Favorable Consumer Research Articles

BUILDING CAFÉ CUSTOMER LOYALTY : SYNERGISTIC ANALYSIS OF SERVICE QUALITY, PRICE FAIRNESS AND WORD OF MOUTH

The purpose of this study is to examine how word-of-mouth (WOM) in Indonesia's café business is impacted by consumer attitudes, shop environment, pricing fairness, service quality, and product quality. The primary theoretical framework used in the research is the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), which focuses on the ways in which these factors impact consumer attitudes and word-of-mouth (WOM). Purposive sampling was used in the survey process, and 260 respondents were chosen depending on whether they had visited or made purchases from Lawson Café, McCafé, or Starbucks in the three months before. An online survey was used to gather data, and AMOS 26 software's Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used for analysis. The findings show that although service and product quality have no discernible effects on consumer preferences, pricing fairness and shop environment do. Favorable consumer perceptions of cafés greatly influence favorable word-of-mouth. The research also shows that fair prices and shop ambiance are important factors in influencing consumers' emotional experiences and influencing their propensity to refer friends to cafés. This study offers useful recommendations for café owners looking to improve customer experiences via marketing tactics that emphasize reasonable prices and a welcoming environment.

The Influence of Credit Cards on Consumer Buying Behavior among Expats in the UAE

In the current era, consumerism is a common thing in and around the world after globalization. The UAE is the most favorable consumer market in the MENA regions for decades. Consumerism is evidence of increased buying power. Which directly implies that the human lifestyle has improved significantly. Credit cards play a vital role in the surge of consumerism and directly supports the sellers and buying power. The influence of credit cards on consumer behavior impacts positively around the world. Countries like UAE are especially a model for analyzing the influence of credit cards on consumer buying behavior among expats as their population is huge and clustered. The UAE’s Expat population is good evidence of clustered sampling of multinationals.

Quality as the cornerstone in hybrid business models: building brands and shaping consumer behaviour

PurposeThis research explores how perceived product and service quality affect brand equity within hybrid business models, particularly in the automotive industry. Additionally, it examines how brand equity influences consumer behavioural intentions, emphasising the mediating role of consumer satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative approach was utilized, employing a survey to gather data from a diverse sample of automobile consumers in India’s National Capital Region. PLS-SEM was applied to analyse the relationships among the constructs.FindingsThe results indicated that product and service quality significantly enhanced brand equity, with service quality exerting a more substantial influence. Furthermore, brand equity positively influenced consumer behavioural intentions, such as repurchase intentions and word-of-mouth referrals, with consumer satisfaction as a partial mediator in this relationship.Originality/valueThis research pioneers a fresh perspective by delving into hybrid business models that integrate products and services, providing a comprehensive understanding of how perceived quality builds brand equity, which in turn drives favourable consumer behaviours. Notably, the study integrates three theoretical frameworks, consumer empowerment, the compensatory effect and the theory of reasoned action, to offer deeper insights into research on quality, brand management and consumer behaviour within the automotive context.

A food product development project with humanitarian character: an exploratory study

Vulnerable livelihood groups, such as the Fulanis in Guinea-Bissau, are affected by the consequences of inequality, as they lack access to healthy food, a healthy environment and adequate primary health care. Coordination between sectors can be key to building resilient food and health systems by integrating and scaling up preventive and emergency nutrition services, especially in the context of malnutrition. In 2021, a cashew-based food product was launched in Portugal in partnership with an NGO and a Portuguese food retailer. This study aims to explore the development and marketing of the product with humanitarian objectives, assessing its impact on the different stakeholders of the project. A mixed methodology was applied, combining the evaluation of consumer behavior, assessed through self-reported electronic questionnaires and in-depth interviews with the actors involved in the project. According to the retailer group stakeholders, a great opportunity for the future lies in developing new products with a humanitarian character. The results show that consumers are indeed interested in buying a product associated with a humanitarian cause, and that the product “100% Cashew Nut Butter” has a favorable consumer acceptance in terms of sensory attributes. The long-term nature of the project and the financial return were cited as strengths by all NGO stakeholders involved, but all stakeholders agreed that innovation was needed to sustain donations. Thus, this may be a cyclical process: businesses can create demand through product development, while management and consumers, in turn, drive demand. These findings can be used to improve the design of future projects that might use this as an example.

