Consumer Self-Confidence in Wine Consumers: The Role of Knowledge-Based Factors

This study uses the Wine Self-Confidence Scale (WSCS) with a sample of 297 customers of ABC Fine Wine and Spirits, a Florida-based retailer, to examine aspects of self-confidence in wine purchasing. The results indicate that two knowledge-based self-confidence factors (information knowledge and persuasion knowledge) were predominant for these consumers. The study showed strong support for the WSCS, which was developed as a measure of self-confidence in wine buying by Olsen, Thompson, and Clarke (2003) and how these relate to reliance on personal experience.     

Public Information and Consumer Skepticism Effects on Celebrity Endorsements: Studies among Young Consumers

This article reports on a survey and an experimental study that were conducted to determine the extent to which public information about celebrity endorsers influences consumers' attitudes and perceptions, and whether this was moderated by an individual difference factor, consumer skepticism. Participants in the survey were more likely to recall and discuss negative events involving male sports celebrities; thought that these negative events had little or no effect on their perceptions of brands or companies associated with embattled celebrities; and focused discussion on the case of Kobe Bryant, when they were asked to discuss a specific case of a controversy involving a celebrity endorser. The experimental study revealed significant main and interaction effects of nature of information about a celebrity and consumer skepticism. It revealed that consumer skepticism has its greatest impact when information is neutral. The experimental study established that advertisers have to take into account the level of consumer skepticism when they use celebrities in their advertisements to target different groups of consumers.     

Consumer vulnerability and exclusion: A study of carers in the tourism marketplace

Abstract

Carers – a growing, multidimensional, context-specific, yet transient community (three in five of the population during a lifetime) – have been largely neglected in the marketing literature. Focusing upon the impediments to tourism participation this consumer group faces, the paper explores issues of carer engagement, consumer vulnerability, and societal exclusion from the perspective of two carer groups: senior carers and cancer carers. Conclusions reached demonstrate how challenging many carers find tourism-marketplace engagement and confirm carers can indeed be considered as vulnerable consumers. They introduce us to a range of circumstances that prompt exclusion and call upon policy makers to recognise the existence of multiple categories of vulnerability in accommodating the needs of this consumer. A future research agenda is outlined. This argues for the need to review the wider implications of the findings beyond the geographical constraints of this study, and to explore also their application to other vulnerable consumers.     

Predicting Consumer Avoidance of Native Advertising on Social Networking Sites: A Survey of Facebook Users

Abstract

As a result of constant efforts to improve consumers’ online advertising experiences, native advertising has started to gain popularity on social networking sites (SNSs). This survey study examined antecedents of avoidance of native advertising on SNSs and the moderating role of consumer skepticism toward native advertising. Our findings suggest perceived intrusiveness and perceived informative and entertainment advertising value as major antecedents of consumer advertising avoidance. Additionally, the number of brands that consumers are following on SNSs and negative communication among peers on SNSs were found to be factors affecting native advertising avoidance. Finally, consumer skepticism toward native advertising was found to be an important moderating variable in the mechanism of advertising avoidance on SNSs.     

Why Consumers Like Facebook Brands: The Role of Aspirational Brand Personality in Consumer Behavior

In total, the top five brands on Facebook have more than 500 million fans through the “like” Facebook button feature and yet research shows that about only 1% engage with the top brands on Facebook. This suggests that individuals have other underlying reasons for liking brands' Facebook pages. To address the question of the latent motivations for liking brands on Facebook, a conceptual model proposing that individuals liked Facebook brands to achieve specific virtual identities was developed and tested. The results demonstrate the significance of brand personality in determining consumer behavior. Self-congruity was also revealed to be an important moderator in the relationships theorized between brand personality and consumers' online behavior. Theoretical and practical implications are outlined and discussed.     

