV), conditional (COV), epistemic (EPV), and emotional (EMV) values having a significant positive impact on MPA adoption intention. While INT mediated all consumption values, COI positively moderated the relationship of FUV, EPV, and EMV with adoption intention. The critical contribution is using INT and COI to test the mediating and moderating effect utilizing the theory of consumption values. It explains factors contributing directly and indirectly to MPA adoption intention. The study results demonstrate that all consumption values except social value (SOV) positively influence MPA adoption intention. The cross-sectional data was collected during the pandemic from the urban population, which may not be generalizable with other developed nations. The study suggests that promoters of MPAs must focus more on FUV, COV, EPV, and EMV. Governments can promote MPAs with an increased focus on building trust through policy measures and special drives to increase trustworthiness in MPAs. Businesses could increase efforts to involve customers when introducing MPAs and collate critical information from customer touch points for improved consumer involvement. Through greater usage of MPAs, governments can substantially reduce the cost of printing and handling currency bills, saving taxpayers’ money and diverting it to social spending.