Consumer Interaction Research Articles

The role of package design typicality on a hand sanitizer purchase

This descriptive research uses multiple methods to understand consumers' interactions with hand sanitizer packaging at the point of purchase during the coronavirus pandemic. An analysis of common visual codes within the product category defines a typical hand sanitizer package at the time of the study. Eye‐tracking biometrics systematically describe consumers' attention to hand sanitizer products while shopping. Finally, quantitative and qualitative survey data capture participants' perceived typicality of hand sanitizer packaging, package element preferences and their attitude towards the product.A multiple regression analysis found that visual appeal, brand confidence and packaging have a significant positive relationship to participants' perceived typicality. Packages perceived as typical were best described as transparent with non‐pigmented products and few graphical elements included on the principal display panel (PDP). Form, dispensing method and active ingredient were the most important considerations in hand sanitizer purchases. Participants indicated that brand was not an important factor when shopping for hand sanitizer, but biometrics suggested that it was more important than most other text.Findings contribute to the growing research around package design typicality with a novel product category and offer a baseline understanding of expectations for hand sanitizer packaging. Attention towards 11 hand sanitizer packaging stimuli and survey responses of 61 human subjects located in the southeast United States during the coronavirus pandemic were collected and analysed. Further research is needed to understand consumer interaction with hand sanitizer packaging outside this context.

Конкуренция на рынке потребительских услуг в условиях цифровизации

The intensity of changes in the consumer services market is characterized by an increase in the number of mutually beneficial cooperation between economic agents based on the growth of transactions using mobile devices and information products. At the same time, an increase in the satisfaction of the interests of consumers and service providers is achieved by increasing the choice and intensity of electronic sales. The article presents the author’s vision of the role of the mobile application market in the field of consumer services, assesses its advantages and disadvantages. When the concept of logistics in the field of consumer services is changing, the choice of a mobile application is important for entrepreneurs, as well as building communications with consumers depending on a specific platform, applications, devices and other aspects of the digital environment. Based on a comparative and content analysis, for the first time, new forms of service logistics are highlighted, as well as the possibility of promoting services from a producer to a consumer using various types of mobile applications, which can help ensure competitive advantages in the context of business digitalization in the field of consumer services. Using the observation method, the subject of which was the PESO communication model, changes were identified in its four communication channels through the use of Internet platforms, information and digital technologies. Special transformations are recorded when using the “owner’s channel” (owned media), which is explained by the modern possibilities of digital markets. Thus, in the interaction of economic agents and consumers, sites, mobile versions of sites are used, and recently mobile applications have become the “owner’s channel”. Due to this, the possibilities of searching, ordering products, the speed of their delivery, etc. are expanding. In conclusion, we note that the competitive advantages that are formed through the use of various opportunities provided by digital markets are reflected in table 1, their list is quite extensive.

Makhanda: Exploring the mise-en-scène of a city under threat

This research uses the concept of ‘urban scenes’ to explore and characterise the economy of the city of Makhanda (Grahamstown). It is argued that this framework can create a thorough situational analysis on which to plan for locally-appropriate Local Economic Development (LED). It does this through characterising a local economic context that situates economic activity within a framework that acknowledges the role and interactions of consumers, culture, clustered amenities and economic activities, and urban place. It thus adds to traditional situational analyses by focusing on the urbanisms, activities, and character of the city—making these factors indivisible from the local economy. The framework reveals that two prominent scenes exist within Makhanda: the Education and Tourism Scenes. Education institutions like top public and private schools and Rhodes University are located within the city, and a tourism product exists in the form of creativity and the arts, festivals, edutourism, heritage, and wildlife safaris and hunting. These scenes bring significant money into the local economy through tourism and temporary education-led migration. They are both, however, under significant threat from a dysfunctional local municipality that has consistently failed in its mandate to support the local economy, engage with local stakeholders, and create an enabling environment for business. Intermittent and unreliable water supply, sewerage spills, and the deterioration of existing infrastructure are just some of the issues faced within the city. Any successful LED programme needs to tackle this issue and others to succeed. In addition to creating an enabling economic environment, cooperation within and between stakeholders in the identified scenes needs fostering. The local municipality also needs to create employment and a more inclusive economy to tackle issues of high unemployment and inequality.

