Consumers' Attitudes Toward Labelling of Ethical Products: The Case of Organic and Fair Trade Products

This article aims to investigate the factors that influence consumer attitudes to use labelling information in purchasing organic and Fair Trade products and to verify if labelling is a valid tool of direct shopping aid to consumers, with a view to derive inferences that may contribute to better strategic and tactical marketing decisions. A quantitative survey with a sample of 300 consumers living in south Italy was conducted to explore consumers' knowledge and attitudes toward labelling of organic and fair trade products. Data generated in this way were submitted to exploratory and segmentation analysis. The results indicate significant differences in consumer attitudes and behavior for ethical products and show the importance of new variables, other than demographics characteristics, that can influence the purchasing behavior and label information use.     

Why Do We Buy Traditional Foods?

Consumer behavior toward traditional specialties varies according to the cultural context of consumption. It thus becomes crucial to develop marketing strategies that target segments with different levels of familiarity with food. Our article purposes to analyze the purchase drivers of traditional foods known to consumers because of their reiterated consumption. The importance of the product’s attributes, the purchasing motivations, and the information channels are studied by applying the CUB model, which utilizes a probabilistic structure that simulates the individual’s psychological mechanism in adopting a choice of preference. The case study is that of extra-virgin olive oil in Italy, where this product is a fundamental element of the culinary tradition. The results show that in the ambit of traditional specialties, in contexts of elevated familiarity, the traditional information channels of marketing are less effective and call for strategies based on a more direct connection between consumer and producer.     

Shifts in consumer behavior towards organic products: Theory-driven data analytics

Consumer behavior is key in shifts towards organic products. A diversity of factors influences consumer preferences, driving planned, impulsive, and unplanned purchasing decisions. We study choices among organic and conventional wine using an extensive survey among Australian consumers (N = 1003). We integrate five behavioral theories in the survey design, and use supervised and unsupervised machine learning algorithms for analysis. We quantify a gap between intention and behavior, and emphasize the importance of cognitive factors. Findings go beyond correlation to the causation of behavior when combining predictive prowess with explanatory power. Results reveal that affective factors and normative cues may prompt unplanned and spontaneous purchasing behavior, causing consumers to act against their beliefs.     

The Antecedents of Music Piracy Attitudes and Intentions

Piracy is the greatest threat facing the music industry worldwide today. This study developed and empirically tested a model examining the antecedents of consumer attitude and behavioral intention toward music piracy behavior. Two types of music piracy behavior, unauthorized duplication/download and pirated music product purchasing, were examined. Based on a field survey in Taiwan, the results showed that attributive satisfaction, perceived prosecution risk, magnitude of consequence, and social consensus are very important in influencing customers attitude and behavioral intention toward two types of music piracy behavior. In addition, singer/band idolization can affect the attitude and behavioral intention in the case of pirated music product purchasing. Perceived proximity was found to affect the attitude and behavioral intention in the case of pirated music product purchasing. However, it only influenced behavioral intention in the case of unauthorized duplication/download.Jyh-Shen Chiou (Ph.D. in Marketing, Michigan State), is professor of Marketing, Department of International Trade, College of Commerce, National Chengchi University, Taiwan. His research focuses on consumer behavior and strategic marketing. His work has been published in Information & Management, Journal of Interactive Marketing, Journal of Service Research, International Journal of Advertising, European Journal of Marketing, Psychology & Marketing, Journal of Social Psychology, Genetic, Social, and General Psychology Monographs, etc.Chien-yi Huang, Associate Professor, Department of Infant and Child Care, National Taipei College of Nursing. Sin-hui Lee, Graduate student, Department of International Trade, National Chengchi University.     

Consumers’ Preferences and Attitudes Toward Local Food Products

In recent years, consumers’ interest in local food has significantly increased. Several studies in the agricultural economics and marketing literature have analyzed mainly consumers’ preferences for local food products. In this study, we perform a consumer segmentation with regard to consumer behavior toward local food. We collected data from a survey conducted during summer 2010 in Naples, South Italy. Consumer segments were identified taking account of five aspects: (1) food consumption styles; (2) perception of local food; (3) purchasing motives; (4) perceived quality of local food; and (5) sociodemographic characteristics. They could be profiled as ethnocentric consumers, environmentalists, strict localists, and quality labeling oriented.     

