Consumer Uncertainty Research Articles

Rejoinder: “Consumer Uncertainty and Purchase Decision Reversals: Theory and Evidence”

An implicit assumption from prior research is made explicit to clarify the conditions for which information that can reduce uncertainty about a purchase can increase the likelihood the purchase is cancelled or returned.

Erratum on “Purchase Decision Reversals” Model by Shulman et al. (2015)

This is an erratum on the paper “Consumer uncertainty and purchase decision reversals: Theory and evidence”, Marketing Sci. 34(4):590–605.

Consumerbased conceptualisation of brand transparency: scope, characteristics and contextual determinants

Purpose Escalating uncertainty surrounding brand communications has intensified consumer demands for transparency. Many definitions link transparency to the quantity of shared information, yet more information might not alleviate consumer uncertainty. The purpose of this paper is to develop a consumer-based conceptualisation of brand transparency that recognises the subjectivity in how transparency manifests for consumers. Design/methodology/approach This research adopts a qualitative approach, leveraging 10 exploratory interviews with experts and 20 in-depth interviews with consumers. Findings Confronted with information asymmetry, consumers rely on cues (openness, clarity, timeliness, evidence-based, explanatory) to evaluate a brand’s intentions to provide accurate information about focal domains in a way that establishes brand transparency. Focal domains of brand transparency (pro-social values, processes and product and service offerings) evolve in line with changing consumer expectations. Both consumer relationships and brand experiences influence brand transparency perceptions. Research limitations/implications This study challenges an inherent assumption that access to more information informs brand transparency perceptions; instead, consumers require transparency about salient and focal topics. By delineating the observable signals consumers use to infer transparency and highlighting how consumers’ biases towards certain brands and product categories influence their perceptions of brand transparency, this study contributes to customer–brand relationship literature. Practical implications The authors identify challenges for evoking brand transparency perceptions when information is salient. The authors stress the importance of open dialogue across all touchpoints to address consumer queries. Originality/value By challenging some assumptions of brand transparency literature, which have evolved from accounting and governance disciplines, this research introduces a distinctive perspective on consumer-based brand transparency.

Dynamics analysis of green supply chain under the conditions of demand uncertainty and blockchain technology

This research investigates the implications of incorporating blockchain technology into the process of making decisions for green supply chains, particularly under conditions of demand uncertainty. A model was formulated to encompass both environmentally friendly products enabled by blockchain technology and those without such enabling technology. The study further explores the optimal method of introducing green input in a duopoly market using game theory. It also examines how consumer uncertainty about green products and acceptance of the technical parameters of blockchain influence this strategy. The findings suggest that increased consumer uncertainty can, in some instances, motivate manufacturers to enhance the eco-friendliness of their products and improve supply chain performance. However, the universal adoption of blockchain does not necessarily ensure better results; on the contrary, it may compromise product sustainability while enhancing supply chain profitability. Moreover, research has indicated that products enabled by blockchain typically have lower prices, thereby offering potential benefits to consumers when acceptance of sustainable energy solutions is high or uncertain. Additionally, this paper analyzes the impact of changes in green supply chain decision-making on system reliability. This involves exploring the relationship between decision parameters and consumer reluctance towards sustainable products and the adoption of blockchain technology. To ensure stable market competition in dynamic complex systems, research shows that feedback control technology can effectively regulate unpredictable behavior.