Understanding Corporate Social Responsibility and Product Perceptions in Consumer Markets: A Cross-cultural Evaluation

The concept of corporate social responsibility is becoming integral to effective corporate brand management. This study adopts a multidimensional and cross-country perspective of the concept and analyses consumer perceptions of behaviour of four leading consumer products manufacturers. Data was collected from consumers in two countries – Spain and the UK. The study analyses consumers’ degree of interest in corporate responsibility and its impact on their perception about the company. The findings here suggest a weak impact of company-specific communication on consumers’ perception. The implications of this study are relevant to companies for strengthening their social responsibility associations with the consumers. Dr. Jaywant Singh is Senior Lecturer at Kingston University, London where he teaches consumer behaviour and international marketing. His research interests include customer loyalty, product variants, new brands, corporate social responsibility, and consumer panel data. He received his PhD in marketing in 2004. Dr. Maria de Mar Garcia de los Salmones is Lecturer at University of Cantabria (Spain). Her current research interests include corporate social responsibility, brand image and consumer behaviour. She received her PhD in business administration in 2002. Dr. Ignacio Rodriguez de Bosque is Professor of Marketing at the University of Cantabria (Spain). His current research interests include Business Communication, relationship marketing and distribution channels. He has published in several international journals such as Tourism, Management, Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services and Industrial Marketing Management.     

Consumer ethics: A review and research agenda

Consumer ethics continues to draw the attention of academicians and practitioners as a significant economic and social issue globally. Consumer ethics refers to moral principles that govern a consumer's behaviour. This literature review seeks to enrich the discourse on consumer ethics through a comprehensive and detailed review of 106 articles, covering 21 journals from 2010 to 2020. Through an examination of theories, contexts, characteristics, and methodologies used in consumer ethics research, our review (1) presents a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of the research in this field and (2) sets a future research agenda to spur scholarly research. We found studies have primarily relied on a single theoretical lens such as the theory of marketing ethics, planned behaviour, and neutralization theory. Further consumer ethics research focuses on advanced countries, with a narrow focus on developing countries. We have diagnosed the need to examine boundary conditions impacting consumer ethics. Finally, we provide actionable inputs to combat unethical consumer actions as well as promote ethical consumption.     

消费者创新性的结构测量及对创新性行为的影响

现有文献比较全面地揭示了消费者创新性与新产品创新性行为之间的多重关系,并探讨了这些关系产生的条件和机制。但绝大多数的理论和经验研究都将消费者创新性视为一个单维构念来进行操作性界定和测量,很少有研究去探索其内在结构并在此基础上检验每个维度与新产品创新性行为之间的关系。文章旨在探讨消费者创新性的结构维度并在此基础上观察不同类型的消费者创新性对创新性行为的影响。结论表明,消费者创新性是一个包括感知创新性和认知创新性的双维构念;作为整体的消费者创新性与新产品采用行为并没有显著的相关性,只有认知创新性才与新产品的采用行为正向相关,而感知创新性只与新产品的创新性信息搜寻正向相关。上述结论为消费者创新性提供了一个新的认识,也为今后学者从该角度来研究有关消费者创新性的其他问题提供了变量测量的工具,而且还为新产品的营销实践提供了新的管理启示。     

Consumer vulnerability and the transformative potential of Internet shopping: An exploratory case study

Abstract

Ten million individuals in the UK who suffer from long-term illness, impairments, or disability can be considered as vulnerable consumers (Office for Disability Issues, 2010 Office for Disability Issues (2010). General Demographics. http://www.officefordisability.gov.uk/disability-statistics-and-research/disability-facts-and-figures.php#gd (http://www.officefordisability.gov.uk/disability-statistics-and-research/disability-facts-and-figures.php#gd) (Accessed: 1 February 2011).  [Google Scholar]). Despite this, there are few studies on the use of the Internet for grocery shopping by the disabled and none which offers an understanding of the multiple facets of consumer vulnerability. The purpose of this study is to contextualise the use of the Internet for grocery shopping using an exploratory case to provide fresh insights into the ‘actual’ vulnerability of ‘Danni’ – a disabled housewife and mother. The consumer-focussed methods used here were combined multiple complementary approaches. The findings illustrate that whilst the use of the Internet reduces the impracticalities of shopping in-store, the normalcy afforded to Danni through shopping in-store (including her sense of self) was not met by the technological offerings. The paradoxes associated with using online provision and the strategies adopted to manage these by Danni demonstrate engagement/disengagement and assimilation/isolation. Policy implications and insights for retailers are provided.     