Overcoming Choice Inertia through Social Interaction—An Agent-Based Study of Mobile Subscription Decision

Subscription decision in the telecom market is quite complex and cumbersome, invoking decision inertia in consumers and resulting in suboptimal choices. We implemented choice inertia and consumer interaction as an agent-based model to better understand the process. The model illustrates that with adequate peer interactions with active consumers, inactive consumers could overcome their inertia significantly and switch to a better alternative. Furthermore, the newly converted active consumers influenced their inert neighbors as a ripple effect. Active consumers contribute to firm profits and healthy market competition. Moreover, in environments with low neighborhood effects and a stronger inertia threshold, firms are able to maintain profits by retaining inert consumers. We show that apart from the attractiveness of market offerings, firms can benefit from understanding consumer inertia and devising means to reduce it.

Anthropomorphism and social presence in Human–Virtual service assistant interactions: The role of dialog length and attitudes

In this study, we delve into the perceived quality of recommendations provided by AI-based virtual service assistants (VSAs). Specifically, the role of the social presence of VSAs in influencing recommendation perceptions is investigated. We also explore how the social presence of a VSA is formed and how perceived anthropomorphism plays a vital role in shaping social presence and eventually instilling trust in VSAs among consumers. These relationships are examined in the context of online government services. The results indicate that consumer interaction with VSAs - manifesting via perceived anthropomorphism, social presence, dialog length, and attitudes - improves recommendation quality perceptions, which further instills trust in VSA-based recommendations. Perceived anthropomorphism was found to strongly influence the formation of social presence, whereas trust and recommendation quality - the outcomes of social presence - were found to be partially conditional on the dialog length and the degree of positive attitudes toward VSAs. The findings additionally suggest that a VSA can be considered a social actor that possesses the capability to bring a “human touch” to online services, therefore improving the overall online service experience.

Understanding quality factors of electronic health service in an emerging economy

In the context of an emerging economy, this research investigates consumers’ experiences with electronic health service systems and their impact on satisfaction and future usage intention. It draws from a user engagement and a value co-creation perspective to examine complex transferring mechanisms and boundary conditions. Survey data from users of online health service systems were collected from an emerging market and subjected to regression analysis to test the hypotheses. Consumers’ experience-based attributions of the electronic system – system and information quality as well as content reliability – have a positive impact on intention to use, which are mediated by satisfaction. Interaction of the consumer with the system moderates the effects of both information system quality and information quality on satisfaction. The indirect effects of information and system quality on intention to use via satisfaction differ based on the consumer interaction. Also, effects of information quality and content reliability on intention to use are moderated by consumers’ perceptions of behavioral control. The study provides further evidence in the link between quality and satisfaction in the use of electronic health services systems in the context of an emerging market. The study focuses on explicating complex associations and focus on mediation and moderation effects only. This deepens our understanding of transferring mechanisms and boundary conditions, and provides more insights into the theory than just investigating the direct effects.

Rise and fall of interactions with brand communities

PurposeThis paper investigates the impact of consumer relationships with brand communities on behavioral interactions on Instagram. The objective is to identify different types and stages of relationships between consumers and brand communities on Instagram using social penetration theory and explain the behavioral interactions of consumers resulting from these relationships across different stages.Design/methodology/approachA mixed method strategy was employed combining a qualitative multi-case study and an online survey. Eight individuals following restaurant and apparel brands on Instagram participated in the first study and 202 samples participated in the online survey.FindingsFifteen different types of relationships were identified between consumers and brand communities on Instagram and were classified into five stages ranging from orientation to de-penetration. The results reveal that behavioral interactions (i.e. consuming and participating) rise across the first four stages of brand community relationship development and fall down at the fifth stage.Originality/valueThis paper introduces new relationship types and stages and brings together different pieces of extant literature to explain the rising and falling of behavioral interactions resulting from consumer relationships with brand communities on Instagram.