The Role of Insecurity in Shaping Consumer Purchase Intentions: Mediating Effects of Perceived Usefulness and Ease of Use in Live Commerce

Live commerce platforms facilitate real-time interactions between sellers and buyers, but challenges related to consumer uncertainty can negatively impact their intention to purchase. This study examines how uncertainty affects perceptions of usefulness, ease of use, and the intention to purchase. Additionally, it investigates whether perceived usefulness and ease of use serve as mediators in these relationships. The research adopts a quantitative methodology, collecting data from 150 respondents in Banjarmasin using a questionnaire based on a 5-point Likert scale. The analysis employed Structural Equation Modeling with Partial Least Squares (PLS-SEM) to understand the interrelations among the variables. The findings reveal that insecurity does not significantly impact perceived usefulness, ease of use, or purchase intention, and these perceptions do not act as mediators in the relationship. However, both perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness have a strong and positive effect on purchase intention. These results underscore the need to focus on technology's ease of use and functionality to encourage purchasing behaviour, even when insecurity is present. This suggests that e-commerce businesses should improve their platforms' functional aspects and user-friendliness to enhance consumer engagement. Furthermore, the study encourages future research to delve into more profound psychological aspects and beliefs surrounding consumer insecurity that may influence decision-making in live commerce environments.

Strategic Communication of Shopee Affiliators on TikTok for Consumer Engagement

Background: The rise of social media has transformed marketing strategies, particularly in e-commerce. Specific Background: This study examines how affiliate marketers on TikTok enhance consumer engagement and purchasing decisions. Knowledge Gap: Limited understanding exists regarding the specific communication strategies that TikTok affiliates use to influence consumer perceptions. Aims: The research analyzes the communication concepts employed by a TikTok affiliate account to attract consumers. Results: Findings reveal that product reviews by creators serve as credible sources of information, reducing consumer uncertainty and building trust. Novelty: This study offers unique insights into the dynamics of affiliate marketing on TikTok, highlighting benefits for both creators and store owners through authentic promotions. Implications: The research emphasizes the importance of effective communication in affiliate marketing, suggesting that these strategies not only enhance consumer trust but also facilitate organic campaigns that expand market reach with minimal advertising costs. Highlights : Credible Information: Product reviews by creators help reduce consumer uncertainty. Trust Building: Honest evaluations foster stronger relationships between creators and audiences. Organic Reach: Effective communication strategies enhance marketing campaigns without high advertising costs. Keywords: TikTok, Affiliate, Marketing, Consumer, Trust

Performing Discourse in Pursuit of Credibility: A Quantitative Content Analysis of Dutch Live Blogs

ABSTRACT Live blogs are a popular format for covering crises, breaking news, politics, or sports events. Despite their popularity among journalists and the public, the format has also been subject to scholarly debate regarding the conflict between immediacy versus credibility, resulting in a high degree of uncertainty for producers and consumers. Journalists cope with this paradox by performing discourse: imposing valid and persuasive representations of the social world. One way to do so is by the use and representation of sources. In this paper, we uncover the performative discourse of live blogs through possible patterns of sourcing and discursive strategies among a range of live blogs and the way journalists cope with the mix of speed and uncertainty. Based on a quantitative content analysis of nine Dutch live blogs, we conclude that journalists follow the same conventions and routines as regular (online) articles. Despite the possibilities for polyvocality (more and different voices in live blogs) due to the accessibility by social media, journalists choose predominantly formal sources and report their speech predominantly in a direct way.

Determination of Fares for Online Transportation Applications with A Fare Bargaining System is Linked to Business Competition Law in Indonesia

This research examines the pricing mechanism in online transportation applications in Indonesia, focusing on the bargaining system and its implications for business competition law. Pricing in online transportation applications often causes polemics in the community because it is considered non-transparent and unfair. This study aims to analyze how the pricing mechanism is carried out by online transportation application providers, as well as evaluate its conformity with the principles of business competition law in Indonesia. The research method used is normative juridical, with a legislative and conceptual approach. Data was obtained through literature studies and analysis of documents related to government regulations and policies in the field of online transportation. The results of the study show that the pricing mechanism by online transportation applications still faces various challenges, especially related to transparency and compliance with business competition laws. In addition, the bargaining system implemented by several applications still causes price uncertainty for consumers. This study concludes that there needs to be stricter regulation and stricter supervision of the pricing mechanism in online transportation applications. This is important to ensure that business competition runs in a healthy and fair manner, as well as to protect the interests of consumers.

