Factors affecting couples' decisions to jointly shop

This paper explores the factors that influence individuals' decisions to jointly shop. Drawing from qualitative interviews and relevant theories, the researchers present a model of couple's likelihood of joint shopping. The model includes utilitarian motives (product purchase relevance and perceived financial risk), hedonic motives (expected shopping pleasure with one's partner), and a situational motive (time availability), along with two moderators (gender and relationship length). Online survey respondents answer questions relative to an experimental scenario involving the purchase of furniture or electronics. Results indicate that while all variables studied are influential, expected shopping pleasure and relevance of the purchase to both parties are the most influential aspects in the decision to shop together. Additionally, for males perceived financial risk has a stronger effect on their decision to jointly shop than it does for females.     

A study on factors affecting service quality and loyalty intention in mobile banking

Mobile banking (MB) is one of the most recent innovations for financial sectors which could have practical value to both users and banks. This study aims to explore the dimensions affecting mobile banking loyalty intention and examine their interrelationships and effects on service quality and loyalty. By referring to service quality model, customised factors affecting mobile banking service quality and loyalty intention were proposed. Survey data were collected from 224 mobile banking users and were analysed based on structural equation modelling (SEM). The results of SEM analysis directly or indirectly highlight the importance of the interface design, system quality, security assurance and service quality in mobile banking loyalty intention. Meanwhile, the implications of the findings on both theoretical and managerial are discussed, as well as the limitation of this study.     

Displayed emotions to patronage intention: consumer response to contact personnel performance

The impact of service on consumers' brand attitudes and patronage intentions serves to stress its importance to service marketers. This study further investigates previous research by proposing an integrative model that examines the hierarchical influence underlying emotions displayed by service personnel and the subsequent effect on consumer behavioural intention in the retail service context. Results indicate that service personnel-displayed emotion hierarchically influences consumers' emotions, satisfaction with service personnel, brand attitude, and patronage intention. Findings also reveal that brand attitude plays a critical mediating role. This work discusses implications for retail service firms and marketing executives, in addition to providing direction for future research.     

Ambient scent and consumer behavior: a field study in a florist's retail shop

Numerous studies have shown that ambient scents influence human behavior including customers' behavior in real retail environments. However, the effects of scents in a closed-in plant and flower shop have not yet been examined. This study proceeded to measure customer behavior in two different situations taking place in a French flower shop: when lavender aroma was diffused and when it was not. The results showed that lavender aroma increased both the number of customers who bought plants and/or flowers and the amount of purchasing.     

Understanding the inhibitors to consumer mobile purchasing intentions

Consumers frequently browse online stores via mobile (m-) channels but seldom realize transactions through m-channels. Although this m-purchasing yields an attractive growth opportunity for online retailers, existing research still insufficiently explains m-purchasing (intentions). Hence, this research develops and empirically tests a model of m-purchasing intention. This study's findings suggest that both task-related (e.g., perceived security risk of m-purchasing) and m-channel-related (e.g., perceived security risk of m-channels) factors inhibit consumers' decision to use m-channels for online transactions. Prior experiences with m-purchasing moderate the effect of perceived m-purchasing security risk on m-purchasing intention; the effect is stronger for experienced than for inexperienced consumers.     

Understanding consumer repurchase intention on O2O platforms: an integrated model of network externalities and trust transfer theory

The purpose of this study is to propose a theoretical model to explain consumer repurchase intentions in O2O commerce context by integrating network externalities theory and trust transfer theory. The model was tested using the data collected from 376 customers of an O2O platform in China. The results showed that different types of trust, direct and peer network externalities, all have impacts on consumer repurchase intentions. Trust transfer processes occur in O2O commerce. Furthermore, three components of network externalities all impact on trust in O2O platform. The implications of this study from both research and practice perspectives are discussed.     

An investigation of consumer intention to use pick-up point services for last-mile distribution in a developing country

Pick-up point services are one response to last-mile distribution challenges in the e-commerce growth scenario. However, in large cities in developing countries where the low-income and high-income groups are clearly divided, differences in consumer behavior between income groups may affect service distribution. The literature shows that most consumers may use pick-up points when available. However, the service implementation is facing huge inertia. A survey was carried out with 396 consumers in São Paulo, and a conceptual framework was proposed to expand the Diffusion of Innovation Theory to reveal these behaviors. Data were accessed using advanced structural equation modeling techniques (Multigroup and IPMA) to conduct a case study. The findings suggest that ‘Trialability’, ‘Compatibility’, and ‘Relative advantage’ constructs most affect consumer behavior. Location security and accessibility are matters of great concern. The higher preference to use the pick-up point system comes from low-income consumers (social classes D and E); almost 96% of them reported being affected by delivery issues. They also prefer personal attendance and supermarkets as safe and accessible locations. Higher social classes (A and B) still prefer home delivery. This research will help retailers to understand how to operate in a given market to provide an effective, fair, and sustainable service, promoting its diffusion.     

