Buying Context Research Articles

A Study on Electronic Marketing and Customer Loyalty of Small and Medium Enterprises in Rwenzori Region

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have continued to face customer retention challenge which has been escalated by the changing customer product information needs. This study was conducted to examine the relationship between electronic marketing and customer loyalty among service firms in Rwenzori region. The study took a cross-sectional design which was quantitative in nature. Out of 170 small and medium enterprises operating in Kabarole, and Kyenjojo districts a sample of 118 was determined in accordance with Krejcie & Morgan sample determination table. Data was collected using questionnaires which were self-administered physically by the researchers. Necessary instrument validity and reliability checks were conducted and later subjected data to parametric assumptions’ test which informed the choice of data analysis methods. 110 out of 118 questionnaires distributed were returned but only 78 were error free constituting a 71 percent response rate. Study findings indicate that electronic marketing has a positive and significant relationship with Customer loyalty among service firms in these two districts in Rwenzori region (r = .480, p<.01; r = .616, p< .01; and r = .539, p< .01). This finding implies that the more firms accept, use and adopt latest communication technologies, the more the repurchase effects on the side of their customers. Since customer behaviour differ across industries and in different buying context, future studies should look at antecedents and consequences of customer loyalty in none service setting.

Young consumers’ impulse buying tendency on social media: an empirical analysis in Vietnam in light of the LST theoretical perspective

Purpose Social commerce has brought about a significant transformation in consumer experience due to diverse factors. As a result, users often find themselves prone to impulsive buying behaviour when exposed to such an environment. Prior research was limited to demonstrating the expanding influence of celebrities on social media and the linkage between social engagement and impulse buying context. Furthermore, the impulse buying tendency of consumers on social media in the context of celebrity posts has yet to be validated. This paper aims to assess the influence of consumer awareness, consumer trust and observational learning on the latent state-trait (LST) theory regarding celebrity posts on impulse buying tendencies. Design/methodology/approach The empirical research builds on a sample survey involving 750 students from the “Big Four” economics universities in Hanoi. The proposed model was analysed using a partial least squares structural equation modelling technique. Findings The authors find that consumer trust and observational learning from celebrity’ posts positively affect impulse buying tendency. Yet celebrity influence awareness directly impacts trust in celebrity’ posts rather than directly impacting impulse buying tendency. Perceiving the importance of interactive and authentic posts by a celebrity in influencing consumers’ purchase behaviour on social media, this research offers valuable insights for stakeholders in the digital celebrity sphere of communication and marketing. Practical implications Perceiving the importance of interactive and authentic posts by a celebrity in influencing consumers’ purchase behaviour on social media, this research offers valuable insights for stakeholders in the digital celebrity sphere of communication and marketing. Originality/value From a theoretical perspective, this expands the applicability of the LST theory in social commerce to promote impulse buying tendencies. Second, this contributes to the literature on the emerging phenomenon of social media celebrities, as existing literature does not clarify their influence on impulse buying behaviour. Third, this research applies the concept of observational learning in online shopping through key features of social media platforms, namely, likes, shares and comments, to investigate their influence on the impulse buying tendency of consumers. Concerning managerial implications, the authors propose practical recommendations for practitioners, particularly those involved or interested in the commercial services industry and social media marketing (namely, celebrities and partner companies).

DESAIN PEMBELAJARAN SISTEM PERSAMAAN LINEAR DUA VARIABEL MELALUI CONTEXTUAL TEACHING AND LEARNING

This research aims to comprehend how the context of buying and selling activities and a hypothetical learning trajectory (HLT) can aid in learning two-variables linear equation system through contextual teaching and learning (CTL) in class 8.1 and in class 8.3 at Madrasah Sanawiah al-Mubarok. The research method used is design research. The essential characteristic of design research is the cycle. The research subjects for the first cycle (preliminary teaching) included 28 students from class 8.1. In this cycle the first HLT is being tested to observe students as they progress through the learning trajectory. The revised HLT will be implemented in the second cycle (teaching experiment). The research subjects for the second cycle included 33 students from class 8.3. The obtained data are analyzed qualitatively. The results of the retrospective analysis indicate that the use of buying and selling activity contexts can facilitate students’ understanding of how the two-variables linear equation system is applied to solve related problems. According to the retrospective analysis results, 1) using context of buying and selling activities can aid students in comprehending how to apply the two-variables linear equation system to solve related problems; 2) the HLT in learning the two-variables linear equation system through CTL includes learning objectives, activities that occur during learning, and student answer hypotheses. The learning trajectory used includes making meaningful connections; engaging in significant activities; achieving high standards; self-regulated learning; nurturing and fostering student personalities; critical and creative thinking; collaboration; authentic assessment