Through the Fog of Inflation: Examining the Mediating Role of Consumer Uncertainty on Purchase Intentions in Pakistani Smartphone Market

Through the Fog of Inflation: Examining the Mediating Role of Consumer Uncertainty on Purchase Intentions in Pakistani Smartphone Market

A multi-timescale and chance-constrained energy dispatching strategy of integrated heat-power community with shared hybrid energy storage

The community in the future may develop into an integrated heat-power system, which includes a high proportion of renewable energy, power generator units, heat generator units, and shared hybrid energy storage. In the integrated heat-power system with coupling heat-power generators and demands, the key challenges lie in the interaction between heat and power, the inherent uncertainty of renewable energy and consumers’ demands, and the multi-timescale scheduling of heat and power. In this paper, we propose a game theoretic model of the integrated heat-power system. For the welfare-maximizing community operator, its energy dispatch strategy is under chance constraints, where the day-ahead scheduling determines the scheduled energy dispatching strategies, and the real-time dispatch considers the adjustment of generators. For utility-maximizing consumers, their demands are sensitive to the preference parameters. Taking into account the uncertainty in both renewable energy and consumer demand, we prove the existence and uniqueness of the Stackelberg game equilibrium and develop a fixed-point algorithm to find the market equilibrium between the community operator and community consumers. Numerical simulations on integrated heat-power community show that the proposed solution outperforms the constant curtailment strategy with the daily cost reduced by 14.38%.

Effects of product online reviews on product returns: a review and classification of the literature

AbstractProduct returns pose a significant challenge for online retailers, primarily due to consumer uncertainty, both before and after the purchase. These uncertainties may stem from factors such as the absence of a “touch and feel” experience, mismatched product expectations, or post‐purchase regret, where consumers change their minds. Online reviews, shared by previous consumers who have already experienced the products, can have a substantial impact not only on new consumers’ purchasing but also on return decisions. Surprisingly, there has been limited research to understand the influence of online reviews on product returns. This paper applies the input‐process‐output framework to conduct a comprehensive review and analysis of studies related to online reviews and product returns. Based on this review and analysis, a conceptual model is proposed, and an outline for the future research agenda is discussed.

Novel and Sensitive Touchdown Polymerase Chain Reaction Assays for the Detection of Goat and Sheep Milk Adulteration with Cow Milk.

Milk is the most consumed liquid food in the world due to its high nutritional value and relatively low cost, characteristics that make it vulnerable to adulteration. One of the most common types of milk adulteration involves the undeclared addition of cow's milk to milk from other mammalian species, such as goats, sheep, buffalo or donkeys. The incidence of such adulteration not only causes a crisis in terms of commercial market and consumer uncertainty but also poses a risk to public health, as allergies can be triggered by proteins in undeclared cow's milk. In this study, a specific qualitative touchdown (TD) PCR method was developed to detect the undeclared addition of cow's milk in goat and sheep milk based on the discrimination of the peak areas of the melting curves after the modification of bovine-specific primers. The developed methodology has high specificity for the DNA templates of other species, such as buffalos and donkeys, and is able to identify the presence of cow's milk down to 1%. Repeatability was tested at low bovine concentrations of 5% and 1% and resulted in %RSD values of 1.53-2.04 for the goat-cow assay and 2.49-7.16 for the sheep-cow assay, respectively. The application of this method to commercial goat milk samples indicated a high percentage of noncompliance in terms of labeling (50%), while a comparison of the results to rapid immunochromatographic and ELISA kits validated the excellent sensitivity and applicability of the proposed PCR methodology that was able to trace more adulterated samples. The developed assays offer the advantage of multiple detection in a single run, resulting in a cost- and time-efficient method. Future studies will focus on the applicability of these assays in dairy products such as cheese and yogurt.

