Price image and the sugrophobia effect on luxury retail purchase intention

Consumer shopping behavior in luxury retail stores continues to be a subject of interest among marketing researchers. Such a phenomenon has led us to explore how price image and sugrophobia, a psychological feeling of being taken advantage of, would influence consumers' future behavioural intention in the context of luxury retail store. Informed by a survey of 400 consumers, this study adopts the Stimulus-Organism-Response (S–O-R) model to examine how price image triggers consumer perceptions (i.e., perceived value, trust and attitude) and results in behavioral intention. Sugrophobia is included in the S–O-R model to assess its moderating effect. Data analysis using SEM-PLS demonstrates that a retailer's price image has a positive effect on consumers' perceived value, trust, attitude, and future behavioral intention. Sugrophobia, in turn, is found to weaken the relationship between price image and consumer perceptions. The study thus highlights the relevance of sugrophobia among risk-averse consumers and the necessity to manage sugrophobic consumers effectively in the context of a luxury retail store. Implications of the study are discussed.     

从购买成本的角度解读网络购物行为

购买成本是影响消费者购买渠道偏好的重要因素。通过实证分析的方法,研究消费者对网络购物和传统购物购买成本的认知情况,以及这种认知是否会影响消费者时购买渠道的偏好。结果发现,货币成本、体力精力成本和社会心理成本都会影响消费者的渠道偏好,其中影响最大的是社会心理成本。另外,收入低的人在选择购买渠道时较多的考虑产品价格因素,而收入高的人对价格的高低不是十分敏感。     

Untangling the relationships between consumer characteristics,shopping values,and behavioral intention in online group buying

This study examines the link among consumer characteristics (price-sensitive behavior, variety-seeking behavior, and compulsive buying behavior), shopping values (utilitarian and hedonic shopping values), and behavioral intention in online group buying (OGB). This study tests usable responses collected by means of mall-intercept systematic sampling from consumers who previously participated in OGB. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze data and test the hypothesized relationships. Findings suggest that price-sensitive and variety-seeking behaviors are significantly related to utilitarian shopping value, whereas price-sensitive, variety-seeking, and compulsive buying behaviors are significantly related to hedonic shopping value. Both utilitarian and hedonic shopping values significantly influence consumers’ OGB intentions. For a successful OGB strategy, Internet marketers and site operators should emphasize the utilitarian shopping value of price saving and selection and introduce the hedonic shopping values of promotions and sensory experiences. This study provides a link between two streams of prior research – that is, consumer characteristics and shopping values. Furthermore, it validates an empirical model whose results can help business practitioners make better-informed marketing management decisions for OGB and help academics and consumers better understand OGB behavior.     

Shopping in discount stores: The role of price-related attributions,emotions and value perception

This paper analyzes the impact of price-related attributions, emotions and value perception on the intention to shop at grocery discounters in an integrated framework. Moderating effects of price consciousness are also analyzed. The results show that the proposed model explains almost three quarters of intentions to shop in discount stores. Value perception has the strongest total effect, which is partly mediated by enjoyment, shame and guilt. Attributions influence the shopping intention indirectly via value perception and emotions. The inferior quality attribution has the strongest total effect, followed by the efficiency of the business model attribution. The unfairness to stakeholders and the tricks in price communication attribution mostly influence the shopping intention for less price-conscious customers.     

Enhancing the role of flow experience in social media usage and its impact on shopping

Online retailers are eager to find the answers to the following questions: How relevant is SNS usage to consumer shopping decisions? Is the information shared on SNS likely to influence users’ shopping decisions? This study is designed to answer these questions via essential factors based on flow theory and TAM. The moderating effects of some social factors were also explored. The data was collected from U.S SNS users, and SEM was performed and a research model estimated. The findings reveal that flow experience of SNS usage for shopping, perceived ease of use of SNS, and perceived usefulness of information shared on SNS exert positive and significant effects on consumer intention to shop on SNS. Particularly, flow experience directly and positively determines shopping intention and shares positive and significant impacts with TAM. Furthermore, the perceived usefulness is highly important relative to the perceived ease of use. Social identity, group norm, and social influence also positively moderate the links between flow experience, TAM, and SNS usage intention for shopping. Very few theoretical studies have discussed SNS usage behavior for shopping based on flow theory or validated its relationship with TAM in the SNS shopping context. A validated model of consumers’ actual usage of SNS for shopping proves that experience drives the success of social commerce. The findings provide current information and important aspects to firms that operate SNS commerce, allowing them to adjust their marketing strategies to serve consumers better.     

