Antecedents of consumers’ intention to visit food trucks

The food truck industry has become a national phenomenon in the United States by gaining attention and praise. However, there has been limited attention on how and why consumers decide to patronize food trucks. The purpose of the study is to investigate determinants of consumers’ intention to patronize food trucks by applying the model of goal-directed behavior. Structural equation modeling was employed to assess the relationships among constructs in the proposed research model. This study contributes significant theoretical and practical implications by first attempting to examine what specific psychological variables influence the decision-making process regarding consumers’ intention to visit food trucks.     

Social bundling: A novel method to enhance consumers’ intention to purchase online bundles

Bundling in retail has been argued to improve sales volume and speed, which can improve retailers’ operation performance. However, recent research finds that the purchase quantity requirement in traditional bundling deters non-buyers from becoming buyers. This paper proposes “social bundling,” as a novel method that alleviates the quantity requirement while satisfying the bundling benefits for consumers and retailers. We empirically test a theoretical model that explains the advantages and disadvantages of social bundling vis-à-vis traditional bundling in influencing consumers’ intentions to purchase in bundles. We conclude that social bundling outperforms traditional bundling in driving intention to purchase in bundles.     

Investigating the factors influencing small online vendors’ intention to continue engaging in social commerce

ABSTRACT

This study investigates the variables that determine small online vendors’ intentions to continue engaging in social commerce. Based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and social exchange theory (SET), eight hypotheses were developed to (1) identify the antecedents that influence small online vendors’ attitudes toward social commerce, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control; and (2) examine the causal relationships among the variables with respect for continuous usage intention. A questionnaire survey was used to collect data on a sample of 166 small online vendor managers and employees. Partial least squares (PLS) was used to validate the proposed model. The findings show that social exchange factors (perceived benefits and commitment) significantly affect small vendors’ attitudes toward social commerce. The results further confirm the validity of TPB, i.e., attitude and perceived behavioral control have significant impacts on continuous usage intention in relation to social commerce. The findings of this study provide important insights into the antecedents of attitude for academics and practitioners, application of social computing in commerce for engaging in service innovation, and have the potential to contribute to the development of effective online marketing strategies.     

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.     

Factors affecting consumers’ intention towards purchasing halal food in South Africa: a structural equation modelling

This research study highlighted the factors that influence the intention of consumers to buy halal food products. In this study, the researchers have chosen to address the gap in the literature pertaining to non-South African consumers’ purchase intention. Non-South Africans are foreign people who reside in South Africa including immigrants, workers, and students. Through utilising the theory of planned behaviour, this study aims to determine the attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behaviour control, and awareness of non-South African towards purchasing halal food products. This also attempts to identify the strongest factor that influences the purchasing intention of halal food by non-South African consumers. The sample of the study consisted of 230 non-South African consumers in Cape Town. Data were collected through self-administered questionnaires. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to identify the structural relationships among the constructs identified and to test the study hypotheses. The findings of this study indicate that there is a significant relationship between awareness and buying behaviour. Interestingly it found that only the attitude dimension of TPB had a significant relationship with purchase intention, whereas subjective norms and perceived behavioural control did not show a significant relationship with the consumer intention variable.     

Conceptualising consumers’ word-of-mouth behaviour intention: evidence from a university education services in Malaysia

The aim of this study is to propose a theoretical model to examine consumer word-of-mouth (WOM) behavioural intention in Malaysian education services. The results from a survey of 247 respondents indicate that servicescape, service recovery, service quality and satisfaction significantly affect consumers’ intention to engage in WOM behaviour. The results support majority of the hypothesized relationships, suggesting that servicescape and service recovery function as antecedents, directly affecting consumer perceptions of education service quality. The analytical results also demonstrate that perceived service quality positively affects satisfaction, which subsequently induces consumers’ behavioural intentions. Consistent with previous empirical studies, our findings suggest that satisfaction is a super-ordinate construct with a positive relation to behavioural intention, and significantly mediates the effect of service quality on the intention to engage in WOM behaviour. The insignificant direct effect from service quality to WOM further suggests the role of satisfaction as a complete mediator in the university education service setting. Implications for future research are discussed and limitations noted.     

