Journal of Consumer Behaviour最新文献

Given the growth in the internet and e-retailing, consumers are extremely reliant on online user-generated reviews (“reviews”) for decision-making. Reviews often combine informational cues such as numeric (i.e., star) ratings and qualitative text, and these may not always be in alignment. To understand conflicting informational cues, this research conceptualizes and tests an incongruence frame that captures the inconsistency between a review's textual and numeric message cue components. Incongruence occurs when the valence of the review text is not in alignment with the product star rating given by the reviewer. To further qualify the findings, the paper introduces two types of incongruences: Type A (Type B) is categorized as involving low (high) star ratings alongside a positive (negative) review text. The research findings shed light on an underexplored dimension of review processing based on inconsistency between the textual and numeric components of a single review. Using primary and secondary data across four studies, the incongruence effect is shown to undermine review usage. Incongruence is found to influence both review diagnosticity and review authenticity. The initial heuristics of review evaluation generate differential effects between Type A and Type B. Incongruence in the review is also shown to influence product purchases. The incongruence frame, therefore, helps reconcile some of the inconsistencies in the extant literature and offers fruitful avenues of future research for both academics and practitioners.

This paper proposes a new household decision-making model for base of pyramid (BoP) consumers. Many decision-making models focus on general consumer behaviour theory, with few focusing on the resource constraints experienced at the BoP. By focusing on the dynamics of household decisions, the data collected bring a unique perspective to BoP consumer behaviour and extend recent work in the BoP domain. The study comprised qualitative interviews with 61 household representatives (representing 233 household members) to explore decision-making, loyalty, budgeting, shopping and category trade-offs. The study proposes a household-focused decision-making framework, which is far more characteristic of BoP consumer behaviour (as opposed to isolated individual decisions). The proposed framework reveals the impact of situations and financial constraints on BoP household decision-making and how most households operate in both the formal and informal economy. Family obligation was observed to be a key factor, as well as how functional illiteracy drives brand loyalty but also creates embarrassment. Word of mouth trumps all other sources of information and, due to household complexities, there is significant decision-maker ambiguity, making it hard to define a target audience with a communication strategy. Brands are important, but fundamental value is still key and there is inexorable monthly variation in finances, making category trade-offs commonplace.

Romantic experiences are positive emotional experiences that significantly affect people's lives and consumption behaviors. Extant research merely conceptualizes romantic experiences as intimate relationships between lovers and investigates their impact on the consumption of specific products (e.g., sweets, movies, and tourist destinations). In this study, we extend the concept of romantic experience beyond romantic love and demonstrate how romantic experience influences consumers' preferences for self-improvement products based on the broaden-and-build theory through four experiments. Specifically, we show that romantic experiences (vs. neutral experiences) increase consumers' preference for self-improvement products, even in areas unrelated to the initial romantic stimuli (Study 1). This greater inclination toward self-improvement products is mediated by a heightened sense of meaning in life (Studies 2 and 3). Moreover, the focal effect is moderated by self-construal (Study 4). These findings complement those of previous studies on how romantic experiences influence consumption choices.

The number of mobile phone apps downloads, especially those in the food and drink category, is growing worldwide. Such growth in digitalisation has brought the food industry and retailers to try and understand consumers new shopping needs and preferences to offer the best virtual experience to purchase food online. Past research rarely explore the features of the currently available apps for purchasing and consumption of agro-food products compared with consumers' perception, barriers and drivers of online purchasing. The present research aims to fill this gap, in three steps. First, investigating consumers' perceptions of apps currently available for food purchasing and consumption, as well as drivers and barriers towards of online food purchasing and towards online food shopping from (peri)urban initiatives using the theory of consumer values as a theoretical framework (Study 1). Second, analysing the features of existent apps used at (peri)urban level and/or supporting (peri)urban food purchasing and consumption adopting the technology acceptance model as a theoretical framework (Study 2). Third, cross-analysing consumer needs emerging from the survey with apps features. Quantitative data elaboration included a cluster analysis to group apps based on their features, and principal component analysis to identify consumers' key barriers and drivers. Results support how the desire to eat fresh and seasonal food is the main driver for buying from (peri)urban agriculture initiatives, whereas a more rational and aware food consumption are the drivers for choosing online over in person shopping. The most common type of apps are those aimed at food delivery, and those selling and buying food and providing food information. Restaurants and cafes are the main market channels for consumers' food online purchasing. When consumer needs (Study 1) and apps features (Study 2) are compared, a mismatch of the two emerges. Sustainability food profile and information on seasonal food are consumers' favourite features, but they are present in a limited number of apps. Results provide insights for marketing strategies and future research.