Impact of Consumer Awareness,Knowledge, and Attitudes on Organic Rice Purchasing Behavior in China

This study examines how Chinese consumers’ awareness, knowledge, and attitudes influences their purchasing behavior for organic rice. The aim is to determine whether regional differences in these factors and in the resulting behavior exist and thereby, to provide the organic rice industry with sufficient information to expand its market and improve profitability. Respondents answered a total of 1,371 questionnaires, whereby 406, 539, and 426 responses came from inland, coastal, and northern regions, respectively. A binary logit regression is applied to analyze the survey data and predict purchasing behavior at the national and regional levels. While the results indicate that consumer awareness, product certification, and product availability factors have a positive impact on the likelihood of purchasing organic rice, the price has a negative relationship with organic rice consumption. Furthermore, the results demonstrate that northern consumers are more likely to buy organic rice than those in inland and coastal regions. In particular, awareness and knowledge factors have a greater influence on purchasing behavior in northern regions. These findings suggest that enhancing consumer awareness of organic rice and providing more purchasing channels could contribute to increasing organic rice consumption.     

消费者购买仿冒品行为的理论探析

知名品牌的仿冒和非法贸易问题一直困扰着各国政府和相关企业,反仿冒也陷入了一场无休止的战争。传统的反仿冒策略大多针对仿冒品的供给方,而没有关注仿冒品的需求方,缺乏对消费者购买仿冒品行为的理解,也缺乏相应地有效抑制需求的政策措施。本文在整理和分析现有文献的基础上,借助行为科学的相关理论,从消费者购买仿冒品的动机、行为意向、购买决策、认知失调处理等方面对消费者购买仿冒品的行为进行了理论分析,以期深刻理解仿冒品购买行为的内在机制,为企业制定反仿冒策略提供理论依据和新的思路。     

“Showrooming” in Consumer Electronics Retailing: An Empirical Study

The present study focuses on multichannel retailing strategies and describes the state of consumer behavior regarding “showrooming” (the practice of examining merchandise or products in a retail store and then buying it online). Founded on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), the authors examine the antecedents of showrooming using data collected from a sample of 176 retail consumers. Based on their results, they define perceived control, website compatibility, and subjective norms as the main antecedents of consumer attitudes toward online purchases. Additionally, they state that previous experience and reasons against purchasing online are directly associated with consumers’ intention to purchase on the retailer’s website. Finally, some theoretical conclusions and practical implications for retailers are discussed.     

Positive and Negative Antecedents of Purchasing Eco-friendly Products: A Comparison Between Green and Non-green Consumers

This study aims to analyze what drives and prevents the purchasing of eco-friendly products across different consumer groups and develops a conceptual model embracing the positive altruistic (care for the environmental consequences of purchasing), positive ego-centric (green self-identity and moral obligation), and negative ego-centric (perceived personal inconvenience of purchasing eco-friendly products) antecedents of eco-friendly product purchase intention and behavior. We empirically validate the conceptual model for green (n = 453) and non-green (n = 473) consumers (i.e., consumers who engage in a set of pro-environmental behaviors for environmental reasons versus consumers who do not engage in these behaviors). Data are analyzed using structural equation modeling and multi-group analysis of the two groups. The results confirm the relevance of the determining factors in the model and show significant differences in eco-friendly product purchasing patterns between green and non-green consumers. Altruistic motives are more important for green than for non-green consumers. Negative ego-centric motives affect the purchase intentions of non-green consumers more than the intentions of green consumers, whereas the impact of negative motives on behavior is stronger for green than for non-green consumers. The first contribution of this paper is the development and testing of a parsimonious model of eco-friendly products purchasing that embraces both positive (altruistic and ego-centric) and negative (ego-centric) antecedents, which have been theoretically suggested in the past but have rarely been empirically tested together. The second contribution of this study is that it develops insight into the specific antecedents of eco-friendly products purchasing for green and non-green consumers to assess potential similarities and differences in eco-friendly products purchasing process, the hypothesized antecedents, their impact on eco-friendly products purchase intention and behavior, and the intention–behavior relation.     