Against the Green Schema: How Gen‐AI Negatively Impacts Green Influencer Posts

ABSTRACTThe current research examines the impact of using AI‐generated images (vs. real photographs) in social media posts of green influencers, by relying on schema congruity theory. Three experimental studies show that compared to posts using real photographs, posts that use AI‐generated images are less likely to receive favorable consumer responses. This effect arises from incongruity between gen‐AI and the green schema activated by the post, which causes a) lower perceived appropriateness of a gen‐AI image to the green context, leading to b) lower perceived authenticity of the post. In attempting to counter this negative impact of the use of AI, a reason for the use of gen‐AI is ineffective but images generated by purpose‐built AI that aligns with the green cause fully mitigates the observed issue. By identifying and explaining the specific negative impact of gen‐AI use on green influencers, this work extends research on gen‐AI use by influencers in general and research on the negative impact of gen‐AI in marketing. Findings of this research encourage green influencers and sustainable brands to use gen‐AI cautiously.

The power of social media influencers: unveiling the impact on consumers’ impulse buying behaviour

This study investigates the role of communication factors in influencer marketing communication in influencing trust in influencer’s branded posts, subsequently impacting the urge to buy impulsively (UBI). In addition, the study also examines the role of persuasion knowledge as a moderator and product affection as a mediator in the relationship between trust and UBI. The study integrates signalling theory and (SOR) framework to develop a model to be tested through SEM. Results of the data of 481 followers of the influencers unveiled that the credibility of the communication factors plays an essential role in developing trust in influencers ‘posts, which ultimately induces UBI. Product affection mediates the relationship between trust and UBI and people with low levels of persuasion knowledge were found to have more chances of developing UBI. This study provides valuable insights to the markets and advertisers, enabling them to understand the importance of the credibility of the influencer marketing communication factors, which result in favourable consumer attitudinal and behavioural outcomes. Additionally, it addresses the existing knowledge gap concerning the factors that precede trust formation and examines their subsequent influence on UBI.

Can Virtual Influencers Induce Destination Visit Intentions? A Mediation Analysis Journey Through the Uncanny Valley

Human social media influencers are facing a challenge due to the advent of the following line of influencers: computer-generated imagery, known as “Virtual influencers.” This study aims to capture initial insights about the emergence of virtual influencers and their influence on tourists’ destination visit intentions. Data collected through a quantitative online survey-based study from 400 tourism consumers in India, who are also Instagram users, is analyzed using Smart PLS 4.0. Using the Uncanny Valley theory, this study demonstrates that the presence of a virtual influencer in social media posts negatively affects tourists’ destination visit intentions, perceived content originality, and perceived brand-influencer congruence and positively effects perceived content uniqueness. Furthermore, perceived content uniqueness positively mediates the relationship between virtual influencer presence and destination visit intention, whereas perceived content originality and perceived brand-influencer congruence negatively mediate the relationship. Therefore, brand managers should make virtual influencers’ content more relatable and authentic to generate favorable consumer evaluations.

Morality expression drives favorable consumer outcomes for P2P tour guide: The role of elevation, trust, and enjoyment

The emerging peer-to-peer platforms enable individual tour guides to market themselves via online profiles. Given the growing societal interest in responsible tourism, tour guides can utilize online profiles to communicate responsible tourism endeavors that showcase positive moral character. However, how consumers respond to such expressions of responsible conduct is unknown. Through four experiments, we find that a moral self-description (vs. social or control) elicited higher elevation, further enhancing trust and enjoyment, leading to more favorable consumer responses (i.e., booking intention, willingness to pay, and likelihood to recommend). Thus, the underlying mechanisms are explained by elevation, trust, and enjoyment. Moreover, consumers' self-esteem and tour guides' motives are two boundary conditions. Specifically, positive reactions to the tour guide's morality expression are more pronounced among high self-esteem individuals and when the guide is intrinsically motivated. This research contributes to the literature on P2P tourism services and offers practical implications for tourism providers.