What a difference a word makes: Understanding threats to performance in a VUCA world

VUCA is an acronym that has recently found its way into the business lexicon. The components it refers to—volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity—are words that have been variously used to describe an environment which defies confident diagnosis and befuddles executives. In a ‘VUCA world,’ both pundits and executives have said, core activities essential to driving organizational performance—like strategic planning—are viewed as mere exercises in futility. VUCA conditions render useless any efforts to understand the future and to plan responses. When leaders are left with little to do other than wring their hands, organizational performance quickly falls at risk. In this installment of Organizational Performance, we demonstrate that by overlooking important differences in the conditions that volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity describe, we have disempowered leaders. We show how leaders can appreciate the differences among each of these challenging situations in order to properly allocate scarce resources to preserve and enhance organizational performance.     

A review of factors affecting online consumer search behaviour from an information value perspective

Much has been written about Service-Dominant Logic, Vargo and Lusch's vaunted contention that service isn't an add-on to goods but goods are tangible reminders of service. Most of these writings are conceptual rather than empirical, however. This paper adds an empirical dimension to SDL by means of a qualitative study of the Harry Potter phenomenon. It shows that although Harry Potter can be successfully viewed through V&;L's lens, the picture is not crystal clear. So vague is the resultant image, in fact, that SDL should be handled with considerable care and more than a modicum of caution.     

巴西多种消费电子销售领跑全球

据埃森哲咨询公司（Accenture）钓报告显示,在全球8个主要传统和新兴工业化国家中,巴西2010年在手机、电视机、数码相机和上网本消费方面都处于领先地位。     

Cooling off and backing out: Understanding consumer decisions to rescind a product purchase

Consumers sometimes have the right to exit a sales contract during what is known as a cooling-off period. Sales process research generally does not address cases when consumers withdraw from sales contracts during this period. Since securing product sales involves substantial marketing and sales costs, a need exists to better understand not only consumer rescission decisions and their legal context but also the managerial implications of the cooling-off period. This exploratory qualitative study examines purchase rescinding and develops a conceptual model using timeshare as the context. Results suggest that rescission relates to a mismatch between product features and personal circumstances, post-purchase concerns about product value, reassessment of financial capability, reflections on sales presentations, and cautionary influences of reference groups.     

Understanding of consumer behaviour as a prerequisite for environmental protection

A number of the environmental problems threatening our habitat are to a greater or lesser extent caused by present consumer lifestyles. More sustainable lifestyles cannot be obtained without marked changes in consumer attitudes and consumer behaviour. To arrive at a synthesis of what is known, and of what needs to be known, about the determinants of consumer behaviour with an environmental impact, a frame of reference employing three main classes of variables is used: motivation, ability, and opportunity. Apart from surveying the research of others, illustrations are given from studies carried out by the group of researchers at the Aarhus School of Business to which the authors belong; this research has been mainly concerned with waste handling and recycling. In addition, various strategies for changing consumer behaviour in an environment-friendly direction are considered. Information, moral arguments, and economic incentives are discussed as instruments for change. In setting goals for change strategies, broad goals such as heightened psychic and communicative activity in matters of environmental concern ought to be considered as an alternative to the elicitation of very specific behaviours.

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Zusammenfassung Einsicht in das Vehalten von Konsumenten als Voraussetzung für den Schutz derZahlreiche Umweltprobleme, die unsere Lebensgrundlagen bedrohen, werden Umwelt. mehr oder weniger von den Lebensgewohnheiten der Konsumenten verursacht. Lebensstile, die demgegenüber eher als nachhaltig gelten können, könen nur durch deutliche Veränderungen im Bereich der Einstellungen und des Verhaltens von Konsumenten erzielt werden.Der Beitrag liefert eine Zusammenschau dessen, was über die Einflu\faktoren auf das Verbraucherverhalten bekannt ist, soweit es Umweltwirkungen hat, und zeigt ebenso auf, was dazu noch nicht bekannt ist. Als Bezugsrahmen wählt er ein Modell, das Merkmale auf den drei Ebenen Motivation, Fähigkeit und Möglichkeit unterscheidet.Au\er einem überblick über Forschungsergebnisse, die in der Literatur berichtet werden, schildert der Beitrag auch Ergebnisse der Forschergruppe an der Aarhus School of Business, zu der die beiden Autoren des Beitrages gehören. Diese Ergebnisse beziehen sich in erster Linie auf Abfallverhalten und Wiederverwertung.Schlie\lich werden verschiedene Strategien zur Veränderung des Verbraucherverhaltens in umweltfreundlicher Richtung behandelt, vor allem Informationen, moralische Argumente und ökonomische Anreize. Bei der Formulierung von Zielen für solche Veränderungen sollten breite Zielsetzungen, wie z.B. gesteigerte psychische und kommunikative Aktivität in Umweltangelegenheiten, als Alternative zur Erreichung sehr spezifischen Verhaltens erwogen werden.