IMPROVEMENT OF MARKETING ACTIVITY OF BAKERY INDUSTRY ENTERPRISES

The article focuses on the issues of improving the marketing activities of bakery enterprises, in particular, analyzed and developed a number of proposals on the example of the structural system of marketing mix “7P”. The specific features of bakery products as a commodity are determined, on the basis of which the directions of marketing commodity policy of the bakery enterprise were recommended. A number of principles for building a coordinated system of production and sale of bakery products are proposed. To increase the efficiency of the enterprise in the market of bakery products, it is proposed to create a coordinated system that reflects the flexible interaction of producer and consumer. A model of interaction between producer and consumer in the market of bakery products has been developed, which reflects the mechanism of interaction between producer and consumer in the market of bakery products with the help of a specially created system of distribution channels. The developed model reflects the mechanism of interaction between producer and consumer in the market of bakery products with the help of a specially created system of distribution channels. Where, the main channels of distribution of bakery products are: branded network, urban retail trade network, rural retail trade network and trade and intermediary center. The block diagram of marketing activity management is recommended for the researched bakery enterprises, which will allow to choose the appropriate commodity-market business strategy, which ensures the achievement of the enterprise development strategy. The use of marketing strategies for bakeries should be carried out in the complex in accordance with the recommended block diagram of the management of marketing activities of the enterprise as a whole. It should be noted that the recommended block diagram of marketing management can be used by large bakeries, as its implementation requires a certain resource potential.

THE PROCESS OF FORMATION AND ASSESSMENT OF THE LEVEL OF CONSUMER LOYALTY ORGANIC PRODUCTS

The vast majority of domestic companies aim to retain customers. The question of the peculiarities of measuring and assessing the level of consumer loyalty to organic products remains insufficiently studied. Therefore, scientific and practical interest in this problem necessitates the development of a methodological platform for this process. The choice of evaluation criteria and interpretation of the obtained data are characterized by a certain complexity. Therefore, it is necessary to evaluate the retrospective experience of consumer interaction with the enterprise and its possible behavior in the future. Also, we should take into account the dynamic and nonlinear formation of loyalty, its propensity to be influenced by many factors that are related to both the characteristics of the consumer and the dynamic external environment. The aim of the study is to develop a combined methodology for assessing the level of consumer loyalty, which would provide complete and reliable data and would be suitable for practical activities. Theoretical and practical aspects of research of loyalty of consumers of organic products under modern conditions of strengthening of competition and globalization of the food market are investigated in the work. A combined method of assessing the level of consumer loyalty is presented, which would provide complete and reliable data and would be suitable for the practical activities of enterprises. The results of scientific research of this article will allow companies producing organic products to adjust their actions towards building long-term mutually beneficial relationships with consumers, and will be the key to achieving other goals directly or indirectly related to high customer loyalty.

MARKETING ACTIVITY OF ENTERPRISES IN A CRISIS

The global crisis created by the pandemic in 2019 and Russia’s military attack on Ukraine on February 24, 2022 created harsh conditions for business to operate. Entrepreneurs need to be ready to respond in a prompt way to the needs and behavior of consumers to continue their business. The marketing activities of enterprises are currently an extremely important problem in the martial law of the country, as the previous crisis associated with COVID-19 has already made some adjustments in the work of enterprises and society. The article studied the specifics of enterprises’ marketing activities in the crisis caused by COVID-19 and the martial law in Ukraine. It is indicated that entrepreneurs have reduced their marketing costs and use marketing methods that focus on promoting goods or services over the Internet, developing online retail skills. The essence and difference of e-commerce from traditional are considered. Given the work experience in the crisis caused by COVID-19, companies consider social networks and their opportunities for the development of their business as a very promising component of successful marketing activities. The dynamics of Internet users’ growth and online sales in Ukraine in recent years are analyzed. It is noted that social networks are one of the most effective tools of marketing communications, which does not require significant costs and has a large audience of users. Thus, companies are advised to establish around this tool their marketing strategy for social media marketing (SMM). The advantages and tasks of SMM are defined. To use the POST-method in the development of SMM strategy is proposed (P: People – analysis of the target audience, O: Objectives – definition of clear goals, S: Strategy – development and growth of consumer interaction strategy, T: Technology – selection of social media tools). Thus, it should be noted that the crisis in Ukraine leads to the requirement to create budgetary and effective communication channels. One of such channels is social networks, and an effective tool of marketing communications is social media marketing (SMM). An important advantage of such a tool is that it is almost free, has a large audience of users, various means of influence on the target audience, as well as the strategy (SMM) is a logical continuation of the functional marketing strategies. Prospects for further research in this field may be the issues of assessment of marketing activities effectiveness in social networks in a crisis.