Ethical Decision-Making by Consumers: The Roles of Product Harm and Consumer Vulnerability

The primary purpose of this study was to examine the effects of perceptions of product harm and consumer vulnerability on ethical evaluations of target marketing strategies. We first established whether subjects are able to accurately judge the harmfulness of a product through labeling alone, and whether they could differentiate consumers who were more or less vulnerable. The results suggest that without the presence of a prime, subjects who depended on implicit memory or guess were able to detect differences in “sin” and “non-sin” products and consumer vulnerability, but were far less likely to be able to distinguish among high and low levels of product harm and consumer vulnerability. The inability to accurately identify high and low levels of product harm and consumer vulnerability impacted their perceptions of the ethicality of target marketing strategies, such that only four out of 18 target marketing strategies were judged as unethical. Thus, our findings contradict previous research that found subjects judged many more of the integrated strategies as unethical [Smith and Cooper-Martin, J Market 61(1997) 1]. Our results suggest that assessing ethical evaluations of strategies varying in product harm, and consumer vulnerability may only be relevant if consumers can accurately identify product harm.     

The Effects of Native Ads on Consumer Brand Engagement: The Moderating Role of Website Credibility

Abstract

This research examined the effect of native ads on consumer brand engagement – specifically, how source disclosure of ad sponsors affected consumers’ perceived ad deceptiveness as well as their attitude toward the company and the brand. It also explored the moderating role of website credibility. One hundred and ten college students in South Korea participated in the experimental study, which found that high source disclosure of ad sponsors positively affected perceived deceptiveness. The effect of source disclosure on perceived deceptiveness was moderated by website credibility. Perceived deceptiveness negatively affected consumers’ attitude toward the company and the brand. The mediating role of perceived deceptiveness between source disclosure and consumer brand engagement was confirmed only when website credibility was high. The paper discusses the theoretical and practical implications of the findings as well as suggestions for future research in this area.     

Consumer Perceptions of a Potential Fresh Ground Beef and Poultry Product

Abstract

Consumer concerns with the consumption of fat and cholesterol have encouraged many to seek alternatives to regular ground beef. A sample of Louisiana households was surveyed by mail to examine the willingness of consumers to purchase a blended fresh ground beef and poultry product relative to alternative ground products. Multinomial logit analysis was used to analyze the data. The important variables in the Yes versus No purchase decision for the blended product were: beef is one of the household's two most popular fresh meats, the household had consumed hamburger during the last month, the respondent had mixed the two products in the home, age, single adult head, and Caucasian. Gender, children in the household, education, presence of a homemaker, and family income were less important variables.     

消费品中化学物质暴露模型研究概况

消费品作为人类生活必需品,其化学安全已引起广泛关注。各国相关机构高度重视消费品中有害化学物质暴露引起的健康问题,研发了一系列消费者暴露模型,包括常规模型和计算机软件模型。而我国由于起步较晚,在模型研究领域还处于初级阶段。基于我国对消费品中化学物质有效暴露模型的迫切需求,本文概述了暴露评估方法及暴露模型在暴露评估中的作用,综述了国内外暴露模型和消费者暴露模型的研究概况,以及现有的暴露模型和参数设置。以期对我国相关暴露评估人员在进行消费品暴露评估时在模型选择及模型构建方面提供参考和指导,推进我国在消费者暴露评估领域的发展。     

The Influence of Light on Consumer Behavior at the Food Market

The article deals with a comprehensive, interdisciplinary examination of the effect of lighting on the purchasing decisions of consumers and the perception of lighting on the food market. It is the integration of questionnaire survey and measuring of light intensity and color temperature (chromaticity), respectively, of emitted color spectrum in grocery shops. The object of the study is the accent lighting in served shop departments of fresh food (meat, deli, dairy products, fruit, vegetables, bread, pastry) but also in other departments of supermarkets (wine, alcohol, organic food, specials, seasonal goods). Based on the light tests conducted in retail stores, we have identified the light conditions in national and international chains operating in Slovakia. Using EEG equipment in simulated conditions, we discovered true consumer preferences for different lighting conditions (color temperature, color rendering index) for the selected type of food. The article concludes with certain managerial implications in the sphere of food retailing and recommendations for further research studies.     