Buyer perceptions of corporate brand extension attractiveness and fit in B2B services

This study explores buyer perceptions of corporate brand extension attractiveness in B2B services, focusing on influencing roles of corporate image, extension fit, and other sources of extension appeal. Two case companies are explored qualitatively in the facility service and industrial consultancy industries, including 28 semi-structured interviews with buyers of the corporate brand's original services and service extensions. Corporate brand heritage, breadth and extension frequency influenced brand extension attractiveness. Image fit and service fit were identified as dimensions of brand extension fit, while other sources of attractiveness related to service characteristics and the buying context, including buyer-seller relationship strength and the characteristics of the buying process. By exploring buying experience over time, the dynamic natures of brand extension attractiveness and fit are discussed. This study contributes to brand extension research by identifying novel sources of brand extension attractiveness to guide future studies, and by adding new understandings of the benefits and risks of business growth through extending brands in B2B service markets.

Taktike distributivnog pregovaranja

In the context of business negotiation, negotiation is both a science and a skill; in terms of skill, business negotiation implies certain behaviours, skills, abilities and experiences, while knowledge on negotiation is considered a useful tool that facilitates process implementation; knowledge must be applied (used) as often as possible in order to, due to at times highly competitive differences in the concept of negotiation, shape it as a business process, in which the gap between theory and practice is bridged. Business negotiation is most often analysed in two contexts: the context of buying and selling and relationships within the business entity (internal negotiation). As an increasingly important business skill that finds solutions to conflict, but interdependent situations, effective business negotiation has a multiplier effect in terms of creating added value. Business negotiation is the “exchange of something beneficial for something else beneficial”, and what is beneficial and how to get there is decided by each side for themselves, which can be identified through the approach to negotiations as well as the strategies and tactics used. The paper analyses the strategy of distributive negotiation, which was the dominant negotiation approach in the past (and is still used today) with an emphasis on negotiation tactics used by distributive negotiators, as well as ways of responding to them. The tactics themselves, i.e. their names or terms are derived from negotiation experience, and arouse the interest of the general public due to the terms used for the description of the negotiation tactics.

Pola Interaksi Sosial di Warung (Studi Kasus pada Interaksi Sosial di Warung Sembako di Kelurahan Pulogebang Kota Jakarta Timur)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine patterns of social interaction in stalls and to determine the behavior of buyers. Research Methodology: The research method used is descriptive qualitative method. Data collection was carried out by participant observation, namely researchers involved in direct interactions with data sources in the field and by observing daily activities at four stalls in Pulogebang Village and researchers also conducted interviews with eight informants. Results: The results of this study show that social interactions that occur in stalls are not only in terms of buying and selling, but there are other conversations outside the context of buying and selling. The interactions that occur in the warung can be associative (cooperation, accommodation, assimilation) and dissociative (competition, contradiction, conflict). As well as the behavior of customers in the Pulogebang Village stalls is a positive behavior in social life. Contribution: This research is expected to be useful for the development of sociology, and can add to the knowledge of sociologists about social interaction, besides that it can help stall visitors and sellers be aware of the importance of good social interaction with the community.

Modeling Consumers’ Usage Intention of Augmented Reality in Online Buying Context: Empirical Setting with Measurement Development

The main objective of this study is to identify the factors that affect consumers’ intention to use AR for their online buying context. This study integrated three theories with additional constructs of perceived enjoyment and personal innovativeness. Data was collected through a personal-administered questionnaire from 265 respondents. In this study, PLS based Structural Equation Modeling was used to analyze the data. The study results show that all the estimated relationships were found significant and positive except the relationship between social identity and attitude, social identity and perceived usefulness, and personal innovativeness and perceived ease of use. Attitude significantly and positively mediates the association between two constructs of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and behavioral intention. The findings of this study also reveal that self-efficacy significantly moderates the association between attitude and behavioral intention. This study validated a new model developed for examining the intention to use augmented reality in the online buying context. Here, a model is developed by integrating the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), Social Identity Theory, and Self-identity Theory with additional constructs of perceived enjoyment and personal innovativeness. This study will contribute to the knowledge extension of using augmented reality in the online buying context.