A Study on Factors Affecting Consumer Churn in The Indian Telecom Industry

Factors affecting consumer churn is important to study in order to reduce the consumer churn for a particular brand in telecom industry. As per research by Verint® Systems Inc with 34000 consumers would wide published in the Forbes 2019, consumer retention is on declining trend, study shows that two third of customers are willing to change the product and service, which may results in churn for existing company. In mobile industry as per data by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India for March’20, 5.74 Million unique porting requests has been generated by Indian mobile consumers which shows the consumer’s intention to change the existing mobile operator. Hence there is opportunity to review the factors affecting consumer churn. In the given paper author tried to find mobile consumer influencing factors that affects the churn and data analysis is done with exploratory factor analysis. Results showed that the Digital Experience, Service Delivery, Consumer interaction, Monitory benefits, and Product promotions significantly contributed in explaining consumer churn.

The Life of Consumption Communities: A Study on Vegan Communities

Marketplace cultures, one of the main theoretical frameworks within consumer culture theory (CCT), offers grounds for the study of consumer interactions with the marketplace. One kind of consumer interaction occurs inside consumption communities. Most of the consumption communities nowadays are online. Consumers go online to get information and advice from peers on their consumption options and processes. They participate in online forums and communities to connect with like-minded individuals, discuss topics of interest and share experiences. Taking the interpretive lens of CCT, we propose to analyse the ‘life’ of online consumption communities in the context of vegan consumption communities. We present the research agenda for this in-progress study and the suggestions for further research on consumption communities and, more specifically, vegan communities, as identified in our literature review.

A transdisciplinary review and framework of consumer interactions with embodied social robots: Design, delegate, and deploy

AbstractSocial robots are gradually entering the organizational frontline, and research is beginning to unveil the implications for consumer–firm interactions. While empirical studies on human–robot service interaction (HRSI) are scarce in business literature, other scientific fields have generated an abundance of empirical findings that can inform consumer research on successfully integrating embodied social robots in consumer‐facing services. In this light, a systematic literature review was conducted across scientific fields, screening over 13,500 research articles. Through a thorough review process, 199 service‐relevant empirical research articles were identified. Emanating from these data, an organizing meta‐framework is advanced (D3: design, delegate, and deploy). Leveraging this D3 framework, a comprehensive overview of several dimensions of the literature is provided, and key insights for each framework dimension are presented. Based on this overview, implications for whether, how, and when to integrate social robots in practice and a comprehensive future research agenda are developed.

How Effective Are Social Media Influencers Recommendations The Effect of Message Source on Purchasing Intention and e-Word of Mouth (WOM) from a Para-Social Interaction Perspective

Purpose –The aim of this study was to eplainhow the source credibility, attitude homophily, interactivity, and para-social interaction are related and affect the attitude toward the post. Following this, the effect of this attitude on buying and e-WOM intention and the moderating role of risk aversion levels in this relationship also has been investigated. Design/methodology/approach –Data were collected from 570 followers of an influencer who mainly share content related to experience products on Instagram. The research model was tested with SEM and multi group comparison analysis using AMOS. Findings –This study revealed that para-social interaction of consumers with influencers results in the generation of a positive attitude towards the recommendation post of the influencer. Also, once a positive attitude towards the post has been generated, it results in the generation of purchase intention and e-WOM engagement. Relationships examined in the context of experience products showed that attitude homophily and influencer's interactivity were the most influential among the antecedents (influencer's credibility, attitude homophily, interactivity) examined in the formation of para-social interaction. In the study, it was also determined that the risk aversion levels of consumers have a moderating effect on the attitude-purchase intention relationship, and even in the context of experience products that are perceived as inherently risky, consumers with low risk aversion tended to make purchases by considering the influencer's share.Discussion –Today, where influencer marketing is used extensively by businesses, it is possible for these activities to create the desired effect by choosing the right influencer. It is crucial to determine what is necessary to ensure that the followers buy the product and have positive word-of-mouth communication that are among the ultimate goals of the influencer's posts. For experience products where the purchasing decision is relatively risky, it can be said that for the success of influencer marketing, the influencer's expertise, the attitude homophily, and the willingness of the influencer to interact are essential at the point of establishing para-social interaction. In order to ensure that consumers with high risk aversion levels buy the product, it can be recommended to pay great attention to the content shared and provide helpful information that reflects the truth.