Antecedents of consumers' time perceptions in a hypermarket retailer

This study examines the effects of five antecedents on consumers' time perceptions in a hypermarket environment. Findings indicate that the actual shopping time spent in the store and planned shopping activities significantly influence consumers' shopping time perceptions, while consumers' waiting time perceptions are driven by both actual checkout waiting time and actual shopping time. The article examines time gaps, i.e. consumers' errors in time estimation, as related to store loyalty intention and finds that past consumer purchases moderate the relationship between both time gaps and store loyalty intention. Managerial implications are discussed in the article.     

Website attributes that increase consumer purchase intention: A conjoint analysis

Prior studies investigate factors that affect consumer preferences in online shopping websites. However, prior studies, due to their methodological limitations, do not thoroughly investigate consumer preference structures that reflect the relative importance of attributes and features of shopping websites. By synthesizing prior literature, this research proposes and investigates a comprehensive list of attributes and features of shopping websites that increase consumer purchase intention. This research used IT-based platforms for data collection, and collected data from university students. Data analysis enabled us to categorize consumers that use online shopping websites into three groups based on the attributes they prefer. Consumers with different levels of computer expertise also showed differing preference structures. This research has implications in both research and practice.     

Examining shopping mall consumer decision-making styles,satisfaction and purchase intention

Understanding consumer decision-making (CDM) styles is essential for market segmentation, positioning and crafting marketing strategies within a market. Few studies have examined the structural relationship among decision-making styles that consumers exhibit during mall shopping, level of satisfaction and purchase intention. The purpose of this study was to examine CDM styles as the antecedents and predictors of level of satisfaction and purchase intention. Based on the Consumer Styles Inventory, eight CDM styles that individual exhibit during shopping mall activities are proposed in terms of utilitarian and hedonic perspectives. We hypothesize these eight CDM styles as a set of predictors of customer satisfaction and purchase intention. A total of 327 valid paper-and-pencil questionnaires were collected from several shopping malls in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Partial least squares (PLS) path modelling approach, a structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique was performed to test the proposed structural relationships. The empirical assessment supports that hedonic shopping styles consumers that exhibit high level of habitual, brand consciousness, fashion consciosness, recreational conscious style have lower levels of satisfaction and purchase intention during mall shopping while novelty and fashion conscious style consumers have lower level of satisfaction but do not unveil lower purchase intention. Utilitarian shopping styles consumers that exhibit high level of price conscious, confused by overchoice and high-quality conscious style have higher levels of satisfaction while impulsive/careless shoppers do not; and while price conscious, impulsive/careless, confused by overchoice consumers have higher levels of purchase intention but the high-quality conscious consumers do not unveil higher purchase intention. Further, there is a positive relationship between satisfaction and purchase intention. The practical and managerial implications are discussed.     

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.     

Pricing strategy and the formation and evolution of reference price perceptions in new product categories

This study examines the formation and evolution of reference price perceptions in new product categories. It contributes to our understanding of pricing new products by integrating two important research streams in marketing—reference price theory and the theory of pioneer brand advantage. Prior research has focused solely on products in existing or incrementally new categories, and has typically examined fast‐moving consumer goods. Using a cross‐sectional experiment to study the formation of reference price perceptions, and a separate, but related, longitudinal experiment to study the evolution of reference price perceptions, the findings suggest that the pioneer brand's initial price defines a consumer's initial reference price, whether the pioneer is following a skimming or a penetration strategy. This effect endures in later time periods where the initial price affects consumer perceptions of value and purchase intention. The study also finds that the pioneer, due to its prototypicality, has a stronger influence on reference price perceptions than the follower, creating a systematic bias to both the formation and evolution of reference price perceptions in new product categories. Thus, reference price perceptions are shaped by what the pioneer does, rather than what the follower does. Furthermore, category‐level reference prices exist and explain purchase intention, but do not improve over brand‐specific measures in this regard. These findings have implications for pricing strategy and the theory of reference prices. ©2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

The role of attributions in consumer perceptions of retail advertisements promoting price discounts

This study examines whether information in an advertisement promoting a price discount is capable of affecting attributions made about the price reduction and whether these attributions, in turn, affect consumer perceptions and evaluations of the sale. Findings show that price image of the retail advertiser had a strong effect on attributions pertaining to the merchant and a marginal effect on product attributions. The attribution variables, in turn, explained significant amounts of variance in criterion variables measuring consumer perceptions of value, attitude toward the ad, and shopping intentions, beyond the variance explained by the store and discount claim variables manipulated in the study. These results suggest the importance of the role of attributions made by consumers when exposed to ads promoting discounts.     