     

Don't stop with the one-stop shop: Foreign investment in a liberalizing third world

Developing countries around the world are liberalizing their trade and investment regimes. This paper, based on a multiyear, multicountry study, assesses the likely impact of these new trade and investment policies on foreign investment projects. It points to the divergence between rhetoric and reality that often characterizes the new investment policies and institutions. Indeed, the study suggests that, for many foreign investors, changes in trade policy are likely to be more significant than changes in investment policy. The paper provides recommendations to investors on how to take advantage of the new policies they are likely to encounter in developing countries. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Power and responsibility: Advertising self-regulation and consumer protection in a digital world

While advertising self-regulation is generally considered effective in a closed, largely country-based system, the digital world in which we now live is an open and global system. This raises challenges for consumer protection from national regulators trying to enforce compliance from global media platforms, advertisers, and consumers. Applying the power-responsibility equilibrium, this study explores who has the power and who has the responsibility for advertising self-regulation in a digital world. In doing so, it takes an ethnographic approach, eliciting insights from 18 key stakeholders in the self-regulatory process, across the three geographical areas of Europe, United States, and Asia-Pacific. The findings highlight the need for more collaboration and alignment of self-regulatory systems and build a framework for action through embedding responsibility, aligning standards, initiating processes, and improving outcomes. Six recommendations are offered to restore the balance of power and responsibility.     

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.     

Understanding the barriers and factors associated with consumer adoption of wearable technology devices in managing personal health

This research seeks to identify the barriers and factors associated with adopting wearable technology devices (WTDs) for managing personal health. Based on a partial least square (PLS) analysis of 277 US-based residents, the findings demonstrate that performance expectancy, social influence, facilitating conditions, hedonic motivation, habit, and personalization are significant predictors of consumers' intention to use WTDs. Interestingly, price value, privacy concerns, and health consciousness are not significant. This study will inform future research on WTDs in personal health management. Theoretical and practical implications of the study are also presented.     

Switching up the delivery game: Understanding switching intention to retail drone delivery services

Drone delivery services have been gaining momentum in retail due to the surge in digital commerce, and retail giants are seen making significant progress in delivering parcels with minimal human intervention. However, the wider diffusion of drone delivery services requires an in-depth understanding of consumers' switching intention from traditional delivery services to drone delivery services. To address this gap, the present study aims to propose and validate an asymmetric model encompassing innovation barriers, shopping motivations, and individual differences (i.e., inertia and affinity for technology interaction) in understanding consumers’ switching intention. An online survey was conducted. The data was analyzed using fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA). The results revealed five configurations with different combinations of causal antecedents.     

Understanding the intention to use mobile shopping applications and its influence on price sensitivity

This study employs an extended technology acceptance model (TAM) and the theory of diffusion of innovations (DOI) to understand the intention to use mobile commerce applications for shopping purposes. The variables—perceived enjoyment, perceived risk and personal innovativeness—were added to the original model. The price sensitivity criterion was predicted using the variables—perceived risk, personal innovativeness, satisfaction and the intention to use. An online questionnaire was circulated nationwide through email to verified e-commerce users and a sample of 675 respondents was taken for analysis through structural equation modeling approach. Gender, experience and frequency of using mobile shopping applications were used as moderators for all relationships. Findings of this study reveal that personal innovativeness and perceived risk play a major role in deciding the intention to use mobile shopping applications. Users who are highly innovative and with a higher intention to use mobile shopping applications are less sensitive to price. Various managerial implications including applications to differential pricing, improving adoption pace and segmenting consumers to design marketing strategies are discussed.     

互动营销 虚拟世界中的品牌路演

一家颇有建树的广告代理公司、一个大胆创新的广告主、一大锐意进取的媒体,三强之间的火花碰撞,将为互动营销打开哪些新的智慧之窗？     

Culture, product type, and price influences on consumer purchase intention to buy personalized products online

With personalization, consumers can choose from various product attributes and a customized product is assembled based on their preferences. Marketers often offer personalization on websites. This paper investigates consumer purchase intentions toward personalized products in an online selling situation.The research builds and tests three hypotheses: (1) intention to purchase personalized products will be affected by individualism, uncertainty avoidance, power distance, and masculinity dimensions of a national culture; (2) consumers will be more likely to buy personalized search products than experience products; and (3) intention to buy a personalized product will not be influenced by price premiums up to some level. Results indicate that individualism is the only culture dimension to have a significant effect on purchase intention. Product type and individualism by price interaction also have a significant effect, whereas price does not. Major findings and implications are discussed.