Examining the role of wine brand love on brand loyalty: A multi-country comparison

This study develops and tests a model through a multi-country study that considers consumer wine knowledge and wine experience, wine brand trust and wine brand satisfaction as antecedents of wine brand love, and wine brand loyalty as a consequence of wine brand love. Data were collected in five wine-producing countries (Australia, Chile, France, Mexico and Portugal) with a final sample of 3462 completed surveys. Hypotheses were tested with structural equation modeling and the findings confirm the importance of brand love as both a mediator and direct influence on brand loyalty for wine consumers. Furthermore, brand satisfaction was positively and significantly related to brand love. In addition, wine experience, rather than wine knowledge, positively influenced brand trust and satisfaction. Finally, results also identify differences between countries thereby providing insights into how companies should focus their marketing strategies internationally.     

Consumers' Intention to Purchase Environmentally Friendly Wines: A Segmentation Approach

There has been a remarkable increase in environmental consciousness worldwide. Consumers are beginning to change their behavior to integrate environmental considerations into lifestyle choices, such as how well products satisfy their needs and how these products affect the natural environment. In some cases, consumers have expressed a willingness to pay a premium for environmentally friendly products. A goal of marketing is informing the public of the availability of goods and services that will advance their quality of life. However, this is true only if marketing's communication aids in informing, educating, and channeling consumers' needs toward “green” products and services. This study investigated the relationship of wine consumers' environmental knowledge, attitudes, gender, and their expressed intention to pay more for an environmentally friendly wine. The results suggest these variables could be used for segmentation and for selective marketing to reposition the product and then redirect consumers toward environmentally friendly wine purchasing.     

Wine attributes,perceived risk and online wine repurchase intention: The cross-level interaction effects of website quality

It is vital for the successful web-based wine business to reduce perceived risk associated with online wine purchasing because it negatively affects repurchase intention. Randomly obtained data from 457 U.S. consumers identified as having purchased wine online was analyzed using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) to determine the relationships between key wine attributes, perceived risk and online wine repurchase intention. Results confirmed that sensory and origin-related attributes positively influence perceived risk. The cross-level interaction role that wine website quality plays upon the relationship between wine attributes and perceived risk was also examined. Results revealed that information quality and service quality moderate the impact of the origin attribute, which in turn reduces perceived risk with online wine shopping. These findings offer useful implications for online wine website managers to develop more effective website frameworks.     

Residents' perceptions of wine tourism development

Wine trails have been studied insufficiently within the tourism literature despite of their recent rapid development worldwide. In response, this study examines residents' perceptions of wine tourism development in terms of personal benefits and community impacts. It also explores whether residents' socio-demographics and levels of wine enthusiasm, and wine trails' tourism characterization influence residents' perceptions. Following a stratified random sampling procedure, residents living along two wine trails in the Piedmont region of North Carolina (U.S.) were surveyed. Results indicate that residents are neutral in their perceptions of the Piedmont wineries in terms of both personal benefits and community impacts. Residents' socio-demographics and level of wine enthusiasm, as well as the comprehensiveness of wine trails' tourism amenities were significantly associated with residents' perceptions. Results also indicate that personal benefits mediate residents' perceptions of community impacts. In addition to the oretical and methodological contributions, this paper outlines management implications for wine trails.     

The BYOB of wine phenomenon of consumers in the Australian licensed on-premise foodservice sector

The overall aim of this baseline exploratory study was to explore the behaviour of wine consumers while dining out in the licensed on-premise sector of foodservice outlets in Australia. It examined the incidence and dynamics of the rather unique situation associated with wine in these outlets, namely the “bring-your-own-bottle of wine” (BYOB) phenomenon. A total of 816 respondents provided information regarding their most recent dining out experience. It was found that the BYOB of wine phenomenon is quite prevalent in Australian licensed on-premise foodservice outlets with 26% of all diners reporting that they had engaged in this the last time they dined out. Females engaged in the BYOB of wine to a greater extent than males and cited the lower cost to them as the main reason. Evidence was also found that the main motivating factor for the BYOB of wine phenomenon among diners was their risk perception levels and that it was therefore employed by consumers mainly as a risk-reduction strategy (RRS). This study showed that the BYOB of wine phenomenon should be added to the knowledge base on generic risk-reduction strategies of the on-premise foodservice sector.     

The windfall gain effect: Using a surprise discount to stimulate add-on purchases

How can the business maximize revenue while providing discounts? This research suggests that hospitality operators may stimulate add-on purchases with the adoption of surprise discounts. Two experiments investigated factors that influence hospitality consumers’ ancillary spending. Study 1 tested the discount and product type effects on additional spending intentions for a cruise booking. Study 2 identified how the depth of surprise discount and add-on product type influence consumers' add-on purchase decisions for an online hotel booking. The findings indicate that a surprise discount and hedonic items induce consumers' unplanned purchases. A hedonic add-on item is preferred over a utilitarian item when a low discount is offered. Impulse buying mediates the effect of surprise discount and product type on unplanned purchase intentions. This research extends the traditional discount role, by demonstrating that a discount promotion can induce consumers' additional purchases. The findings provide guidance for effective pricing strategies and add-on marketing mix.     