The customer journey: a proposal of indicators to evaluate integration and customer orientation

ABSTRACT Digitalization and social media are transforming company–consumer interactions, opening new communication avenues. Companies are thus adopting an omnichannel strategy to offer multiple media and channels for use before, during, and after purchase – that is, during the customer journey. The success of this journey requires both effective integration of the company’s offline and online channels and strong consistency in communication terms. In this context, offering a smooth transition between touchpoints along the consumer journey to optimize consumers’ experience requires appropriate omnichannel integration. However, little is known about how to assess customer journey, despite the implications therein for companies’ performance and consumer reactions. To fill this gap, the present paper proposes and validates indicators to measure the extent to which controlled touchpoints are really integrated and oriented toward the consumer and provide a satisfactory customer journey. Focusing on corporate website, brand pages on social network sites, apps, and physical stores as fully controlled touchpoints, we offer an instrument to assess integration and customer orientation, as well as avenues for further extension. Application of the indicators comprising the instrument reveals that integration is improving and customer-centric approach is gaining attention, but still has room for improvement. Theoretical and managerial contributions are discussed.

Online Business Challenges Faced by the Junior and Senior High School Student-Entrepreneurs in Philippine School Doha, S.Y. 2021-2022

This study focuses on investigating the Challenges in an Online Business Faced by the Junior and Senior High School Student-Entrepreneurs in Philippine School Doha, S.Y. 2021-2022. Specifically, it describes the (1) products and services the respondents provided in their online business and the (2) challenges in an online business encountered by the respondents. The study utilized the quantitative descriptive research design and made use of a validated self-made survey questionnaire. Twenty (20) Junior and Senior High School student-entrepreneurs were purposely selected as respondents of the study. The challenges in an online business included computer related skills and expertise, developing customer-owner relationship, management of finance and accounting, health and safety repercussions, limitations of business types, and privacy and security concerns. Results of the study showed that the commonly faced challenges are developing customer-owner relationships which pertains to the consumer and entrepreneur interaction which may affect the buying behavior or loyalty of the buyer, and health and safety repercussions which tackles safety measures the entrepreneurs take during production and delivery of goods to the consumer. It is therefore recommended that student-entrepreneurs or future student-entrepreneurs may recognize the challenges that they may encounter while handling an online business in order to have the capacity to adapt to the growing market. Keywords: Student-Entrepreneur; Online Business; Products and Services; Computer related skills and expertise; Developing customer-owner relationship; Management of finance and accounting; Health and safety repercussions; Limitations of business types; Privacy and security concerns

Shaping path of trust: the role of information credibility, social support, information sharing and perceived privacy risk in social commerce

PurposeCurrently, the Covid-19 pandemic is changing how consumers shop, encouraging deeper levels and increased reliance on e-commerce systems and social media such as online communities. The online interaction of consumers is more important and brings many uncertainties, which impact the original commerce environment. This study aim to investigate the ethical consideration of information credibility and perceived privacy risk from a psychology perspective in marketing, this study draws on social support theory from social psychology to develop a research model to investigate the role of information credibility and perceived privacy risk on social commerce websites.Design/methodology/approachThis study investigated social commerce websites and communities. The research data of this study was collected through a questionnaire from consumers on three famous social commerce platforms. Using PLS-SEM to perform data analysis, this study research the importance of information credibility, perceived privacy risk and trust on social commerce websites.FindingsThe findings discuss individuals' reaction to privacy issues and to understand the motives to disclose or reveal personal information within a marketing or consumption context. The research also explores the theoretical implications by integrating theories from information systems and social psychology to investigate ethical issues in social commerce.Originality/valueCovid-19 makes peer-to-peer communication in online communities is developing collaborative consumption, and information produced in these communities can influence the decisions of consumers. Covid-19 has exacerbated such a change in social commerce environment. Therefore, information credibility plays an important role in developing online communities. It is important to look at the psychological antecedents that drive consumers' willingness to share their personal information when using online communities. The author has clarified which aspects of trust in social commerce should be strategized, including information trustworthiness, perceived privacy risks, social support and information sharing. These are the details that companies should pay more attention to when operating social commerce. Only by paying more attention to these details and giving consumers a positive feeling can consumers' trust be maintained or enhanced, ultimately leading to a successful trust economy.