Would the blind box be more effective? The role of uncertainty in consumers’ post-recovery satisfaction

The tourism and hospitality industries are notably highly likely to experience service failures due to frequent contact with service personnel. These industries actively seek innovative strategies to enhance consumers’ post-recovery satisfaction without increasing costs. Drawing on social exchange theory and regulatory focus theory, this study examines whether uncertainty can be an effective recovery method for service failures through four experiments. Findings indicate that uncertainty can enhance perceived fun and post-recovery satisfaction in situations of low-severe failure severity and hedonic consumption. However, in cases of high-severity failures and utilitarian consumption, uncertainty can lead to perceived insincerity and reduce post-recovery satisfaction. We also investigate the moderating role of customer inoculation and find that customer inoculation is effective in amplifying the positive impact of the uncertainty effect and mitigating its negative impact. This paper expands the literature on uncertainty utilization and service recovery strategies by determining whether and when uncertainty is appropriate in service recovery.

Decoding the information quantity-quality paradox: How eWOM volume influences consumption value uncertainties

This study explored how the type, quantity, and polarity of information shape customer uncertainty in consumption values, utilizing longitudinal and large-scale user-generated data collected from Yelp. Two types of curvilinear relationships between information quantity and consumer uncertainty were identified. Pattern (a) exhibits an inverted U-shaped trend where uncertainty rises with information volume (under scarcity) but diminishes after a threshold (indicating sufficiency). In contrast, Pattern (b) shows recurrent uncertainty surges after surpassing a volume threshold, signaling information overload. Moreover, the study revealed that the polarity of visual information significantly moderates the impact of information quantity on customer uncertainty. The findings suggest that restaurant managers, within the eWOM context, should tailor information management strategies corresponding to different stages of information diffusion. Lastly, the study underscores the importance of monitoring conflicting information for restaurant managers to effectively mitigate customer uncertainty, emphasizing the utility of the novel big data-based approach to measure customer uncertainty.

User-generated Contents(UGC)를 이용한 지각된 서비스품질 측정과 온라인 구전이 지각된 소비자 품질 불확실성에 미치는 영향에 관한 연구

This study aimed to measure perceived service quality by analyzing consumer reviews posted on online review platforms. The proposed Perceived Service Quality Index (PSQI) was validated by examining whether its five dimensions could explain overall satisfaction, a non-financial performance indicator for customers. The findings showed that the PSQI was partially valid, with four out of five dimensions significantly explaining the average rating, a proxy for overall satisfaction. To demonstrate the applicability of the PSQI, this study also investigated the impact of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) on consumers' uncertainty in perceived service quality using longitudinal PSQI data. The findings indicate curvilinear relationships between eWOM and consumers' uncertainty in the dimensions of assurance, tangibility, and food. Specifically, insufficient information in the eWOM environment may increase uncertainty in these service quality dimensions, while exceeding a certain level of eWOM may decrease uncertainty. Therefore, this study suggests that restaurant managers should continuously monitor and manage the information level distributed through online review platforms to reduce consumer uncertainty in the purchasing decision-making process.

Pricing Decisions in Construction and Demolition Waste Recycling Supply Chains under Carbon Tax Scenarios

Pricing decisions for construction and demolition waste recycling are severely hampered by consumer uncertainty in assessing the value of recycled building materials. This paper uses a construction and demolition waste (CDW) recycling utilization model that consists of a building materials manufacturer and a building materials remanufacturer and compares both the prices and the profits under different carbon tax scenarios, i.e., consumer risk-averse and risk-neutral scenarios. The main conclusions are as follows. (1) The optimal price of traditional products is always negatively correlated with consumer risk aversion. Unlike traditional products, the optimal price of recycled building materials is negatively related to the degree of consumer risk aversion in the case of a low carbon tax; the opposite conclusion is obtained in the case of a high carbon tax. (2) When the abatement cost coefficient is below the threshold and the carbon tax is low, the profits of the building materials manufacturer and remanufacturer show a U-shaped trend with consumer risk aversion; in the case of a high carbon tax, the profits of the two enterprises are positively correlated with consumer risk aversion. In addition, when the abatement cost coefficient is above the threshold, there is an interval in which the profits of the building materials manufacturer are positively correlated with consumer risk aversion in the case in which the carbon tax satisfies this interval. In all the other cases, there is a U-shaped trend in profits and consumer risk aversion levels for both the building materials manufacturer and the remanufacturer.