Unveiling the Power of Storytelling: A Comparative Analysis of Consumer vs. Brand Narratives in Shaping Favorable Attitude Toward Brands Through Emotions and Cognition

Storytelling, as an interactive form of communication, is key to delivering product information compellingly and fostering consumer acceptance and engagement. Stories may originate from companies or consumers. Brand storytelling has emerged as a pivotal component of companies' communication strategies, facilitating the expression of values and fostering robust customer relationships. This study explores the effectiveness of consumer storytelling versus brand storytelling in shaping brand attitudes. It was an experimental research involving 384 respondents randomly assigned to two groups that were either exposed to consumer or brand stories. Through comparative analysis, consumer storytelling emerged as superior in eliciting positive brand attitudes, cognition, and emotions. However, its direct impact on brand attitude was not significant. Instead, the study uncovers the mediating role of cognition and emotion, highlighting their crucial influence on shaping favorable brand perceptions. Consumer storytelling, characterized by its emphasis on real values and emotional engagement, enhances cognitive personalization and imagery processing, fostering deeper consumer-brand connections. These insights underscore the imperative for emotionally resonant and cognitively stimulating storytelling in brand communication. This study contributes to the scant literature on examining the comparative effectiveness of consumer brand storytelling versus firm-generated brand storytelling. It elucidates the underlying mechanisms driving the superiority of consumer storytelling in shaping favorable brand attitudes. Contextually situated within the Pakistani market, particularly focusing on clothing buying behavior, this research offers actionable insights for brand managers seeking to harness the power of storytelling to garner favorable consumer responses and enhance brand resonance.

Standing out or fitting in? How perceived autonomy affects virtual influencer marketing outcomes

Virtual influencers have exerted a profound influence on future marketing strategies. However, a comprehensive understanding of how and why virtual influencers, with varying characteristics, affect the effectiveness of their brand endorsements remains elusive. This research explores the relationships between consumers’ perceived autonomy of virtual influencers, their purchase intentions, and brand attitudes. Through one pretest and five studies, we reveal that virtual influencers characterized by low autonomy, in contrast to their highly autonomous counterparts, tend to elicit more favorable consumer responses. This effect is driven by the identity threat from autonomous VI and does not apply to human influencers. Furthermore, we demonstrate that this effect is particularly pronounced when virtual influencers endorse experience products as opposed to search products. Moreover, within the category of lowly autonomous influencers, consumers exhibit a preference for search products when endorsed by virtual influencers than human influencers.

Fortification of wheat bread with an alternative source of bean proteins using raw and roasted Phaseolus coccineus flours: Impact on physicochemical, nutritional and quality attributes

Wheat flour substitution with flours from raw and roasted beans of Phaseolus coccineus at 20 and 30% (flour basis) was studied in breadmaking. The rheological behavior of starch-proteins networks in the composite flour doughs, composition and quality attributes of breads, bread staling events, in vitro starch digestibility of bread crumbs, and volatiles profile, were evaluated using a multi-instrumental analytical approach. According to oscillatory rheological tests, wheat flour substitution with bean flour enhanced the dough's firmness (G′, η*), implying a greater dough resistance to flow and deformation. Nevertheless, the specific volume of breads with roasted beans flour improved, compared to those fortified with raw bean flour, and was comparable to control wheat bread. The texture profile analysis of breads with raw bean flour indicated a greater degree of crumb hardening at the end of storage, despite the lower extent of amylopectin retrogradation, as determined calorimetrically (DSC). FTIR spectroscopy for breads containing bean flour showed little differentiations in the secondary protein structures between fresh and stored crumbs; generally, the β-type structures (β-sheet, aggregates and β-turn) prevailed in all samples at the expense of other secondary conformational elements in the crumb protein networks. The in vitro starch digestibility of fortified bread crumb showed reduced glucose release responses compared to wheat flour bread. The typical "beany" flavor notes of fortified breads were masked using the roasted bean flour; this was corroborated by a modified profile of bread volatiles, resulting in a pleasant sensory appeal for the 20%-substituted product and a more favourable consumer acceptability.