Impulse Buying and Hedonic Behaviour: A Mediation Effect of Positive Emotions

This paper is devoted to building a miniature of an impulse buying behaviour in department stores, which is influenced by hedonic shopping value, store environment, and price discount factors, which involve the role of positive emotions as a mediator. A comparative causal-based quantitative approach examines empirical relationships. Characteristics of the questionnaire invite respondents to be surveyed at Matahari and Transmart Department Stores in Pontianak who are instructed to use purposive sampling. In the next procedure, interpreting the data is processed with SmartPLS, which emphasizes the structural model. The results of the investigation demonstrated that hedonic shopping value had a significant effect on positive emotions at Matahari and Transmart. However, the store environment actually has a significant effect on positive emotions at Transmart, but has no effect at Matahari. It was also detected that positive emotions have a significant effect on impulse buying at Matahari. Interestingly, it has no impact in the case study at Transmart. Later, hedonic shopping value appeared to have a significant effect on impulse buying at Transmart, while at Matahari it did not. Further exploration also found that the store environment had a significant effect on impulse buying at Matahari, while at Transmart it had no effect. This work also confirms that the discount has no effect on impulse buying at Matahari and Transmart. The motives for impulse buying, hedonic behaviour, and positive emotions need to be adjusted to the broader analysis design in the future. There are striking differences with previous studies, thus providing a gap that is very suitable for the context of impulse buying.

An ethnographic analysis of consumer information processing and decision-making at farmers’ markets

PurposeFarmers’ markets have grown rapidly in recent years and at the same time consumers increasingly desire to eat healthfully and sustainably. This research aims to analyze the way consumers process information regarding local food claims such as sustainability and organics when shopping for local foods at farmers’ markets.Design/methodology/approachThis research uses ethnographic methods that included interviews with 36 participants, more than 100 hours of participant observation and prolonged engagement over a two and half-year period.FindingsThe findings indicate that there are two dominant types of consumers at the farmers’ market, hedonistic and utilitarian consumers. Hedonistic consumers rely on heuristic cues such as aesthetics, their relationship with the farmer and other peripheral sources of information when making purchase decisions. Utilitarian consumers, by contrast, carefully analyze marketing messages using central route cues and tend to be more conscious of their purchase choices.Practical implicationsThis study will help farmers more effectively position their marketing messages and help consumers be aware how they process information in this space.Originality/valueUnlike previous studies of consumer behavior at farmers’ markets that primarily use survey methods, this study uses observational and ethnographic methods to capture in situ interactions in this complex buying context. Further, while much work has been done on broad concepts of local food and organic preferences, this study provides a more in-depth look at consumer information processing in the farmers’ market space that reflects a mixture of organic and non-organic food.

How More Options Decrease the Compromise Effect: Investigating Boundary Conditions for the Compromise Effect in Travel Decisions

Travelers often demonstrate the compromise effect—a tendency to choose the intermediate option(s) when facing difficult trade-off decisions. The compromise effect has been replicated in very specific settings where typically only two or three options were available. This research extends our understanding of the compromise effect by examining the impact of the number of options on travelers’ choices. Based on two different accounts (i.e., attribute distance account vs. decision complexity account), we predict that the compromise effect will be attenuated as the number of options in a choice set increases. Four experimental studies provide supporting evidence for this argument and support the attribute distance account as the main underlying mechanism. This research contributes to the extant tourism and travel choice literature by responding to the call to investigate the compromise effect in complex buying contexts.

Goodreads Versus Amazon: The Effect of Decoupling Book Reviewing And Book Selling

Book reviewing is a commonplace activity on many ecommerce sites. However, it is nested within the broader context of book buying and selling. Goodreads, an online platform for social curation of book collections, provides an opportunity to observe on-line book reviewing in an environment that is not (at least overtly) focused on commercialization. In this study, we perform a careful comparative study of reviewer behavior and engagement in Goodreads and Amazon.com, constrained to a single genre (biography), including 21,394 books and 2.5 million reviews. We discover marked differences between the platforms that suggest disparate population composition and objectives of review-writing across the two platforms. Our findings suggest an important and generalizable principle: that two platforms engaging users on the same task (e.g., book review writing) may elicit quite different behavior depending on the implicit or explicit context and motivation present.