The metaverse is emerging as a focal point for technological advancement, social interaction, and commerce. Despite brands' enthusiasm for establishing a presence in the metaverse, consumer adoption remains modest, with the initial hurdle being avatar creation. To better understand why consumers are hesitant to engage in the metaverse, this study focuses on avatars as virtual representations of self, particularly during the stage of avatar creation. Drawing on theories of self-presentation and identity formation, this research investigates how users conceptualise and express their virtual avatars. Through a series of in-depth semi-structured interviews, we propose an integrated framework that illustrates how consumers engage in a complex avatar creation process consisting of consolidation, exploration, affirmation, and aspiration. Further, our insights show that avatars serve as extensions of real-world identities, as well as how this impacts consumption behaviour. These insights are valuable for marketers aiming to develop actionable consumer-centric metaverse strategies, and researchers investigating consumer behaviour within immersive consumption environments.

Consumers find it increasingly compelling to immerse themselves in the metaverse, a trend that will likely continue. Although the metaverse has retailing potential, understanding empirically its effects on consumer behavior is still underexplored. Our study investigating consumer interactions in this hyper-connected shopping environment uses scenario-based data from 262 consumers and a multimethod quantitative approach to examine the integrative behavioral model, revealing consumer perceptions of metaverse affordances, their impact on self-efficacy, and the role of trust, immersion, and flow experiences in participation in metaverse shopping platforms. Perceived enjoyment emerges as a critical driver of consumer participation. This study provides convincing empirical evidence of the drivers specific to consumer metaverse experiences, going beyond the current understanding of consumer behavior in the metaverse shopping context, mainly at the conceptual level. The findings provide actionable insights for metaverse practitioners to enhance consumer engagement.

Green, organic, ecological or sustainable are common adjectives used to characterise food that is produced and processed in harmony with natural systems and cycles. The research analysed the inherent drivers behind consumers' preference for organic food and investigated how these drivers influence the prominence of organic products within consumers' shopping baskets. The investigation also dealt with the difference between intended and effective purchase of organic products, as well as the moderating effect of intrinsic motivation on the weight of organic products in consumers' basket of goods. To achieve this, there was examined a sample of 627 respondents gathered through an online panel survey. Cross-tabulation and one-way analysis of variance for data analysis were used. The findings revealed that consumers are intrinsically motivated to opt for organic food, which leads to a substantial increase in the proportion of organic items within their shopping baskets and a heightened willingness to allocate more of their budget to such products. This study furnishes empirical evidence underscoring the inherent factors propelling organic food consumption and the significance of comprehending the driving forces that shape consumer behaviour. The outcomes of this study augment the existing body of knowledge pertaining to organic food consumption and provide implications for retailers, policymakers and marketing strategists vested in advancing the cause of organic food.

With the rising popularity of immersive virtual reality (iVR) technologies, retailers are increasingly seeking innovative ways to create unique digital shopping experiences for their consumers. However, existing literature lacks a unified and comprehensive review that examines the interplay between virtual stimuli and consumer behavior in iVR shopping environments. To fill this gap, we conducted a systematic literature review, employing the Stimulus-Organisms-Responses (S-O-R) model as the underlying theoretical framework. This review analyzed empirical research on consumer behavior in iVR retail environments by focusing on experimental studies. Following the thematic analysis, we categorized the outcomes into descriptive themes to better comprehend consumer behavior within each theme. Our findings provide valuable insights for retailers and marketers aiming to enhance the consumer shopping experience using iVR technologies and suggest directions for future research.

The onset of COVID-19 resulted in unprecedented shopping behavior, leading to product scarcity and empty store shelves, making consumers shift towards purchasing private-label store brands. In this research, we aim to understand the role of the pandemic in influencing the preference for private-label products. Using secondary data, we offer longitudinal evidence that although national and private-label brand sales increased equally during the peak pandemic period, the growth rate for national brands subsided in the post-pandemic years, but that of private-label brands sustained its upward trend. Further, using experimental design, we test this phenomenon and find that greater availability of private-label brands during the pandemic resulted in higher perceived brand-helpfulness, which evoked brand attachment and persuaded the customers to continue repurchasing. Our research thus contributes by providing unique insights that can help brands strategize effectively and ensure continued brand attachment in the post-pandemic period, and additionally, help brands retain customers and foster loyalty during crises.