When being smart trumps AI: An exploration into consumer preferences for smart vs. AI-powered products

Prior to the rapid growth of Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) in the consumer market, smart products received great attention from marketers and consumers. Given the recent increase in attention to AI technologies, this research explores consumers' preferences and intentions when products are framed as “smart” versus “AI-powered.” While previous literature has explored AI products and smart products individually, little is known about consumers’ preferences between the two products simultaneously. Three empirical experiments demonstrate that consumers show preference for products labeled as “smart” over those labeled as “AI-powered.” This preference is mediated by enhanced learning anxiety related to AI. The findings provide insights for marketers applying message framing, suggesting that labeling products as “smart” may evoke more favorable consumer behavior compared to the “AI-powered” label. Moreover, this research significantly contributes to the existing literature on perceptions and intentions related to AI and smart products by concurrently exploring consumer preferences regarding both smart products and AI-powered products.

The influence of brands’ internationalization degree on consumers’ attitudes toward cross-border philanthropy: based on theory of legitimacy

PurposeThis study aims to explore how brands’ degree of internationalization influences consumers’ attitudes toward brands’ engagement in cross-border philanthropy by taking legitimacy as a mediating mechanism. The authors further investigate the moderating role of cause acuteness in this effect to identify practical strategies for managers.Design/methodology/approachThe hypotheses are tested via laboratory experiments. In brief, Study 1 investigates the relationship between a brand’s degree of internationalization and perceived legitimacy for corporate cross-border philanthropy and the impact of internationalization on consumers’ brand evaluations of such philanthropy. Study 2 addresses the moderating role of cause acuteness.FindingsThe authors discover that companies with a high (vs low) degree of internationalization gained more legitimacy, and thus better brand evaluations, upon engaging in corporate cross-border philanthropy. This effect reverses when the causes are related to sudden disasters rather than ongoing tragedies.Practical implicationsThis study provides valuable guidance for marketers seeking to leverage cross-border philanthropy to enhance consumers’ brand attitudes. Specifically, brands’ degree of internationalization should be consistent when performing cross-border philanthropy. Otherwise, brands will struggle to gain legitimacy and will earn less favorable consumer evaluations.Originality/valueThis work enriches the literature on corporate social responsibility in the domain of cross-border philanthropy and elucidates consumers’ attitudes toward this type of philanthropy in a corporate context. This study also meaningfully contributes to research on brands’ internationalization and legitimacy.

Cognitive Dissonance Equilibrium: Local Product Stigma in the "Filosofi Pete" Ad Narrative Flow

Following the 1998 reform in Indonesia, advertising has undergone significant expansion, leveraging enhanced communication accessibility and media proliferation to shape public perceptions of promoted goods. Presently, media channels are inundated with commercial campaigns showcasing both domestic and international products. Within this landscape, Tokopedia, a key player in the e-commerce sector, employs diverse media platforms such as YouTube to engage consumers amid intensifying market rivalry. This study delves into Tokopedia's approach via the "Filosofi Pete" advertisement, exploring its endeavors to combat stereotypes surrounding local products. Drawing parallels between domestic goods and petai a culturally stigmatized item the research highlights the heightened stigma amid globalization, where foreign products often enjoy elevated prestige and perceived quality standards. Through the lens of cognitive dissonance theory and Todorov's narrative analysis, the analysis reveals Tokopedia's strategic narrative framework aimed at reshaping perceptions towards local products. By dissecting the advertisement's storyline, narrative structure, and visual elements, the study unveils Tokopedia's nuanced tactics for challenging entrenched biases. Through compelling storytelling and visual imagery, Tokopedia endeavors to reframe the discourse around local products, fostering a more favorable consumer outlook. This research sheds light on the intricate interplay between advertising strategies, cultural perceptions, and consumer behavior, offering insights into how brands navigate evolving market dynamics to carve out a competitive edge.

Steady Hand at the Wheel: How Perceived Movement Influences Consumer Responses to Brand Failures

Paratextual communication methods, such as the use of emojis and other visual messaging cues, offer firms a unique opportunity to repair relationships with consumers after brand failures. The current research demonstrates that visual messaging cues associated with lower perceived movement lead to greater brand loyalty relative to more dynamic cues in response to brand failure. Across five studies, we show that lower perceived movement in visual messaging cues leads to more favorable consumer outcomes (e.g., subsequent real choice behavior and brand loyalty intentions). This effect is mediated by brand trust. Furthermore, we examine theoretically and practically relevant boundary conditions. The findings presented offer theoretical contributions to research on visual communication cues in brand recovery contexts. Additionally, the current research provides managerially relevant insights for communication strategies during recovery.