Consumers' perceptions of food packaging: an exploratory investigation in Potchefstroom,South Africa

Consumers form perceptions of various food products through their comprehension of the visual stimuli on food packaging that attract their attention. These perceptions directly affect their purchasing decision at the point of purchase, which emphasizes the importance of attention‐capturing packaging attributes. However, little research is available regarding consumers' perceptions of food packaging, especially in the South African context. This study aimed to explore a sample of South African consumers' perceptions of food packaging and how these perceptions were formed through the perceptual process. A qualitative, exploratory study was conducted by means of 25 semi‐structured interviews and through the use of ambiguous mock packaging as a projective technique. Participants were questioned regarding their general perceptions of food packaging. The attention‐capturing ability of packaging as well as consumers' interpretation of this packaging after exposure to the mock packaging was also discussed. Findings from the study indicated that participants mainly based their perception of food packaging on its functional (being purposive, recyclable and informative) and physical attributes (being attractive, of high quality and hygienic). This study also indicated that information and visual attributes of packaging are important to gain consumers' attention in‐store. Participants' comprehension of packaging included general associations of specific food products with certain types of packaging, such as associations with quality and shelf life. Negative associations with packaging mostly entailed difficulty to handle the product, poor quality of the product and environmental problems. This study identifies those product attributes that participants regarded as the most important stimuli for forming positive perceptions regarding food packaging. It is important for manufacturers to pay attention to the information on perceptions that was gained in this study, as it might help them to create packaging that better fulfil consumer needs. These findings could also be applied in a larger study of a quantitative nature, which will ultimately result in more positive consumer shopping experiences and consumer satisfaction regarding food packaging.     

The effect of dynamic retail experiences on experiential perceptions of value: an internet and catalog comparison

The authors introduce cognitive continuum theory (CCT) as a theoretical framework to examine the effect of consumer shopping tasks and retail information display properties on consumer perceptions of experiential value. In this empirical investigation, the nature of a consumer’s shopping task is found to exert a direct influence on consumer perceptions of efficiency, economic value, and shopping enjoyment, all active dimensions of value. In addition, congruent interactions between shopping task and retail information display properties exert an enhancing effect on the reactive dimensions of value, as evidenced by perceptions of visual appeal, entertainment value, and service excellence. Future application of CCT is outlined and managerial implications are discussed.     

Consumer innovativeness: Impact on expectations,perceptions, and choice among retail formats

Individual differences in innovativeness may drive consumer expectations and perceptions regarding retail environments, influencing preferences for particular store formats. This research investigates the impact of consumer innovativeness on expectations for, and perceptions of, service design elements, including employee performance, process design, design of physical evidence, and reliability of the shopping experience. Findings indicate that the majority of consumers expect high performance along all dimensions and dislike surprising stores, specifically those they perceive as risky. Moreover, innovative consumers expect even higher levels of store attributes and in fact perceive stores differently than do less innovative consumers.     

The Effects of Cognitive Style,Shopping Experience and Consumer Demographics on Consumer Reactions to Quantity Surcharges

Quantity surcharges occur when large quantities of a product are sold at a higher unit price compared to smaller quantities. As such, quantity surcharges violate consumer beliefs that one should receive a discount for having purchased larger amounts of a product. Much of the existing research in this area has focused on the incidence of quantity surcharges, and less focus has been given to consumer reactions to quantity surcharge offers. Utilizing a national survey of 318 consumers, this paper explores the effects of quantity surcharges on consumer perceptions of sellers, and examines how these perceptions are affected by consumers' cognitive style, shopping experience and demographics.     

