基于信任的移动社交电子商务购买意愿影响因素

近年来,越来越多的个体、商家加入移动社交网络平台开展电子商务活动,对网络零售产生了重要影响。但由于缺乏监管和行业规范的引导,消费者感知风险存在,影响消费者交易行为,且理论研究较少,也不能为此类电子商务模式的发展提供理论指导。信任是电子商务活动的基础,信任对消费者购买意愿产生直接影响,平台可用性、消费者内在特征和行为以及商家会直接或间接影响非移动社交电子商务模式消费者的购买意愿。而在移动社交电子商务中,由于其模式的独特性,以往影响消费者信任的因素已难以有效反映移动社交电子商务消费者的购买意愿。此外,商家通过社群与若干消费者建立不同程度的连接,需要研究连接中强弱关系对消费者购买意愿的影响程度。因此,基于移动社交电子商务的特点假设影响消费者信任和购买意愿的因素,即除系统质量、信息质量、产品质量、服务质量四个影响非移动社交电子商务消费者信任的因素外,还包括社群关系和网购认知这两个影响移动社交电子商务消费者信任的新因素,接下来假设上述因素对消费者感知信任和感知风险两个中介变量存在影响,并进一步影响消费者购买意愿,继而再通过构建结构方程模型进行实证分析。实证结果显示,系统质量、信息质量、产品质量、服务质量均不同程度正向影响消费者感知信任,负向影响感知风险,而社群强弱关系对购买意愿的影响与弱关系理论结论相反,网购认知对增强消费者感知信任作用明显,消除消费者感知风险是增强消费者信任的重要途径。     

Antecedents of Green Brand Equity: An Integrated Approach

A steady demand for green products from concerned consumers has led companies to introduce new product lines that match or exceed consumer environmental concerns. Nonetheless, not all the organizations were able to achieve significant returns on their investments in green products. These failures are generally attributed towards companies’ inability to overcome consumer scepticism towards the performance of functional and green attributes of their brands to generate a positive green image and green value in consumers mind. Therefore, the question arises that does the success in promoting green brand image and value depend on consumer existing perceptions about the brand quality and credibility? This study analyzes the influence of brand perceive quality and credibility on consumer perceptions towards a brand green image, green value and green equity. A theoretical model with hypothesized relationships is developed and tested to answer these research questions. Data have been collected from the consumers of electrical and electronic goods. The hypothesized relationships were tested with the help of structural equation modeling procedure. The results suggest that brand perceived quality and its overall credibility does have a significant influence on generating a greener image, green perceive value and green brand equity.     

共享经济下消费者信任的形成机理及影响机制

在对336份调研问卷实证分析基础上,从在线信任理论、制度信任理论及社会渗透理论出发,对我国共享经济下消费者信任的前因和后果及其作用机制进行研究,认为制度机制有效性感知是能代表审核与认证机制有效性感知、隐私保证机制有效性感知和安全保障机制有效性感知的形成性二阶变量,对消费者信任有显著正向影响;与供方互动有效性感知对消费者信任的正向影响不显著,与其他消费者互动有效性感知对消费者信任的正向影响显著;消费者信任对持续共享意愿有显著正向影响,并对感知风险有显著负向影响;制度机制有效性和社会互动有效性对消费者信任的影响存在显著的性别差异,即性别对这两条路径具有调节效应。因此,共享经济平台企业应建立健全管理制度,构建安全、信赖、可靠的在线交易环境,提高消费者的信任和信心,以实现共享平台的可持续发展;共享平台应优化平台网站界面,充分利用社交媒体和社交网络,构建线上和线下平台共享社区,释放共享平台在基层民主治理创新方面的活力;政府主管部门应牢牢把握消费者安全至上的发展理念,加强与平台企业之间的数据共享,建立和完善共享平台与政府部门联动的应急处置机制和风险防范化解机制,形成多元主体协同治理新格局;基于消费数据,共享平台应对市场进行有效细分,制定有针对性的差异化运营策略和营销策略,最大化满足消费者个性需求。     

