How marketing strategy, perceived value and brand image influence WOM outcomes—The sharing economy perspective

Abstract

As concepts and technology evolve, the sharing economy changes not only business management methods but also lifestyle, leisure, tourism and hospitality consumption. This research proposes an integrated empirical model that illuminates the role of shared economy perceptions on transportation tools in explaining consumer behaviour in word-of-mouth (WOM) and usage intention. In Study 1, 368 YouBike users' perspectives were examined, and the results showed that ease of use is key to promoting WOM through perceived value and brand image. Furthermore, based on 338 GoShare users' perspectives in Study 2, brand image and reputation are shown to play the critical mediating roles in linking the relationships between marketing strategy and WOM. Additionally, usage intention has important moderating roles in the WOM development process. Overall, this study helps academics and marketing decision-makers understand which critical attributes influence customers’ behaviours when implementing sharing economic concepts.