Relationship Marketing and Consumers: A Social Dilemmas Approach

In this article a Social Dilemmas approach is taken toward relationship marketing, and consumer and seller behavior. This approach offers several advantages. It explicitly takes into account the dilemma that results from the differences in interests between consumers and sellers, as well as their interdependency and tendency toward opportunistic behavior. It focuses simultaneously on the two parties in dynamic interaction. It therefore provides a more generic and encompassing perspective than the common consumer behavior perspective, or the one-sided emphasis in marketing on seller activities. In contrast to a non-marketing (or selling) orientation of sellers, both transaction and relationship marketing seek a cooperative win-win solution to the consumer-seller dilemma. This requiresboth parties to compromise and cooperate and refrain from non-cooperation. Cooperative and non-cooperative consumer and seller behaviors are described. In addition, the SD-approach suggests some factors that influence interactions, transactions and relationships between consumers and sellers and may stimulate cooperation in real-life commercial dilemma situations. Some implications for marketing and consumer behavior theory and research, and marketing practice are discussed.     

Country of Production Biases on Consumer Perceptions of Global Brands: Evidence From an Emerging Market

ABSTRACT

Globalization has created significant opportunities of cost reductions for players to take advantage of location specific benefits. Simultaneously, it has presented significant opportunities for countries, such as China, to actively participate in global trade, attract foreign direct investment, and improve the economic wealth of their nations. However, literature cautions marketers about consumers’ biased evaluations of products based on their country of production. Moving production to low-cost countries could potentially harm brand trust, quality evaluations, and purchase intentions due to unfavorable biases for the country of production. The objective of this study is to investigate country of production biases of Turkish consumers for two global brands, Philips and Adidas. Data for the study (N = 1,608) were collected using mall-intercepts from the 17 largest cities of Turkey. Study findings show that brand trust, perceived quality, and purchase intentions declined sharply for both brands when consumers learned that the product was manufactured in China.     

Building Trust Between Consumers and Corporations: The Role of Consumer Perceptions of Transparency and Social Responsibility

Developing trust in a company is a significant part of building the company-consumer relationship. Previous studies have sought to identify the positive consequences of trust such as loyalty and repurchase, but the question of what builds trust remains largely unanswered. To answer the question, we developed a model that depicts the relationships among transparency, social responsibility, trust, attitude, word-of-mouth (WOM) intention, and purchase intention. An online survey was conducted with a US nationwide sample of 303 consumers, and the data were analyzed using the structural equation modeling method. The results indicated that consumers’ perceptions of a corporation’s efforts to be transparent in the production and labor conditions and to be socially responsible by giving back to the local community directly affected these consumers’ trust and attitudes toward the corporation, and indirectly affected their intentions to purchase from and spread positive WOM about the corporation. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.     

Consumer Perceptions,Concerns, and Purchasing Practices of Rabbit Meat in Hungary

Nationwide consumer research was conducted in 2014 on consumer perceptions, purchasing practices, and consumption of rabbit meat. The questionnaire revealed that respondents basically found rabbit meat healthy; however, better knowledge of positive physiological effects would lead to increased consumption. Transforming public awareness may also include the criticism of housing systems suspected to be “humanitarian.” The experiment-proven conditions, in which—in contrast to human empathy and preconceptions—rabbits indeed feed well and are “happy,” should be presented to the public.     

Engineering Hedonic Attributes to Generate Perceptions of Luxury: Consumer Perception of an Everyday Sound

For the last twenty years, the perception of hedonic attributes has been a problematic matter in consumer research. We argue that the perception of a hedonic product attribute should not be considered as an irreducible holistic experience, but rather as a complex set of sensory experiences, the components of which are identifiable and quantifiable. We provide evidence for this position by proposing a reliable method linking the features of product-related sound stimuli to consumer perception of hedonic attributes. To our knowledge, this study is the first of its kind offering a detailed investigation of consumer perception of everyday sounds (as opposed to music). We discuss managerial and consumer-level implications of the findings and provide an agenda for future research.