Situational effects on brand preferences for image products

The purpose of the study was to provide evidence for the influence of situational variables on consumer preferences toward the image product of men's fragrances, and to illustrate how these situational variables can be used to create positioning strategies. In a 3 × 3 experimental design, male and female subjects provided purchasing preference ratings for, and rated each cologne on, a number of scales related to price, brand image and packaging, scent, and inferred characteristics of the typical consumer. ANOVAs and a constrained unfolding analysis using GENFOLD2 were used to analyze the data. The analyses revealed that subjects' preferences were influenced by the purchasing target (self or others), and suggested that people's preferences may be mediated by person prototypes and situation prototypes. © 1995 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Do Product and Consumer Characteristics Affect the Relationship Between Online Experience and Customer Satisfaction?

ABSTRACT

This study utilizes a survey to understand how relevant product and consumer characteristics affect the relationship between online experience and satisfaction. Results indicate that Web shoppers' satisfaction is strongly affected by a superior online experience if they have no prior experience with the purchased brand, they are purchasing a high priced product, and their general attitudes toward online shopping are not very favorable. Further, the relationship between online experience and satisfaction was found to be stronger for females as compared to males.     

I’ll Be Watching You: Shoppers’ Reactions to Perceptions of Being Watched by Employees

This research fills a gap in the retailing literature regarding the impact of shoppers’ perceptions of being watched while shopping for embarrassing products. Four studies consistently show that an employee watching a shopper can cause the shopper to either permanently or temporarily leave the shopping area as purchase intentions decrease. Reactance theory explains this relationship, which is mediated by consumers’ feelings of control over their own privacy. Essentially, when shoppers believe an employee is watching them, they feel less in control of their privacy, resulting in negative consequences for the retailer. This relationship is especially important for products that consumers may already feel some level of embarrassment over purchasing in the first place. The results have important theoretical implications for reactance theory by demonstrating that a consumer can regain control even when the original threat to behavior still exists. Additionally, increasing options that allow a consumer to regain control will reduce the overall reactance to the threat to privacy and will improve retailer outcomes. Practitioner recommendations present several techniques that allow the consumer to regain privacy control in spite of the sometimes necessary practice of watching in-store consumers.     

Cigarette brand loyalty and purchase patterns: An examination using US consumer panel data

This study analyzes data on cigarette purchasing using an extensive panel dataset. Major findings are: (1) cigarette purchasing in this market exhibits a reverse-J, or NBD (Negative Binomial Distribution)-like shape: many infrequent buyers and fewer frequent buyers; (2) Cigarette brands do exhibit high loyalty compared to other consumer categories, and show a trend to higher brand loyalty over time coinciding with fewer price promotions; (3) The data shows a weak double jeopardy pattern of smaller brands enjoying somewhat lower loyalty; (4) Smokers of a given brand are on average more likely to purchase another large cigarette brand than another small brand; (5) A straightforward analysis method identifies occurrences of excessive cross-brand cannibalization in the portfolio of one of the major tobacco corporations; and (6) Certain brands enjoy particular appeal among specific demographic groups. The study sheds more light on consumer behavior towards a product with addictive qualities and known harmful effects.     

Dissatisfaction and complaining behavior as a result of unavailable advertised food specials

Reactions by consumers to unavailable advertised food specials as well as management responses to specific consumer reactions are explored in this paper. Special attention is given to differential shopper reactions and management behavior with respect to race. Information gathered from 219 food shoppers about their latest unavailability experience comprised the data base for the study. The findings suggest that black and white shoppers are similar with respect to purchasing and response behavior. However, the differential management behavior toward black and white shoppers offers further evidence of the continuing discriminatory marketing practices by some supermarkets. Implications from a public policy perspective are presented.     

Factors Influencing Consumer Purchasing Decision Toward Malang Meatballs At East Java,Indonesia

The study examined factors influencing consumers' purchasing behaviour in relation to Malang meatballs as a representative ethnic food in East Java, Indonesia. Multistage area sampling was used to randomly select 400 households from the Malang area (200 urban and 200 rural) as consumer respondents. Respondents were interviewed using a structured questionnaire by the researcher and enumerators. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyse consumers' purchasing behaviour toward Malang meatballs. This study can contribute to a better understanding of consumers' preferences toward Malang meatballs, an animal protein-based food, that has a unique taste. Consumers preferred Malang meatballs compared to street foods (i.e., “soto,” “tahu campur,” and fried noodles). Younger consumers concerned about freshness and a “halal food” may select Malang meatballs. The availability of Malang meatballs can increase consumers' purchasing action toward this product. Also, surrounding cold air temperature influenced consumers in selecting this food.     