Understanding the role of webcare in the online buying service recovery context

ABSTRACT Electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) and reputation are crucial in the online buying marketplace, because negative WOM can easily spread very quickly. Businesses are investing a lot in consolidating customer relationships in order to improve their services and eliminate negative eWOM. So far, many studies have been carried out on the issue of eWOM, with some scholars proposing the concept of Webcare to analyze how businesses operate and conduct eWOM. In fact, it is hard to provide service recovery for many online companies, because service failure cannot be made up immediately and efficiently. And there are few studies do empirically address the issue of Webcare in the online buying context. In this vein, following “A post-acceptance of IS continuance model” originated from Expectation Confirmation Theory (ECT), this present study proposed a research model of “A post-acceptance of service recovery continuance model” in the research context of service recovery. The findings showed that “Post-acceptance of IS continuance model” can be applied into the context of service recovery with a highly explanatory power. The study confirmed the antecedent role of Webcare in the “Post-acceptance of service recovery continuance (repurchase) model”, and found that the Webcare should be employed in all of the online buying process as the trigger of service recovery sequence to satisfied consumers, instead of post remedy after the service failure.

EMPIRICAL REVIEW OF FACTORS AFFECTING BUYING BEHAVIOR IN HEI’S OF KHYBER PAKHTOONKHWA PROVINCE (PAKISTAN)

Purpose of the study: The purpose of this study was to highlight factors that affect buying practices in higher education institutions.
 Methodology: A questionnaire was used to collect primary data from respondents of higher education institutions of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (Pakistan). Correlation & Regression tests were applied with the help of SPSS for checking association and cause and effect relationship between predictors and criterion variables.
 Main findings: Findings of the study reveal that institutional goals, objectives, policies & procedures regarding the purchase, relationship with the suppliers & their credibility, product knowledge, and intangibility are some key factors that affect the buying behavior of individuals in institutions.
 Applications of the study: Study will help institutional buyers in particular and others in general to reduce brand sensitivity & risk associated with the purchase by following established procedures and policies. The study will help marketers in devising corporate and marketing strategies in different environments to overcome competition.
 Novelty/Originality of this study: The area of institutional buying in terms of branding has been largely ignored by researchers and academicians previously due to which this area remained underdeveloped theoretically. The study reveals the importance of various factors in institutional buying context and knowledge of these factors will help institutional buyers in particular and others in general, in reducing risk and uncertainty, by overcoming the complexity involved in institutional buying patterns.

Designing a Low-Fat Food Packaging: Comparing Consumers' Responses in Virtual and Physical Shopping Environments.

This paper aims to test to what extent emotional responses towards a low-fat product presented virtually converge with emotional responses toward this product when presented physically. Second, we want to probe if low-order emotions (physiological/unconscious responses) and high-order emotions (cognitive/conscious responses) converge to explain healthy product choices. To this end, 83 young participants were engaged in our experiment. Two packaging design variables were manipulated with the help of a real company (the color and the message), so that six different packages were created. Two different buying contexts were simulated: A virtual context and a physical context. Physiological responses were continuously recorded in both contexts (heart rates, electro-dermal responses, and eye muscle reactions). At the end, participants provided cognitive responses in a questionnaire concerning the selected package. Our results have demonstrated that low-order emotions remain stable (from a virtual to a physical environments). Virtual simulations elections and real product elections are correlated (X2 = 40.493; p < 0.02). Physiological and cognitive responses do not converge. Correlations between unconscious responses (low-order emotions) and self-reported measures (high-order emotions) was contrary to expectations (negative sign). Only low-order emotions explain product choices. On the contrary, real packaging choice and high-order emotions correlated inversely (the t values were significant but negative).