Differences in Tourism Marketing Strategies Between Wineries Based on Size or Location

While the number of United States wineries has doubled and wine production tripled, only three states represent the majority of wineries and wine production. Yet, small wineries must contend with similar production issues that larger wineries face: cultivation of grapes, fermentation of juice, and finally bottling of the product.By comparison small wineries face an even tougher challenge—attracting consumers' attention to their products, much of which must be sold directly to consumers at the winery. These cellar door sales account for substantial dollar and case volume and are particularly lucrative.This study examined the relationship in off‐site and on‐site marketing strategies based upon winery size and location. The results indicated differences in tourism marketing strategies particularly with wine education at rural wineries and food/wine pairing techniques at larger wineries.     

A model for wine list and wine inventory yield management

Fine dining restaurants with extensive wine lists often have high-value wine inventories and low inventory turnover ratios that reduce the owner's return on investment. The restaurant management literature does not provide fine dining restaurant managers with the tools that enable them to evaluate and make changes to wine list selections, pricing and inventory levels in order to improve the returns from the investment in wine inventory. This paper contributes to the literature by drawing concepts from yield management, retail science and menu engineering to develop a yield statistic and analytical model for managing wine list and wine inventory productivity. WINSPID (wine sales per inventory dollar) is the product of wine mark-up and inventory turnover ratio. Graphs of wine sales and inventory data, mark-up and inventory turnover ratio enable the restaurant manager to analyse, improve and monitor the wine list, wine inventory and wine supplier performance.     

An Empirical Study of an Online Travel Purchase Intention Model

This study empirically tests a structural model of factors affecting consumers' online purchase intentions for travel products. The findings indicate that information quality, service quality, and system quality are valid measurements to evaluate the quality of travel-oriented website designs. In terms of travelers' perceptions, convenience, value, and merchandise options are three effective measurements of travelers' attitudes toward purchasing travel products online. Quality of travel website design, travelers' attitudes, and customers' satisfaction demonstrate significant influence on travelers' purchase intentions. Travelers' attitudes and customers' satisfaction also serve as strong mediators for the links between quality of travel website design and purchase intentions. Future research can capitalize on this study as a basis to formulate other models or to create a new model to test tactics that can increase travelers' repurchase intentions and strengthening consumers' e-loyalty.     

Cultural capital and online purchase of tourism services

Based on an original conceptual framework that links cultural capital and pro-active behaviors, this paper investigates whether individuals' cultural capital increases the probability of purchasing tourism services through the Internet.The identification of possible direct channels through which tourism firms can address and attract consumers is particularly relevant for an industry in which re-intermediation processes by big online travel agencies have partly dampened the benefits of disintermediation along the supply chain.Through a Heckman-corrected probit run on year 2016 microdata referred to the Italian population, evidence is found that the cultural participation is associated to individuals' higher probability to purchase tourism services online. This adds some new dimensions to the understanding of factors that have a bearing on online purchasing.     

A fad or the future? Examining the effectiveness of virtual reality advertising in the hotel industry

New virtual reality technology presents hotels with wide-ranging marketing, training, and customer service opportunities. The purpose of this study was to explore both the immediate and delayed effects of hotel VR commercials as compared to traditional video commercials. Based on the perceptual load theory and elaboration likelihood model, this study designed and conducted a 2 × 2 laboratory experiment with two stages of data collection. The study demonstrated that VR commercials produced better immediate effects than the traditional commercials, especially for participants with high elaboration likelihood levels. However, the findings also revealed significant decreases in purchase intention among participants watching VR commercials and a significant improvement in attitudes among participants watching traditional commercials. Both theoretical and practical implications were discussed to leverage the power of VR in marketing.     

Wine tasting: To charge or not to charge?

In Australia there is an inconsistency of practice between cellar door operators as to whether they charge for a wine tasting or not. The liquor licensing legislation in each State permits cellar door operators to charge for a wine tasting. Some charge for tastings but deduct this from any purchase made, some provide food to accompany the tasting and others provide a free tasting. This paper considers the practice from a consumer’s (wine tourist’s) viewpoint. A survey was conducted of wine tourists who have attended a cellar door wine tasting to gauge their attitude about charges for wine tastings and probable impacts on their purchasing decisions. The majority expressed a preference for free tastings and stated they would not stay if there was a charge for tastings. However, some tourists were willing to pay in a range of circumstances, depending on the services provided and overall experience.     