Customers’ intention to adopt smart lockers in last-mile delivery service: A multi-theory perspective

Many logistics service providers are now adjusting their business service strategies to satisfy consumers' higher demands and expectations. An automated parcel locker for self-pickup is one of the options; however, there is currently no smart locker service available in Thailand. This study integrates resource matching theory, innovation diffusion theory, and theory of planned behavior to clarify Thai consumers' intention to utilize smart lockers. The data for this study were received from 302 participants living in Thailand. Convenience, reliability, privacy security, compatibility, relative advantage, complexity, perceived behavioral control, and attitude were included in the questionnaire to test if they were significant determinants of consumers' intention to use smart lockers. The results reveal that convenience, reliability, privacy security, compatibility, relative advantage, complexity, perceived behavioral control, and attitude influence Thai consumers’ intention to use smart lockers. This study contributes to the literature on combining resource matching theory, innovation diffusion theory, and theory of planned behavior; this enriches theoretical research on self-service technologies in last-mile logistics delivery, and also provides insights for consumer behavioral research.     

Predicting satisfaction and intentions to use online food delivery: What really makes a difference?

ABSTRACT

Online food delivery (OFD) is no longer a new concept for the majority of Americans. Large food delivery companies make millions in revenues and those numbers are expected to increase. This study was conducted to investigate customer intentions to use OFD services through the evaluation of satisfaction, food quality, and OFD service quality. The OFD service quality was assessed via e-SELFQUAL dimensions, and included perceived control, service convenience, customer service, and service fulfillment. The study determined that food quality, control, customer service, and service fulfillment affect customer satisfaction in online food delivery services. Customer satisfaction showed a strong positive impact on behavioral intentions to use OFD.     

Critical factors characterizing consumers’ intentions to use drones for last-mile delivery: Does delivery risk matter?

Uncrewed Aerial Vehicle (UAV), commonly known as a drone, has become popular in military and recreational circles. Although their usage in commerce is relatively low, a continuous rise in commercial use, especially for last-mile delivery, in the future is anticipated. Consequently, there is a necessity for a greater understanding of consumers' readiness to accept the latest technological application to increase knowledge, business, and managerial practice. Specifically, this study aims to investigate consumers’ intentions to deploy drones for last-mile delivery. The study applies the social cognitive theory and the model of goal-directed behaviour. It investigates the effect of outcome expectancy, lifestyle compatibility, perceived self-efficacy, consumer attitude, and the desire of usage for delivery drones among European millennial consumers. Additionally, it examines whether delivery risk moderates the influence of attitude and desire to use delivery drones. The authors discovered that the aforementioned are positively related to consumer attitude. Consumer attitude as such is positively associated with the desire and intention to use this method of delivery. Furthermore, the intention to use drone delivery is positively influenced by the desire for this delivery, outcome expectancy, and lifestyle compatibility. These findings indicate the importance of desire and lifestyle compatibility as predictors. At the theoretical level, the results support the perspective that social cognitive theory, together with the model of goal-directed behaviour, is an adequate framework to account for consumer intentions.     

Factors influencing Generation Y consumers’ perceptions of eWOM credibility: a study of the fast-food industry

eWOM communication is certainly one of the most influential drivers of purchase decisions. However, little knowledge is available on the factors that influence the trustworthiness and credibility of eWOM communication. To address this research gap, the study aimed to assess whether the three independent variables (homophily, authority and interestingness) have a significant positive indirect effect on eWOM credibility, as mediated by source trustworthiness. The context of the study was fast-food retailers. A cross-sectional survey was conducted and the target population included all Generation Y consumers that visited the fast-food market leaders in Gauteng province, the economic hub of South Africa. Lisrel version 8.8 was used to analyse the results obtained from a realised sample of 362 respondents and to compile the structural equation model. The findings of the study support the research hypotheses formulated and offer a theoretical contribution by enhancing knowledge of the relationships between the variables investigated as well as the factors that could influence eWOM credibility. The study also has meaning to fast-food retailers, as the model could be applied to formulate appropriate strategies and influence the online conversations and perceptions of consumers.     