EVALUATING SMEs FOOD PACKAGING DESIGN CHARACTERISTIC

Package design as a communication aspect and plays a significant role in marketing. In the buying context, the package design reveals the content and details of the product to the consumers. That’s why package design really helps a product stand out in the market. The purpose of this paper was to investigate the style of SMEs food packaging design. A total of 67 SMEs food packaging designs in the market were selected randomly as samples in this study. This paper presents an exposition of visual research and content analysis methods. This research examined the characteristic of SMEs food packaging design such as material, visual, product information, label, and shape. The results of the study showed most of the products still used transparent plastic (75%), photography as a visual style on packaging (73%), sticker labeling technique (60%), and used the square shape of packaging design (71%). The study also found that there was more than 80% of the product showed the information on packaging design (logo, product name, brand). Findings suggested that characters used in SMEs food packaging design need to come out with a new style and image to increases consumer intention on purchasing products. It is hoped that the findings, as presented in this paper, will highlight the important characteristic of the SMEs food product in order to increase consumer comprehension of the product image base on a brand name, identity, and brand loyalty.

Enhanced understanding of purchase intentions in the context of car buying: Implications for academics and practitioners

This paper examines the factors that influence purchase intentions in the car buying context. Product attributes such as comfort level, brand name, affordability, resale value, serviceability, color, fuel efficiency, interior, entertainment and safety features are used to determine purchase preference. The results suggest that perceived behavioral control and attitude are major predictors of purchase intentions. Also a comparison of Toyota Vitz and Suzuki Swift reveals greater preference for the Vitz over the Swift.

Analyzing consumer goal structure in online group buying: A means-end chain approach

Given the enormous growth and significant impacts of group buying on Internet business marketplaces, this study aims to understand consumer goal structure in online group buying (OGB) contexts using a means-end chain approach. Using the laddering interview technique, 52 OGB consumers were interviewed. From the interview data, we identified 27 goals consumers pursued and their goal striving paths that are summarized in the hierarchical goal structure. This study has the potential to make significant contributions to both information systems research and e-commerce by utilizing a different approach to explain consumer technology adoption behavior.

Consumer benefit creation in online group buying: The social capital and platform synergy effect and the mediating role of participation

Drawing upon social capital theory and the platform synergy perspective from systems theory, this study develops an explanatory model to explain how social capital, platform synergy and active participation affect consumer benefits in an online group buying (OGB) context. Data gathered from OGB consumers through a large-scale online survey is used to test the hypotheses. The conceptual model was validated using the partial least squares (PLS) technique. The results show that (1) the consumer benefits created by engaging in OGB are contributed collectively by social capital (i.e., social interaction ties, trust, and value of sharing), active participation and platform synergy; (2) the social capital enhances consumer benefits by increasing consumers’ active participation; (3) the OGB platform synergy has a positive impact on social capital, active participation and consumer benefits. Our findings highlight the important role of active participation in mediating the effect of social capital and platform synergy on OGB consumer benefits. The results provide insights into (1) how OGB platform developers can provide synergic functionalities that are compatible to OGB activities to enhance consumers’ capabilities and the efficiency of OGB processes; (2) how OGB managers and initiators can leverage platform synergy to enhance social capital and the mediating role of OGB consumers’ active participation in exchange resources within the OGB community, thereby leading to effective consumer benefit creation.

A Fixed Pricing Group Buying Decision Model

In order to explain the consumer decision process in the fixed pricing group buying (FPGB) context, this study proposed an FPGB decision model from the social perspective. To reflect the social perspective, the proposed FPGB decision model included social factors such as network externalities and subjective norm as triggers for shopping motivations. According to the analysis results, all social factors directly or indirectly affected consumers' buying intention at FPGB websites. To be more specific, of the social factors, perceived complementarity was the most significant determinant of FPGB buying intention not just in the direct influential paths but in the indirect influential paths. Subjective norm did not directly affect FPGB buying intention, but it did indirectly. These results imply that the managers of FPGB websites should carefully consider social factors as triggers for shopping motivations when designing and operating FPGB websites.

System of Supplier’s Selection and Evaluation for Increasing of Buying Process Effectiveness in the Company

In presented contribution there were solved problems of purchasing process as a core task of every production company focusing on the evaluation and selection of suppliers. This issue was investigated in the manufacturing businesses operating in the metallurgical industry. Thorough analysis of the current status of the evaluation and selection of suppliers for the company were reached conclusions that were determinants of changes in those activities. When reviewing the evaluation and selection of activities was used principal components analysis and scoring model. With them were found the pros and cons of the current model, as well as direct interaction between the evaluation criteria. The aim of this was therefore propose model evaluation and selection of suppliers with an emphasis on improving the efficiency of operations in a buying context of business.