Exploring the Impacts of Service Guarantee Strategy

This study examines the impacts of service guarantee in terms of consumers' perceived purchase risks, loyalty, complaint behaviors, and intent to use “word-of-mouth” within the context of the casual dining restaurant segment. The scenario method was developed and used to test the research hypotheses. The results of the study reveal that a well-executed service guarantee could reduce consumers' perceived purchase risks, and increase a positive word-of-mouth and customer loyalty. On the other hand, it also raises consumers' intent to complain upon service failure. Furthermore, the results of the study indicate that a “specific” service guarantee is much more effective in reducing consumers' perceived purchase risks, and increasing consumers' intent to claim after a service failure as opposed to an “unconditional” service guarantee. The results of the study suggest that a service guarantee offered by independent restaurants could offer a competitive advantage over brand restaurants not offering a service guarantee.     

How virtual reality influences travel intentions: The role of mental imagery and happiness forecasting

Virtual reality can influence consumer behavior in powerful ways, but in the domain of tourism marketing, less is known about the psychological process. One possibility is that VR has stronger impact on mental imagery than traditional channels, creating vivid simulations of what it would be like to visit destinations. This process might create hedonic expectations of future happiness, which should increase the willingness to actually seek out the destination in real life. The results from a laboratory experiment provided support to this hypothesis. Participants were randomly assigned to view a nature destination either in traditional still images or virtual reality, and then reported their initial responses before making an actual consumer choice. VR exposure led to higher levels of mental imagery and happiness predictions, which in turn was associated with stronger travel intentions and purchasing decisions. However, VR effects on consumer choice were moderated by previous experience with the destination.     

THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A FREE WINE TASTING: THE EFFECT OF A TASTING FEE ON OBLIGATION TO BUY

Building on reciprocity theory, the current study suggests that, at least to some extent, consumers purchase goods and services in response to sampling due to a perceived need to reciprocate for trying the products/services. In addition, the study explores the effect of charging for sampling (i.e., wine tasting) on tourist behavior. The sample (N = 357) was drawn from visitors to six wineries in an emerging wine region. Three of the sampled wineries charged a small fee for tasting, while the other three wineries offered complimentary wine tasting. The study examined whether differences exist in a perceived need to buy wine between visitors who paid a tasting fee and those who tasted wine for free. The results indicated that visitors who had complimentary wine tasting spent significantly more money at the wineries than visitors who paid a fee for tasting. Furthermore, visitors who tasted wine for free felt significantly more appreciative of the personnel than did visitors who paid a tasting fee. Also, visitors who had complimentary wine tasting reported significantly higher levels of obligation to make a purchase at the end of their visits to the wineries. Managerial implications are discussed.     

Self-Service Technology Versus Traditional Service: Examining Cognitive Factors In The Purchase Of The Airline Ticket

This article aims to identify the cognitive factors which influence the consumer attitudes toward the purchase of the airline ticket. We refer to the comparison between the beliefs regarding self-service and the alternative service or traditional service. This study is based on a sample of 739 Spanish undergraduates and their attitudes toward buying an airline ticket. This is the best selling product on the Internet in Spain. We compare the beliefs in two segments—online consumers and offline consumers—regarding each of the two systems for air ticket purchasing: Internet versus traditional travel agency. Hence, in online consumers, control and delivery speed are observed to be differentiating cognitive factors in the use of a self-service system. However, with offline consumers, delivery speed is indicated as a particularly significant cognitive factor in the use of the traditional service system.     

Eco-labeling motorcoach operators in the North American travel tour industry: analyzing the role of tour operators

Tourist transportation is a major contributor of emissions and environmental pollutants. Eco-labels can encourage more sustainable tourism by informing consumers’ purchasing decisions, while utilizing market forces to initiate environmental responsibility among competing firms. The Green Coach Certification pilot eco-label program was introduced to the motorcoach industry in 2009 as part of a university research program. Although the literature addresses relationships between end-user consumers and eco-labels, little research has been published on mid-supply chain actors and tourism eco-labels. Tour operators are intermediaries between end-users and motorcoach operators and are important potential consumers of eco-labeled transportation services. To understand the role of tour companies as both consumers and providers of green services and eco-labeled products, a survey was administered to North American tour operators. Results demonstrate tour operator interest in a tourism transportation eco-label; however, this interest may be secondary to traditional considerations like price, reputation for safety and service, and previous partnerships. Ninety percent of tour operators indicated that environmental practices held some importance when choosing a transportation provider; approximately 50% said they would pay between 1% and 5% more for an eco-labeled coach company. Findings have important implications for the design and implementation of eco-labeling programs for sustainable tourism and transportation.     

Is VR game training more effective for hospitality employees? A longitudinal experiment

The purpose of this study was to explore the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) game training compared to both in-person demonstration and traditional video training. Combining the constructivist learning theory with the cognitive-affective theory of learning, the study designed a longitudinal lab experiment in the context of restaurant frontline worker training. The results showed that VR game training led to more favorable brand attitudes but less knowledge retention than the other two training methods, both immediately after training and four weeks later. The contradictory results might be explained by higher arousal elicited by VR game training, which has a negative mediating effect on knowledge retention. On the other hand, pleasure positively mediates the effect of training method on brand attitude and knowledge retention. In addition, intrinsic motivation showed a significant moderating role only in delayed effects of training. The study findings have significant implications for both academia and professionals.