More than what they eat: uncoupled biophysical constraints underlie geographic patterns of herbivory

Herbivory rates have classically been hypothesized to decrease from the tropics towards higher latitudes because the more benign abiotic conditions in tropical systems foster greater ecosystem complexity including greater intensity of biotic interactions. However, attempts to quantify latitudinal patterns of herbivory often fail to support this hypothesis. While biases have been offered as explanations for null results, here, we argue that framing the question of latitudinal variation in herbivory around nutrient and energetic constraints of insect herbivores and plants may provide mechanistic explanations of latitudinal herbivory patterns. As a case study, we focused on sodium as an uncoupled nutrient between herbivore and plant communities: sodium is a key limiting micronutrient for herbivore neural and muscular development while present at orders of magnitude lower concentrations in plants. We compared sodium deposition with latitude, mean annual temperature (MAT) and actual evapotranspiration (measure of primary productivity, AET) in their ability to predict consumed percentage leaf area from published datasets. Leaf percent herbivory increased with sodium deposition and MAT and decreased with latitude but was unrelated to AET. Sodium had comparable effect size and predictive ability to either MAT or latitude. Additionally, herbivory was highest in locales with both high sodium deposition and high MAT. Our hypothesis that geographic variation in herbivory is driven by an interaction of unrestrictive temperature environments (high MAT) and limiting nutrient supply to herbivores (high sodium deposition) was strongly supported. We propose that greater generality, predictability and theoretical development on geographic variation in herbivory will arise from a refocus on the biophysical constraints (e.g. productivity, micronutrient availability, leaf mass consumed) that ultimately control consumer interactions rather than latitude per se. This refocus is likely to open new hypotheses for the evolution of defense syndromes across plant populations and communities based on the specific geography of limiting nutrients.

Digital technologies: tensions in privacy and data

Driven by data proliferation, digital technologies have transformed the marketing landscape. In parallel, significant privacy concerns have shaken consumer–firm relationships, prompting changes in both regulatory interventions and people’s own privacy-protective behaviors. With a comprehensive analysis of digital technologies and data strategy informed by structuration theory and privacy literature, the authors consider privacy tensions as the product of firm–consumer interactions, facilitated by digital technologies. This perspective in turn implies distinct consumer, regulatory, and firm responses related to data protection. By consolidating various perspectives, the authors propose three tenets and seven propositions, supported by interview insights from senior managers and consumer informants, that create a foundation for understanding the digital technology implications for firm performance in contexts marked by growing privacy worries and legal ramifications. On the basis of this conceptual framework, they also propose a data strategy typology across two main strategic functions of digital technologies: data monetization and data sharing. The result is four distinct types of firms, which engage in disparate behaviors in the broader ecosystem pertaining to privacy issues. This article also provides directions for research, according to a synthesis of findings from both academic and practical perspectives.

The Study on Digital Marketing Influences on Sales for B2B Start-Ups in South Asia

South Asia has seen a digital revolution in recent years. The number of persons who use the internet has risen drastically. They use it for shopping, social media and online sales. However, there exists a literature gap as far as the effect of outbound digital marketing in B2B markets is concerned. The research builds a model based on brand and consumer interactions in Indian B2B markets using a vector autoregressive model to systemically analyze the cost and outcome of digital marketing efforts by the start-ups operating in South Asia. The multivariate time series analyzed in identifying simultaneous and consistent impacts by the start-ups. We use Vector autoregressive model as it allows us to analyse the relationship among the factors as it changes over time. The research finds evidence for the conceptual framework in South Asian markets. The results prove that sales are greatly influenced by digital media, and outbound marketing efforts, predominantly word of mouth, has a huge impact in building a brand image as it spread over in the social media platforms. It is observed that the digital marketing strategies and consumer interaction are the same across South Asia, but its effect varies from country to country within South Asia thus suggesting a need of developing a new strategy in digital marketing for B2B markets.