Impact of product-specific variables on consumers' post-consumption behaviour for apparel products: USA

Abstract Companies spend valuable resources developing and distributing products to please the consumer; however, products that do not match consumer performance expectations during post-purchase use often result in consumer dissatisfaction. This situation can lead to redress-seeking behaviour and negative repurchase behaviour. Understanding factors influencing consumers' post-purchase behaviour can provide retailers with information to make accurate purchasing decisions and improve interpretation of the post-return data. This study examines product-specific variables for apparel purchases and their relationship with post-consumption behaviour. Product cost and product type were found to be related to redress and repurchase behaviour among dissatisfied consumers. Implications for apparel retailers and consumer educators are discussed.     

An investigation into aspects of energy labelling with special reference to washing machines

The purpose of this research was to investigate whether the performance of domestic washing machines is adversely affected by reduced levels of energy use. This was felt particularly worthwhile because of the introduction of energy labelling for washing machines in April 1996. Results were determined by conducting tests derived from BS EN 60456. This research also aimed to discover consumer awareness of energy labelling and factors likely to influence the future purchase of washing machines. The results indicate that washing performance may be adversely affected by lower levels of energy consumption and that washing machines with a higher energy consumption achieve a better washing performance. From the survey carried out, it was discovered that the most influential factors when purchasing a washing machine were price, washing performance and brand reliability. Environmental factors such as reduced energy consumption and reduced water consumption only played a minor role in consumers' considerations. However, the research indicates that consumers' decisions may, in the future, be affected by the information displayed on energy labels.     

Cross-National Sensory Segments in the Organic Market Based on Stated Preferences for the Five Basic Tastes

Taste is one of the most important motivations for purchasing food. Studies regarding sensory preferences for specific product categories prove that consumers differ in their liking of sensory attributes. However, little is known about general consumers’ taste preferences that are not related to a certain product. Therefore, this study analyzes if patterns of general taste preferences exist, and how they can be characterized. To this end, 1,796 organic consumers from six different European countries, interviewed as part of an EU-funded research project between October 2010 and February 2011, were segmented based on their stated preferences for the five basic tastes: sweet, salty, sour, bitter, and umami. Seven consumer segments were identified. They differed in their size as well as in their distributions of gender, age, and organic consumption frequency. All seven taste patterns can be found in each of the six study countries. As an approach toward stronger marketing-oriented sensory research, this study shows that a consumer segmentation based on general taste preferences as a fundament for sensory marketing is meaningful and promising.     

Actual consumers' response to purchase refurbished smartphones: Exploring perceived value from product reviews in online retailing

Refurbishing is an industrial process whereby used products are returned to good working condition to extend lifespan. As smartphones are short life cycle products replaced at an increasing rate, refurbishing is one of the end-of-life strategies to recover value from used smartphones. Chief among the factors given for refurbishing success is consumers' perception of the aspects of the purchase toward these products. This research investigates the significant factors in consumer perceived value about purchasing refurbished smartphones. Online product reviews are recognized as a promising data source to evaluate consumers' post-purchase behaviour in the actual market. Accordingly, a customer satisfaction model of online refurbished smartphone reviews from e-commerce websites is presented to explore customer satisfaction dimensions (CSDs) toward refurbished smartphones. The results indicate that product characteristics, including function, which is related to satisfactory working, appearance, which is the same as no scratches on body and screen, and battery health, are the most worrying feature of refurbished smartphones that consumers have mentioned. Besides, we find that the similarity of these products to brand new ones and their lower prices are the main reason and motivation for purchasing. The results also show that the perceived value of refurbished smartphones is found as a two-dimensional structure based on perceived incentive and quality and perceived benefit and risk. Eventually, some solutions propose to improve customer perceptions and reduce the misconception of refurbishment concept, which can be used by refurbishers and marketing managers for proper product development and marketing strategies.