The HASSLE Scale

Abstract

Retailers can respond to consumer complaints of perceived problems in many different ways. The response chosen by the retailer, as well as the time and effort exerted by the consumer, can influence consumer satisfaction/dissatisfaction (S/D) with the complaint resolution process. Results suggest that consumer S/D with the complaint resolution process has four critical dimensions. The two consumer input dimensions are consumer time and consumer effort expended in an attempt to resolve the problem. The two outcome dimensions are compensation received and attributes of the retailer's representative.     

Consumer Ethics: The Role of Religiosity

This article presents the results of a study that investigated the role that religiosity plays in determining consumer attitudes/beliefs regarding various questionable consumer practices. Additionally, other personal factors were examined including idealism, relativism, consumer alienation and selected demographics such as income and age. All of these constructs were examined as antecedents of consumer ethical beliefs. The results of a post hoc analysis indicated that religiosity was a significant determinate of both idealism and relativism, and since idealism and relativism determine consumer ethical beliefs, religiosity is a significant indirect determinate of consumer ethical beliefs.     

The cynicism of consumer morality

Based on an empirical analysis of a yearlong netnography of a Swedish online fashion community, and the explication of the concept of modern cynicism, this paper develops a novel perspective on consumer morality. The analysis suggests that modern cynicism informs consumers of the reasonableness in consciously stating one type of morality while acting out another, in order to handle the morally conflicting demands put on them by contemporary consumer culture. The contribution of the paper is mainly threefold: (i) it conceptualizes instances of consumer morality as a form of consumer cynicism; (ii) it advances our understanding of consumer morality by showing how instances of consumer morality are articulated through cynical discursive practices, steeped in an enlightened disbelief in: the market, the other consumer and the self; and (iii) it shows that consumer cynicism, as enlightened critique, does not necessarily constitute an effective form of resistance. It is concluded that we may observe yet another type of morality developing within contemporary consumption, markets and culture: a morality of cynicism where consumers, actors and organizations not only find something healthy, but also something right or good in a cynical reason.     

消费文化的伦理话语

消费文化的伦理话语是消费社会的生活观念与社会关系在文化审美上的表现。作为消费社会的价值立法文本与阐释系统,其伦理内容主要表现为：文化经验的感觉主义表情;文化审美的享乐主义崇拜;生活实践的功利主义诉求。具体来说,感觉主义表现了消费文化文本的客体伦理构成;享乐主义言说着消费文化的主体伦理反应;功利主义则揭示了消费文化的伦理实体与基本价值范式。     

The development of consumer protection in Saudi Arabia

The development of consumer protection in Saudi Arabia is of interest for a number of reasons. First, Saudi Arabia presents a unique combination of size, stage of development of the economy and wealth, coupled with strictness of Islamic observance. Second, consumer protection in the Saudi context has received very little attention from researchers. Despite the richness of Islamic teachings on the conduct of business and trade, very little has been written on consumer protection in Islamic societies other than discussions of financial markets and consumer credit and monopoly. This article briefly explores the background to the emergence of consumer protection in Saudi Arabia. Consumer credit and financial markets are excluded from the discussion. Islamic (Shari’ah) law is analysed as a basis for the regulation of consumer affairs; this system of law is then compared in its major outcomes for consumers with legal systems in advanced Western economies. The development of secular commercial law during recent times in Saudi Arabia is also considered as a parallel development to those in Shari’ah. Both strands of development are then set in the context of Saudi Arabia's 5‐year development plans and the changing position of consumer policy issues is tracked through successive plans. The institutional location of consumer policy within the Saudi government system is discussed before finally considering the changing nature of the Saudi consumer and the possible future for consumer protection in the country.     

The impact of retailers’ sustainable development on consumer advocacy: A chain mediation model investigation

This study explores the impact of retailers' sustainable development (RSD) on consumer advocacy. Drawing on the theoretical foundations of institutional theory, this study presents and confirms a model that investigates the mediating role of retailers' legitimacy and consumer trust, and the moderating role of consumer ecological literacy between RSD and consumer advocacy. Using the sample of 942 consumers and PLS-based structural equation modeling technique, the results revealed that RSD positively correlates with consumer advocacy. Additionally, retailers' legitimacy and consumer trust mediate this correlation by a respective mediating role and a chain-mediating role. Besides, consumer eco-literacy negatively moderates the direct impact of RSD on consumer advocacy and consumer trust, and the indirect impact of RSD on consumer advocacy through consumer trust. However, the direct impact of RSD on retailers' legitimacy, the mediating effect of RSD on consumer advocacy through retailers' legitimacy, and the chain-mediating effect of RSD on consumer advocacy through retailers’ legitimacy and consumer trust are not moderated by consumer eco-literacy. This study has implications for retailers seeking practical ways to increase consumer advocacy.     