Firms’ performance following the initial resignation of independent directors: evidence from Taiwan

This study investigates the operating performance of firms listed on the Taiwan stock exchange following the initial resignation of independent directors. The results show that the firms’ operating performance following the resignation of these directors has not only deteriorated, but is also significantly below the industry average. In addition, firms with a relatively severe agency problem, including firms that have lower insider or institutional shareholdings, receive audit opinions other than unqualified opinions or change their auditors prior to the resignation of the independent directors, tend to perform more poorly following the resignation.     

What do consumers want? A methodological framework to identify determinant product attributes from consumers’ online questions

Determinant attributes play an important role in consumers’ purchase decisions. Firms rely on them to differentiate their products. Determinant attributes are typically identified using direct methods or indirect methods. However, the voice of the customer online can also provide key insights regarding attributes that are part of the consumers’ pre-purchase search process. The purpose of this study is to propose a framework to identify determinant attributes from online consumer questions. Our method uses semi-supervised Latent Dirichlet Allocation to identify product attributes initially. This is followed by the application of sequence pattern mining to identify temporal sequences of determinant attributes. Finally, hierarchical time series is used to forecast consumer interest in determinant attributes over time. The results show that our study can be used to identify determinant attributes of competing brands and can also be used to forecast consumer interest in these attributes. Brands can use this framework to have a pulse on what consumers look for before purchase. This will aid their decisions related to promotion as well as product development processes.     

“I just like this e-Retailer”: Understanding online consumers repurchase intention from relationship quality perspective

In an increasingly competitive market, retaining customers is essential for both e-retailers and online shopping platforms. This study focuses on relationship quality as it pertains to repurchase intentions in Ghana. The mediating role of price level is addressed. The results show that customer trust, customer commitment, and customer satisfaction affect price level. Customer trust and satisfaction affect repurchase intention, but customer commitment does not affect repurchase intention. Also, price level mediates the relationship between relationship quality and repurchase intention. Implications of these findings are discussed.     

Relationships between process quality,outcome quality,satisfaction, and behavioural intentions for online travel agencies – evidence from Taiwan

Instead of using the SERVQUAL-type scale, this study conceptualizes e-service quality by two dimensions – process quality and outcome quality – and explores the relationships between process quality, outcome quality, satisfaction, and behavioural intentions in the context of online travel agencies. Using an empirical survey consisting of 240 Taiwanese respondents who have purchased online travel agents' products, the results reveal that process quality and outcome quality have significantly direct and positive effects on satisfaction. In addition, there exists a significant influence of satisfaction on behavioural intentions. While supporting the quality–satisfaction–behavioural intentions relationship overall, this study specifically provides more insights into the construction and effects of e-service quality.     

Quality of past performance: Impact on consumers’ responses to service failure

The conceptual model developed in this paper for the airline industry examines the relationship between quality of past service performance and consumers’ responses to service failures (causal attributions, emotions and satisfaction). The empirical results obtained indicate that for those consumers with higher perceptions of quality the causes underlying service failures are seen as less stable and less controllable by the firm than the causes identified by consumers with lower perceptions of quality. Attributions about the failure not only influence satisfaction directly but also moderate the effect of quality on satisfaction. We also analyse the mediating effect of negative emotions on the relationship between service failure attributions and consumer satisfaction.

Effects of social media on consumers’ purchase decisions: evidence from Taobao

Given the rapid growth of social media, it is important to understand the effects of social media on consumers’ purchase decisions in the e-commerce environment. However, although some e-commerce sites have started to link themselves to social media to enhance user interactions, previous studies of social media and service management have shed little light on the effects of social media on consumers’ purchase decisions. This study proposes a theoretical research model that includes social media factors, social impact transfer factors, and e-commerce outcome factors. We posit social interaction ties and social media commitment as key elements of social media. An online questionnaire was conducted to test the research model and hypotheses based on survey data collected from Taobao, the largest e-commerce site in China. The analysis results indicate that social interaction ties have significant positive effects on social impact transfer factors and trust in online vendor, whereas they do not directly influence visit intention. Social media commitment plays a crucial role in increasing social impact transfer factors and e-commerce outcomes. The findings reveal the different effects of normative and informational social influences on consumer purchase decisions. Further implications are discussed.     