The impact of blockchain technology on the online purchase behavior of green agricultural products

The purpose of this study is to identify and investigate the types of trust and their impact mechanisms in the application of blockchain technology for green agricultural products. A mixed research approach was used in this study. First, qualitative in-depth interviews with consumers were conducted to identify the technological path (blockchain technology), and the information disclosure path (environmental information of green agricultural products) that affect consumer trust. Two types of consumer trust were also identified, namely, cognitive trust in blockchain technology (digital trust), and instantaneous trust in blockchain technology disclosure information (swift trust), both of which play a role in influencing consumers’ immediate purchase. Then, based on the interview results, a theoretical model for this study was developed by combining signal theory and trust transfer theory. Through a quantitative survey, 474 valid data were collected to empirically examine the role of consumer blockchain technology experience and environmental information transparency perceived on digital trust and swift trust, and the role of both types of trust on impulse buying. The results show that consumer blockchain technology experience can significantly and positively affect the environmental information transparency perceived. And both have a positive effect on digital trust and swift trust. Also both trusts have a significant effect on impulse buying. Further mediating effects confirm the environmental information transparency perceived as an important intrinsic mechanism by which the blockchain technology experience influences consumer trust. The results of this study add an empirical basis for the role of blockchain technology. It also provides a reference for technology adoption by related companies.     

Corporate social responsibility: a boon or bane for innovative firms?

In today’s dynamic business landscape, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is considered as an important strategic initiative for attaining sustainable competitive advantage. The present study aims to examine (i) the influence of consumer’s perceived firm innovativeness (CPFI) and consumer trust on perceived CSR activities of the firm and (ii) the mediating role of perceived CSR in the relationship between (iia) consumer’s perceived firm innovativeness and purchase intention (iib) consumer trust and purchase intention. Four hypotheses were tested with the primary data (n = 287) collected through a structured questionnaire. The regression analysis revealed that CPFI and consumer trust have direct positive impacts on the perceived CSR. Further, perceived CSR mediates the relationship between CPFI and purchase intention. However, perceived CSR does not play a mediating role between Consumer Trust and Purchase Intention. Overall, the findings of this study indicate that engagement in the CSR activities tend to reduce the perceived risk associated with innovation and consequently, influence the purchase intention among consumers. Theoretical and managerial implications are further discussed.     

Consumers’ value perception and value construction: the case of bottled water in the Middle East

This study illustrates how consumers realize the concept of value creation when making quick selections for a commodity in the Saudi market. Data were collected through a self-administered survey to customers; 1,045 completed and usable responses were received and analysed. The proposed model was tested through structural equation modelling using AMOS 22. Results indicate that product design and brand trust affect electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM), and product design, brand trust, and e-WOM influence consumers’ value creation. However, e-WOM does not mediate the relationship between product design and consumer value nor does it mediate the relationship between brand trust and consumers’ value creation. This study focused on one product (bottled water). Caution must be exercised in generalization of the results to other products/countries. Theoretically, this study extends the perception of value creation on a commodity and the influence of trust on perceived value. Although this study is based on a sample of Saudi Arabian consumers that is oversampling the age group of young consumers, it extends the rare empirical evidence base on the perception of value creation in the bottled water market, and the influence of trust on perceived value. The results suggest that firms could benefit from altering the design of their bottled water products to create higher perceived value and higher brand trust, differentiating themselves further from competition. The study contributes to the existing literature on consumers’ perceptions of bottled and branded water, taking into account e-WOM communication, and providing rare evidence on brand trust from outside of Europe and North America.     