The structural weaknesses of the consumer movement

The international consumer market in the western industrial nations is largely the product of the affluent post-war period. It has grown out of a concern that the legal principle of caveat emptor is inadequate to protect the consumer in the modern, complex marketplace by consumer education and protection, improved consumer information and a general concern for the consumer and physical environments. Consumer groups are typically seen to be self-help groups for the educated middle classes with little concern for the disadvantaged consumer, and there is no evidence that they have seriously challenged the dominance of producers and distributors. Two contrasting approaches to the structural analysis of consumer groups in the political systems of western industrial nations are considered, the pluralist approach and the conflict approach. It is argued that the analysis of power in the marketplace demonstrates that there is substantial producer dominance in the marketplace. The paper concludes by identifying five structural weaknesses of the consumer movement: negligible communication between consumers; the inability to mobilize; the rejection of effective (but politically radical) forms of action; the acceptance of existing market arrangements; and the provision of ideological support for these arrangements.     

The goal of consumer advice: Transparency or autonomy?

To improve the transparency of consumer markets by means of information is an important task but it cannot be served efficiently by consumer advice. The genuine aim of consumer advice is described here as promoting consumer autonomy by, first, decision counselling and related means and, second, coordinating consumer interests. The paper is centred on two main issues: the responsibility of suppliers of consumer goods to meet the consumers' information needs, and the potential and chance for consumers to progress towards a higher degree of autonomy.     

品牌社群对顾客价值感知和创新的影响研究

近年来,品牌社群作为消费者群体性虚拟组织迅猛发展,为我们解读顾客价值提供了重要途径。文章认为,品牌社群的特征影响着顾客价值感知和顾客价值创新。通过实证分析可知,品牌社群技术性及品牌社群参与性等对顾客价值感知有正向影响,品牌社群共同意识、道德责任感及品牌社群技术性对顾客价值创新有正向影响。品牌社群运营者可以通过提高品牌社群技术性、促进成员的共同意识、道德责任感和参与性等方面做出行动,以促使成员更好地感知焦点品牌的顾客价值并且参与价值创新,品牌企业也可以通过关注和引导品牌社群的发展增强企业的竞争力。     

The Development and Implementation of the Concept of Consumer Education

With the recent upsurge of emphasis in consumer education at the State and Federal government levels, consumer educators need to review the historical roots of the current movement to develop a broader perspective for planning future directions in consumer education. It is also necessary to understand the two orientations (buymanship and life goals) towards consumer education course content. Finally, a review of previous research into factors that influence the level of consumer economic competency is required.     

中国消费品出口贸易规模与结构分析

20世纪90年代以来,我国消费品出口贸易迅速发展,占全部出口贸易值的比重持续上升,目前已超过60％,在出口贸易中占有重要地位。今后,中国消费品出口贸易规模将稳步扩大,但占全部出口商品的比重将有所下降;消费类电子电器等资本技术密集型消费品占全部出口消费品的比重继续上升,其他劳动密集型消费品所占比重继续下降,中国消费品出口贸易结构继续优化。     

The effect of activity identity fusion on negative consumer behavior

Negative consumer behavior is an important research topic as it explores consumer behaviors that threaten a brand's image and financial stability. However, prior research offers conflicting findings on whether a strong consumer‐brand relationship hurts or protects a brand after a market disruption or a brand transgression. To provide clarity on this issue, this work argues that disrupting the consumer‐activity relationship motivates consumers to reaffirm and protect their identity, thereby leading to negative consumer behavior. The data reveal that, after a brand‐initiated market disruption, consumers with high activity identity fusion are more likely to spread negative word‐of‐mouth, boycott the brand, and avoid repurchasing the brand in the future. Moreover, the data suggest that high brand identity fusion protects the brand during market disruptions; therefore, prior conflicting results may be due to the fact that the consumer‐activity relationship was not accounted for. Theoretically, this work establishes that consumers' relationship with their consumption activities has significant impacts on consumer behavior. Brand managers and marketers are urged to develop strategies that focus on strengthening the consumer‐brand relationship and not the consumer‐activity relationship.     

The Effect of Debt on Perceived Household Welfare

Much of the traditional literature on consumer credit implies that using consumer credit will make families feel worse off but economic investment theory implies the use of consumer credit will not cause a decrease in utility. The effect of changes in debt-asset ratios and other financial and demographic variables on perceived financial well-being are investigated in this article. The results of the analyses indicate families' utility levels did not decrease when they used consumer credit to acquire commodities.     

The effect of weather on consumer spending

There has been a great deal of anecdotal evidence to suggest that weather affects consumer decision making. In this paper, we provide empirical evidence to explain how the weather affects consumer spending and we detail the psychological mechanism that underlies this phenomenon. Specifically, we propose that the effect of weather – and, in particular, sunlight – on consumer spending is mediated by negative affect. That is, as exposure to sunlight increases, negative affect decreases and consumer spending tends to increase. We find strong support for this prediction across a series of three mixed methods studies in both the lab and the field.     