How marketing strategy,perceived value and brand image influence WOM outcomes—The sharing economy perspective

As concepts and technology evolve, the sharing economy changes not only business management methods but also lifestyle, leisure, tourism and hospitality consumption. This research proposes an integrated empirical model that illuminates the role of shared economy perceptions on transportation tools in explaining consumer behaviour in word-of-mouth (WOM) and usage intention. In Study 1, 368 YouBike users' perspectives were examined, and the results showed that ease of use is key to promoting WOM through perceived value and brand image. Furthermore, based on 338 GoShare users' perspectives in Study 2, brand image and reputation are shown to play the critical mediating roles in linking the relationships between marketing strategy and WOM. Additionally, usage intention has important moderating roles in the WOM development process. Overall, this study helps academics and marketing decision-makers understand which critical attributes influence customers’ behaviours when implementing sharing economic concepts.     

How Do Price Perceptions of Different Brand Types Affect Shopping Value and Store Loyalty?

This research investigates the relationships among price perceptions for different brand types (national brands, standard store brands, regional store brands, organic store brands), shopping value dimensions (quality, price, social, and emotion value), and store loyalty (retention and word of mouth (WOM)). A comprehensive model depicts determinants of customer store loyalty. Using structural equation modeling, the model test includes 671 consumers intercepted during shopping trips. The data analysis yields several surprising results. In particular, low product price perceptions do not necessarily signal negative store quality evaluations. Shopping value dimensions influence store retention loyalty and WOM behavior differently. Furthermore, different brand types exert distinct effects on the value creation process. Favorable prices for national and standard store brands have comparable positive effects on store price value and emotional value creation; appealing prices of regional store brands instead reduce the emotional value of the store, and low prices for organic store brand products significantly increase social value creation.     

Website usability,consumer satisfaction and the intention to use a website: The moderating effect of perceived risk

This paper analyzes the influence of website usability on both consumers' satisfaction and intention to use a website, as well as the impact of satisfaction on usage intentions. Additionally, we study the moderating effect that consumer risk perceptions may have on the influence of website usability. Results show that website usability affects satisfaction which in turn affects intention to use. Contrary to expected, usability does not directly affect intention to use but has an indirect effect through consumer satisfaction. Finally, the usability effect on consumer satisfaction is moderated by perceived risk.     

How can I Be as attractive as a Fitness YouTuber in the era of COVID-19? The impact of digital attributes on flow experience,satisfaction, and behavioral intention

In the past decade, the social media platform has dramatically changed individuals’ daily activities in real life and on the Internet, including shopping, socialization, entertainment, study, and even health and fitness. In the era of COVID-19, particularly, consumers tend to rely more on digital attributes of social media platforms for their decision-making process by reducing the physical touchpoint. Responding to this ongoing trend, this study investigates how fitness YouTube channel attributes and fitness YouTuber attributes influence flow experience, satisfaction, and behavioral intention of YouTubers who work out at home via a fitness YouTube channel during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the social media literature and the cognitive appraisal theory, this research formulates a research model that specifies the influence of three dimensions of fitness YouTube channel attributes (i.e., social interaction, information quality, and visual content) and three dimensions of fitness YouTuber attributes (i.e., social attractiveness, physical attractiveness, and attitude homophily) on flow experience, YouTube channel satisfaction, and behavioral intention in the context of YouTube. This study recruited participants in the United States who currently work out via a fitness YouTube channel through three waves of data collection during the COVID-19 era. The empirical results revealed that flow experience was significantly affected by information quality, visual content, and physical attractiveness. Also, YouTube channel satisfaction was significantly affected by social interaction, information quality, and visual content. Lastly, behavioral intention was significantly affected by flow experience and YouTube channel satisfaction. Based on the findings, this study proposes meaningful implications for the extant literature and social media industry during the COVID-19 pandemic.     

Factors affecting luxury consumers’ webrooming intention: A moderated-mediation approach

The aim of this study to investigate factors affecting luxury consumers’ webrooming intention using a moderated mediation framework. The study also investigates the mediating effects of perceived hedonic value and perceived utilitarian value and how these mediating effects are moderated by online risk perceptions. Data were collected using offline survey from 374 luxury consumers in India, using systematic sampling. The results indicated that perceived usefulness of online search, need for touch and socialization have significant impact on webrooming intention. Perceived hedonic value and perceived utilitarian value mediate the effect of variables on webrooming intention and mediation effect of perceived utilitarian value varied between high and low levels of online risk perceptions. Findings of this study will help luxury retailers in managing consumer channel switching behaviour. The study enriches luxury marketing literature by examining emerging webrooming, channel switching phenomenon.