International Journal of Consumer Studies最新文献

Healthcare consumers are increasingly acting as active co-producers of their care, especially in the management of chronic diseases, where they assume substantial responsibility throughout the care process. Although research on healthcare consumer behavior is growing, methodological limitations, particularly “researcher degrees of freedom” in variable selection, led to inconsistent conclusions about which service design elements truly influence consumer outcomes. To address this issue, we apply Bayesian Model Averaging (BMA) to evaluate the robustness of key consumer interaction variables across alternative model specifications. Using data from diabetes education programs at six hospitals, we focus on three core service design elements: relational quality (consumer trust in health educators), knowledge types (know-what, know-how, and know-why), and media forms (educational delivery methods such as written material, one-on-one meetings, and group classes). Bayesian model averaging (BMA) reveals that group classes for blood glucose monitoring and practical meal planning know-how emerge as the strongest and most robust predictors across consumer satisfaction, knowledge acquisition, behavior change, and health outcomes. Group-based education formats demonstrated substantially higher robustness compared to individual delivery methods across this intervention hierarchy. Our research highlights the value of BMA in producing more reliable, model-independent insights for consumer research, suggesting that healthcare organizations may achieve greater impact by prioritizing group-based blood glucose monitoring education and practical meal planning knowledge dissemination.

The compelling appeal of live streaming commerce has grabbed the attention of businesses and individual vendors; thus, the market has seen a surge in competitiveness. A prevailing challenge has emerged in the wake of this trend: maintaining customer loyalty in an environment where consumers can effortlessly switch between different live-stream channels. This study investigates the key factors influencing consumer behavior (i.e., loyalty) in live streaming commerce by employing an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. In Study 1, survey data were collected from 507 participants, followed by semistructured interviews in Study 2. The PLS-SEM results indicate that processing fluency (both imagery and comprehension fluency) fosters immersion, subsequently satisfying consumers' basic psychological needs. The fulfillment of these basic psychological needs fosters loyalty. Additionally, self-disclosure and transportability play a moderating role. The fsQCA results identified four configurations, each with different combinations of causal conditions that explain the formation of loyalty. The follow-up qualitative study confirms the findings and identifies additional themes that are worth research consideration. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Personal financial planning is the process of managing money to achieve personal financial stability and long-term goals. Although there is considerable research on the topic, recent economic, technological, and behavioral changes necessitate a more in-depth analysis to ensure that financial strategies, products, and policies are data-driven, effective, and responsive. Therefore, this study aims to develop a research agenda including new perspectives on personal financial planning services. To this end, we conducted a systematic literature review using the Theory-Context-Characteristics-Methodology (TCCM) framework, synthesizing 81 studies. Based on the gaps, a future research agenda is developed. Future research should focus on financial literacy applications, cross-cultural behaviors, emerging technologies, and the human role in financial advising.

This quantitative study explores the drivers of impulsive buying during live-stream shopping, with a focus on Generation Z. It examines perceived value, scarcity, and sacrifice, alongside the mediating and moderating roles of benign envy, subjective happiness, and hedonic consumption. Grounded in the Stimulus–Organism–Response (S-O-R) model, the research draws on data from 1393 Portuguese consumers with experience in live-stream purchases. Findings indicate that perceived value, scarcity, and sacrifice significantly influence impulsive buying tendencies. Hedonic consumption mediates the effect of perceived value on these tendencies. Subjective happiness is negatively associated with impulsivity, whereas benign envy positively moderates the link between perceived value and impulse buying. The study offers practical guidance for e-commerce managers, highlighting strategies to enhance perceived value, reduce perceived sacrifice, and apply emotional appeals to boost impulsivity without undermining customer loyalty. It also encourages an ethical use of perceived scarcity to avoid overwhelming consumers with purchase pressure. Finally, the paper discusses broader implications for encouraging more mindful consumption habits, contributing to more sustainable digital marketing practices.

Consumers' investment decision-making, specifically referring to retail investors, significantly influences market trends; yet a comprehensive review of this field remains limited. This study addresses this gap by systematically analysing retail investors' investment behaviour. Using the TCM (Theory-Context-Method) and ADO (Antecedents-Decisions-Outcomes) frameworks, we reviewed 264 peer-reviewed articles from 2001 to April 2025. Key findings highlight dominant theories (e.g., Prospect Theory), prevalent research contexts (e.g., USA, India) and key antecedents like psychological biases, socioeconomic factors, global disruptions (e.g., COVID-19, financial crises) and technological advancements (e.g., digital platforms, robo-advisors). These factors shape decisions such as portfolio diversification and risk-taking, impacting outcomes like investment performance and financial stability. The study identifies research gaps, including the role of emerging technologies and cultural influences, offering directions for future research. Theoretically, it advances behavioural finance by integrating TCM and ADO frameworks. Practically, it provides insights for policymakers and financial institutions to enhance market efficiency and support informed decision-making, aligning with evolving market trends.

Compensatory consumption refers to consumer behaviors driven by psychological motives to address self-discrepancies, emotional distress, or identity threats. Although scholarly interest in this topic has grown, a comprehensive synthesis of its theoretical foundations, research contexts, consumer characteristics, and methodological approaches remains limited. This study presents a systematic literature review of 105 peer-reviewed articles published in Chartered Association of Business Schools (ABS)-ranked journals, following PRISMA 2020 (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines and using the TCCM (Theory, Context, Characteristics, Methodology) framework. Articles were initially retrieved from Scopus, Web of Science, EBSCOhost, and Emerald Insight, but only those published in ABS-ranked journals meeting predefined quality criteria were included. The findings show that compensatory consumption is predominantly explained by self-discrepancy theory, symbolic self-completion theory, and compensatory consumption theory. A model is developed to map the relationships among antecedents, mediators, outcomes, and moderators. The review also identifies a shift from materialistic and status-driven behaviors toward symbolic, ethical, and experiential consumption. It contributes to theory by integrating fragmented perspectives and identifying emerging constructs. This review also provides managerial guidance on ethical positioning, symbolic value creation, and inclusive branding, and outlines future research directions across underexplored contexts, theoretical lenses, and methodological approaches.