The Skeptical Green Consumer Revisited: Testing the Relationship Between Green Consumerism and Skepticism Toward Advertising

This article revisits the widely believed notion of the skeptical green consumer, in other words, that green consumers tend to distrust green advertising. Study 1, a survey of U.S. consumers, found no positive relationship between green consumerism and general ad skepticism. However, green consumerism was negatively related to green advertising skepticism. Study 2, a survey of Austrian consumers, addressed the underlying mechanism of this negative relationship in a mediation analysis. It was shown that green consumers saw more informational utility in green ads than nongreen consumers did. This, in turn, decreased their green advertising skepticism. The emotional appeal of green ads, however, had no impact on green advertising skepticism. Findings suggest that the “dilemma for marketers who desire to target the green consumer” (Zinkhan and Carlson 1995, p. 5) is far less serious than previously thought.     

Business Unethicality as an Impediment to Consumer Trust: The Moderating Role of Demographic and Cultural Characteristics

The article reports the findings of a study conducted among 387 consumers regarding their perceptions of the unethicality of business practices of firms and how these affect their response behavior, in terms of trust, satisfaction, and loyalty. The study confirmed that high levels of perceived corporate unethicality decrease consumer trust. This in turn reduces consumer satisfaction, which ultimately has negative effects on customer loyalty. It was also revealed that, although both consumer gender and urbanity have a moderating effect on the link between perceived unethicality and trust, the age group and level of education of the consumer did not exhibit such an effect. With regard to consumer cultural characteristics, both high uncertainty avoidance and low individualism were found to increase the negative impact of business unethicality on trust, as opposed to power distance and masculinity that did not have any moderating effect on this relationship. Implications for managers are extracted from the study findings, as well as directions for future research.     

Green cooperation in last-mile logistics and consumer loyalty: An empirical analysis of a theoretical framework

Based on the contingency, transaction, and trust theories, this paper explored how the green cooperation between supplier and customer in last-mile logistics contributes to consumers’ sustainable consumption behaviors and trust and transaction cost's contingency role. We collected survey data from 453 users of green shopping platforms in South Korea (e.g., Homepick and Smart Locker) and analyzed the data using structural equation modeling. The results suggest that green cooperation with companies positively affects consumers’ sustainable consumption behaviors and trust, and transaction costs negatively moderate such relationships. In addition, customer trust positively affects sustainable consumption behavior and loyalty. We also found that improved sustainable consumption behavior can form loyalty, but transaction cost decreases its positive impact. This paper evaluates the last-mile delivery through green cooperation and enriches the literature on contingency, transaction cost, and trust theories.     

Corporate Socially Responsible Initiatives and Their Effects on Consumption of Green Products

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) research has focused often on the business returns of corporate social initiatives but less on their possible social returns. We study an actual company–consumer partnership CSR initiative promoting ecologically correct and conscious consumption of bottled mineral water. We conduct a survey on adult consumers to test the hypotheses that consumer skepticism toward the company–consumer partnership CSR initiative and the moral emotion of elevation mediate the relationship between company CSR motives perceived by consumers and consumer behavioral responses following this CSR initiative. Favorable consumer behavioral responses, in turn, relate positively to consumer support of other green products. The results provide scholars and managers with means of improving their understanding and handling of company–consumer partnership CSR initiatives.     

Company reputation and its influence on consumer trust in response to ongoing CSR communication

There is considerable disagreement in academic scholarship and beyond as to whether, in cases of bad reputations, companies will want to communicate corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities because this kind of communication is likely to increase consumers’ skepticism. In this regard, the two empirical studies discussed in this article examine the influence of prior company reputation on consumers’ trust in response to CSR communication in general and the development in response to continuous CSR activities and their ongoing communication by companies as well as by the media in particular. The two studies show that consumers’ trust in companies’ CSR activities increases after a second presentation of information by companies even in instances when companies had prior negative reputations. The second study in particular fills a gap in the literature on underlying mechanisms of consumers’ reactions to CSR communication. The results suggest that companies with prior negative reputations do not need to remain silent about their CSR activities; instead, CSR communication can help improve consumers’ trust in companies. However, the findings of these two studies also suggest that this positive development is short-lived. Consumers’ developing trust in companies’ CSR activities decreases significantly if they are exposed to negative information on these companies.     