The Nature of Self-Reported Guilt in Consumption Contexts

This research uses consumer guilt narratives to identify a typology for consumption related guilt. Three major dimensions of guilt circumstances emerged involving other individuals, societal standards, and more specific situations related to oneself. The connection between categories of consumer guilt experience and the resulting consumer response is also explored, with resulting consumer actions involving amendment, rationalization, and/or denial to resolve guilt experienced. The findings are integrated into a general discussion of the theoretical and substantive implications and the potential avenues for future research in the area.     

The concept of consumer vulnerability: Scale development and validation

Although studies of nonrational consumer behaviour in the fields of psychology and marketing are widespread, few scholars have discussed this issue from the integrated perspective of individual characteristics and consumer welfare. Extant research has introduced the concept of consumer vulnerability to deepen the study of nonrational behaviour. The present research defines consumer vulnerability as an individual characteristic, that is, a tendency to be influenced by an external stimulation or temptation that leads to decisions harmful to the person's own welfare. To operationalize this concept, this study develops a consumer vulnerability scale. Results from exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis reveal the following seven dimensions of consumer vulnerability: product knowledge, product promotion, marketing and emotional stress, social pressure, purchasing power, refunds policy and discrimination ability. After verifying the scale's reliability and validity, this study confirms that it can be applied to measure the degree to which consumer welfare has been harmed and predict nonrational decision‐making behaviour. Limitations and future research directions also are discussed.     

中国流转税税负归宿分析

本文运用可计算一般均衡模型,计算我国流转税税负在不同收入水平人群之间的归宿。模型中根据我国的二元经济结构,把城镇居民按收入水平分为7组、农村居民分为5组,运用一般均衡原理,分析流转税税收负担在各组居民之间的分布,再把每组居民承担的税负与可支配收入对比,计算我国流转税体系的具体累退程度。根据我国整个税收制度的设计特点,解释流转税体系累退性的原因,并为完善税制公平功能提出建议。     

The Role of Brand Communications in Consumer Purchases of Organic Foods: A Research Framework

Despite a high level of awareness about organic foods in the marketplace, consumer purchases remain relatively low. This article develops a research framework for translation of relatively high consumer awareness of organic foods to increased consumer purchases. Literature review reveals that both a lack of knowledge in how foods qualify as organic and consumers’ mistrust in the way organizations apply the word organic prevents consumers from engaging in organic food purchases. Furthermore, being organic is no longer enough as organic products have become commoditized in the marketplace. With such an increasing commoditization of organic products, there is a growing pressure for organics to more effectively differentiate themselves. Accordingly, there is a dual branding opportunity for upgrading the current state of consumer awareness into both a higher volume of purchases and expanding the consumer base. This article proposes a research framework utilizing brand communications that could play a central role in triggering higher levels of consumer awareness, translating into increased volumes of organic purchases. This research framework considers consumer benefits an antecedent to brand communications and organic knowledge and consumer trust the mediators in influencing consumer organic purchases.     

消费文化变迁测量及其对冲动购买的影响研究

随着市场经济的快速发展,中国消费文化也在变迁。尽管越来越多的学者和企业已关注到了消费文化变迁的重要作用,但是目前多数对于消费文化变迁的相关研究还停留在理论描述的定性研究阶段。文章基于霍夫施泰德的文化模型并结合中国消费文化变迁的研究成果严谨地开发了消费文化变迁构念的测量量表,并系统地研究了中国消费文化变迁对冲动购买的影响。研究结果显示消费文化的五个维度,即权力距离、个人主义、不确定性规避、社会的男性化程度和长期导向的变迁都与冲动购买正相关。文章的理论贡献在于首次系统开发并形成了关于消费文化变迁的量表,从而实现了对中国消费文化变迁的定量测量,并进一步系统地研究了消费文化变迁对冲动购买的影响。     

The influences of consumer innovativeness and consumer evaluation attributes in the purchase of fashionable ethnic wear in India

This paper highlights the consumer motivations for purchase of an innovative product like fashionable ethnic wear in India. It attempts to combine consumer innovativeness constructs and consumer evaluation attributes to understand buying behaviour in fashionable ethnic wear through a consumer survey. It confirms the relationship between product usage (the number of brands bought) and ethnic wear domain‐specific innovativeness. It also explores the correlations among different dimensions of consumer innovativeness like domain‐specific innovativeness, optimum stimulation level and consumers' need for uniqueness constructs. It shows the difference in importance attached to the chosen consumer innovativeness constructs and consumer evaluation attributes by buyers and non‐buyers in the purchase process.