Website quality and users' intention to use digital libraries: Examining users’ attitudes,online co-creation experiences,and eWOM

This research aims to examine how the website quality affects the intention of digital library users to use the website by considering factors of user's attitudes, online co-creation experiences, and electronic word-of-mouth. The statistical population of the research is composed of the users of Astan Qods Razavi digital library, which is one of the oldest digital libraries in Iran. Data was collected from 402 participants who use the library and analyzed in SPSS and PLS softwares. Construct validity was assessed and confirmed using convergent validity and divergent validity. Data reliability was assessed and confirmed using Cronbach's alpha and composite reliability. The research confirms that website quality affects the attitudes of users towards the website and their intention to participate in online co-creation and eWOM. The effects of user's attitudes to the online co-creation experience, eWOM, and intention to use the library, as well as the effects of the online co-creation experience and eWOM on the intention to use the digital library were also confirmed. Considering the results of the research, it is recommended to digital libraries to provide an efficient user-friendly website designed to increase user participation and establish close contact with them and in this way increase their intention to use digital library services.     

Exploring the relationship between employees’ CSR perceptions and intention to emigrate: Evidence from a developing country

This study contributes to the burgeoning research on corporate social responsibility (CSR) at the individual level of analysis, in a hitherto largely neglected developing country context. Using survey information collected from 297 employees in public and private enterprises in Kosovo, this study examines how and to what extent employees’ perceptions of their employer's CSR activities are associated with their intention to emigrate. Applying a needs-based framework, this research provides evidence that employees’ perceptions of CSR are positively related to the meaningfulness of their work and job satisfaction and negatively related to intention to emigrate. Additionally, results confirm that the association between CSR perceptions and emigration intention is mediated by the meaningfulness of work and job satisfaction. From a practical point of view, this research should encourage private and public enterprises in developing countries to enhance and extend their CSR engagement.     

Factors Influencing Consumers’ Willingness to Pay for Organic Fruits and Vegetables: Empirical Evidence from a Consumer Survey in India

Numerous consumers confronted with increasing environmental problems, food safety issues, and augmentative health problems increasingly desire to have healthier and more natural foods grown in an eco-friendly manner. Hitherto organic foods only partly benefit from this increasing market environment, and their market share stays rather low despite high growth rates. This article aims to investigate consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) for organic fruits and vegetables and relevant factors affecting consumers WTP. The contingent valuation method was selected to estimate WTP. Empirical data was drawn from a 250-consumer survey conducted in Bangalore during February 2013. A binomial logistic regression model was applied to obtain the value of WTP and determine the factors influencing it. The results indicated that about 90% of the consumers were willing to pay a premium price ranging between 5% to more than 100% in order to acquire better-quality fruits and vegetables; factors such as family income, size of the family, gender, and other opinion variables such as chemical residue in conventional foods, trust on retailers, taste, and environmental concerns significantly influence consumers’ WTP. More than 87% of the consumers indicated that high price, lack of availability, narrow range, and irregular supply are the major barriers for them to buy these products. The results provide useful evidence to pertinent governmental agencies in terms of assisting in the design of policies for the promotion of organic food production and marketing and reaching the target public. Furthermore, firms involved in the organic foods business may also see benefits when drawing information in order to calibrate marketing strategies.     

Examining the role of receptivity to green communication,altruism and openness to change on young consumers’ intention to purchase green apparel: A multi-analytical approach

The current study aims to examine the impact of receptivity to green communication, altruism and openness to change on young consumers' purchase intention towards green apparel in India. Using a two stage approach, the research model is assessed with data collected through an online survey from a sample of 549 young consumers. In the first step, structural equation modeling (SEM) is used to determine the linear relationship among factors in the theoretical model. In the second step, artificial neural network (ANN) analysis is used to determine the predictive accuracy of the significant factors obtained from the SEM. The results from the SEM analysis reveal that receptivity to green communication, altruism and openness to change, along with the three predictors of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) significantly affect consumers’ purchase intention towards green apparel. Further, there is an indirect effect of altruism and openness to change on purchase intention through attitude supporting the value-attitude-behavior cognitive hierarchy (VABH). Besides, perceived behavioral control is found to mediate the impact of openness to change on intention to purchase green apparel. The root mean square of error (RMSE) values obtained from the ANN analysis suggest that the models show good predictive accuracy. The study contributes to the existing literature by confirming the applicability of the TPB and the VABH as well as suggesting a robust predictive framework by using ANN for green apparel purchase intention.