Perceived Greenwashing: The Effects of Green Marketing on Environmental and Product Perceptions

Many firms are striving to improve their environmental positions by presenting their environmental efforts to the public. To do so, they are applying green marketing strategies to help gain competitive advantage and appeal to ecologically conscious consumers. However, not all green marketing claims accurately reflect firms’ environmental conduct, and can be viewed as ‘greenwashing’. Greenwashing may not only affect a company’s profitability, but more importantly, result in ethical harm. Therefore, this research extends past greenwashing studies by examining additional influences on and outcomes of perceived greenwashing. To do so, we conducted two studies, an interview study with consumer product and consulting firms, as well as an experiment examining consumers interacting with a company website. For these studies, we used multiple methods, including interviews, questionnaires, and neurophysiological techniques. We found that perceived greenwashing relates not only to environmental and product perceptions, but also to consumers’ happiness while interacting with the website. We also found that website interactivity relates to perceived greenwashing, environmental and product perceptions, and to the amount of interaction with the website. We conclude by discussing managerial and ethical implications for research and practice.

     

Determinants of consumers’ purchase behaviour towards green brands

This study applies perceived risk theory to explore the factors that influence consumers’ purchase behaviour towards green brands, including green perceived quality, green perceived value, green perceived risk, information costs saved, and purchase intentions towards green brands. This study focuses on consumers who have the experience of purchasing products from green brands in the food and restaurant service industry in Taiwan. The results of this study show that purchase intentions are positively associated with purchase behaviour. Moreover, the study demonstrates that purchase intentions mediate the impacts of green perceived quality, green perceived value, information costs saved, and green perceived risk on purchase behaviour. Specifically, green perceived risk is negatively influenced by green perceived value and information costs saved and functions as a mediator among green perceived value, information costs saved, and purchase intentions. The study has critical implications for green brand researchers and practitioners.     

Icing on the cake or gilding the lily? The impact of high-modified model images on purchase intention

Marketers had high expectations for modified model images in E-commerce, however, the social movements against photoshopped models suggested the high-modified model images may be harmful to consumers which leads to a contradictory phenomenon. So far, the link between high-modified model image and consumers' behavior is not clearly understood. Drawing on a selective accessibility model (SAM), this study investigates the influence of high-modified model images on consumers' purchase intention by introducing the concept of misrepresentation and identifying consumer trust as a mediator. Based on five experiments, we demonstrate that over-modified model images decrease consumers’ perceived authenticity referring to “misrepresentation”, and further lower their purchase intention. By comparing the level of misrepresentation, the results suggest that high-modified model images decrease purchase intention. Moreover, this negative relationship between misrepresentation of modified model images and purchase intention is mediated by consumer trust. Hence, this study makes a step toward explaining how high-modified model images impacts the behaviors of consumers, shedding new light on the application of image modification in online advertising.     

Retailer corporate social responsibility and consumer citizenship behavior: The mediating roles of perceived consumer effectiveness and consumer trust

Retailers often face pressure from stakeholders to address social and environmental issues. The purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of retailer corporate social responsibility (CSR) on consumers' perceptions and behavior. Drawing on the theoretical foundations of social identity theory and signaling theory, this study presents and validates a unique model which examines the mediating effects of perceived consumer effectiveness and consumer trust on the relationship between retailer CSR and consumer citizenship behavior. Using a sample of 407 consumers in China, results of structural equation modeling show that retailer CSR is positively associated with consumer citizenship behavior. Additionally, perceived consumer effectiveness and consumer trust positively mediate this association. Taken together, these findings provide support for retailers to develop CSR programs that remind and reinforce consumers’ perceptions about socially responsible behaviors.     