Blockchain-driven dual-channel green supply chain game model considering government subsidies

In order to improve the performance of green supply chain and promote the adoption of blockchain, this paper establishes a dual-channel green supply chain consisting of a green manufacturer and a retailer, and builds Stackelberg game model considering different scenarios. We analyze the impact of blockchain operating costs and consumer uncertainty about the product greenness. Furthermore, we study the government subsidy for manufacturers' green costs and its impact on supply chain performance and blockchain adoption. Findings reveal that without blockchain technology, government subsidy can improve manufacturers' and retailers' profits. However, when blockchain is adopted, the subsidy effect depends on the blockchain operating costs. In case of higher blockchain operating cost, the product prices and greenness decrease as the green cost subsidies increase; In case of lower blockchain operating cost, the increase in green cost subsidies will lead to increased product prices and greenness; Green cost subsidies can raise profits and lower the blockchain adoption threshold.

Optimal channel strategy for an e-seller: Whether and when to introduce live streaming?

The introduction of a live-streaming channel presents numerous opportunities for e-sellers, effectively reducing consumer uncertainty and enhancing consumer valuation. Few studies have investigated whether and when an e-seller should introduce a live-streaming channel. To fill this gap, this paper considers two live-streaming channel strategies, where one is the e-seller and another is live streamer. This study aims to investigate the impact of live-streaming selling on the e-seller’s optimal decisions, our findings show that introducing the live-streaming channel benefits for the e-seller when the slotting fee is sufficiently low in the e-seller operated live-streaming channel, or when the live streamer’s sales ability is sufficiently high in the live streamer operated live-streaming channel. Then, we examine the pricing decisions in different channels of the e-seller considering live-streaming selling, it shows that the price in the live-streaming channel is not always lower, which is dependent on the live streamer’s sales ability. Moreover, both the e-seller and the live streamer consistently prefer the e-seller to operate the live-streaming channel when introducing the live-streaming channel within a specific range of slotting fee. Finally, the research was extended to a hybrid channel scenario, and the results reveal that the e-seller may not consistently benefit from such configurations.

Can Merchants Benefit from Entry by (Amazon-Like) Platform if Multiagent Prices Signal Quality?

Merchants need not fear platform entry because that can raise merchants’ profits by resolving quality uncertainty for consumers.

Product line design and introduction strategies for crowdfunding in presence of social learning

Crowdfunding has emerged as a popular and efficient digital financing method. This paper investigates the product line design and introduction strategy of crowdfunding products in the presence of social learning when consumers are uncertain about their quality preferences and are allowed to return products. The results reveal that the consumer preference level and the preference level gap between high- and low-type consumers impact the optimal introduction strategy. Specifically, under the high-quality products’ first sequential introduction strategy, the optimal quality and pricing decision of low-quality products are similar to the results of classical product line design in that the gap between optimal prices for the product line increases with the consumers’ high- and low-quality preference levels and the proportion of high-quality preference consumers in the high-segment market. However, when introducing low-quality products first, the quality gap for the product line decreases in low-quality preference levels. Besides, the introduction strategy for menu crowdfunding products mainly depends on consumers’ quality preference levels and the gap between high- and low-quality preference levels. Finally, social learning can greatly alleviate consumers’ uncertainty about product preferences, reduce return rates, and bring greater profits to creators. It has a significant positive effect on creators than without social learning. The findings of this paper have essential implications for crowdfunding product design and introduction strategy in the presence of social learning and consumer uncertainty.