Customer behavioural intentions towards mobile money services adoption in Ghana

This study examined the determinants of mobile money service usage intentions and assessed the effect of social influence (SI) on mobile money services adoption and behavioural intentions (BIs). The sample of the study comprised 300 mobile money service users in Ghana. Guided by the conceptual framework and two theories identified to have an effect on technology adoption and consumer behaviour, eight hypotheses were developed and tested using Structural Equation Modelling Techniques. It is discovered that perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, perceived trust and perceived cost of use have a strong influence on mobile money service usage. The study found SI to have a significant effect on the adoption and BI. Providers ensure that their mobile application services are simple to operate, fulfil specific consumers’ needs, protect consumers’ accounts to ensure trust and are affordable, hence positively influencing consumers’ adoption of services.     

Conceptualising consumer regiocentrism: Examining consumers' willingness to buy products from their own region

The key objective of the study is to address the gaps by building a theoretically based conceptual model to examine the influence of consumer regiocentrism and its moderators, and community involvement on consumers’ willingness to buy products from their own region. A mail survey of 2000 consumers from the Western Australian metropolitan area, supported four of the five proposed hypotheses. The results revealed that consumer regiocentric tendencies and community involvement positively influenced consumers’ willingness to buy products from their own region. Community involvement was also found to positively influence consumer regiocentric tendencies. Although perceived product necessity moderated the relationship between consumer regiocentrism and consumers’ willingness to buy products from their own region, perceived economic/personal threat did not moderate the relationship between consumer regiocentrism and consumers’ willingness to buy products from their own region. The study offers several implications to public policy makers as well as strategic and communication managers of regional products and brands.     

品牌原产地困惑对于消费者喜爱与购买本土品牌和境外品牌的影响

以消费者行为理论和品牌原产地效应的研究文献为基础，通过对调查数据进行统计分析，本文提出与检验了品牌原产地困惑对于中国消费者喜爱与购买本土品牌和境外品牌的影响作用。结论如下：第一，在中国现有环境下，消费者越是误认为一个本土品牌是境外品牌，就倾向于越喜欢这个品牌；越是误认为一个境外品牌是本土品牌，就倾向于越不喜欢这个品牌。第二，本土品牌知名度对于本土品牌原产地困惑和消费者喜好本土品牌之间的正相关关系有负向的调节作用；不过，境外品牌知名度的调节作用则不明显。第三，品牌原产地困惑对于中国消费者购买本土品牌有负向影响，对中国消费者购买境外品牌则无显著影响。     

Relationship type,perceived trust,and ambiguity aversion

Ambiguity averse suggests consumers to prefer risky options over ambiguous ones. In this study, the authors propose that consumer–brand relationship types influence consumers’ ambiguity aversion. Specifically, compared with consumers in exchange relationships with the focal brand, consumers in communal relationships are more likely to trust the focal brand and thereby be less averse to ambiguity. These proposals were tested in two experiments. In experiment 1, participants in communal relationships showed less ambiguity aversion than those in exchange relationships. In experiment 2, participants in communal relationships had higher perceived trust with the focal brand than the participants in exchange relationships, and they showed less dislike for tensile promotions. Experiment 2 also tested for and confirmed the mediating effect of perceived trust. This study concludes with a discussion of the theoretical contributions and practical implications of the results.     

Assessing the impact of a retailer's relationship efforts on consumers’ attitudes and behavior

This study focuses at the impact of different relationship efforts made by a retailer (direct mail, preferential treatment, and tangible rewards) on key relationship marketing outcomes (trust, relationship commitment, and behavioral loyalty). A cross-sectional study in a retail clothing setting was conducted based on two consumer samples drawn from Belgium and the Netherlands. SEM results indicate that retailers undertaking relationship efforts to loyal consumers can positively affect these consumers’ attitudes and behavior. Consequently, managers and employees of retail companies need to be trained, motivated, and rewarded for making relationship efforts to regular customers.