Effect of the Proportion of Rice Flour; Modified White Corn Flour (Zea mays L) and Addition of Sodium Tripolyphosphate (STPP) to Vermicelli Characteristics

Vermicelli, a form of food diversification from rice, was investigated in this study using modified rice flour and white corn flour (Zea mays L). The modification of white corn flour, employing the BIMO-CF starter containing various lactic acid bacteria, aimed to increase amylose levels. Sodium Tripolyphosphate (STPP) was added to improve the vermicelli's physical properties, including stickiness, color, hardness, and chewiness. A 2-factor Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with two replicates was utilized. Data were analyzed using ANOVA at a 5% significance level, followed by a DMRT 5% post-hoc test if significant effects were observed. Results demonstrated significant interactions between the proportions of rice flour, modified white corn flour, and STPP on vermicelli’s water content, ash content, protein content, starch content, amylose content, elasticity, and rehydration power. The optimal treatment was a combination of rice flour and modified white corn flour in a 50:50 ratio with 0.3% STPP, resulting in vermicelli with 8.65% water content, 0.72% ash content, 5.60% protein content, 52.5% elasticity, 127.5% rehydration power, and average sensory scores of 4.04 for color, 4.20 for aroma, 3.88 for taste, and 4.16 for texture, indicating favorable consumer acceptance.

Exploring the effects of audience and strategies used by beauty vloggers on behavioural intention towards endorsed brands

Influencer marketing has become a potent and dynamic force in the digital age, changing the face of marketing in a variety of sectors. Even though social media influencers are still important in corporate communication strategies, there are still unresolved issues concerning what exactly makes an influencer powerful and how that influence impacts the behaviour of their followers. This research investigates the role of interactional elements used by beauty vloggers on the purchase intentions of consumers. In addition to the influence of beauty vloggers, there are inherent aspects that impact consumer purchasing behaviour. The present study also examines the impact of audience characteristics in forming consumer attitudes towards beauty vloggers that result in shaping favourable consumer behaviour. The study was carried out on individuals aged 16 to 45 years, who use social platforms regularly. Data obtained from 367 respondents from North India was analysed using structural equation modelling with the SmartPLS software. The outcome of the study demonstrates that interactional elements used by beauty vloggers impact the behaviour of consumers. The results also showed that perceived influence serves as a partial mediator in the relationship between interactional elements and consumers’ purchase intention. Moreover, findings indicate that when consumers hold favourable attitudes towards beauty vloggers, the impact of self-concept and personality congruence enhancement on consumer behaviour is amplified, showcasing the mediating role of consumer attitude. The study’s findings offer insights that can assist industrial marketers and cosmetic company practitioners in strategically selecting influencers to boost sales.

Millet based Nutritious Powder for the Geriatric Population

Objective: This study aimed to utilize finger millet as a primary ingredient for creating nutritious millet powder suitable for hot beverages. Desiccated coconut was incorporated for color enhancement. The optimization process involved sensory evaluation and trials on a laboratory scale. Three variations of millet products and two recipes were developed: one for a beverage made by mixing millet (Ragi/ Finger millet) nutritious powder with hot water, and another for millet nutritious halua powder fortified with nutrients. Additionally, a millet nutritious powder based on Pearl millet was formulated for easy consumption by the ageing population.  Methods: The study involved the preparation and experimentation of three types of millet nutritious powder, derived from finger and pearl millet, targeting the nutritional needs of ageing individuals. Age-related challenges such as esophagus stenosis were taken into account during formulation. The viscosity graphs were utilized to refine the texture of the food, ensuring ease of swallowing. Laboratory-scale trials and benchtop sensory evaluations were conducted to optimize the formulations. The acceptability of the beverages was assessed using a 9-point hedonic scale.  Results: The formulated millet nutritious powders demonstrated excellent nutrient composition, with calcium content exceeding three times that of a cup of milk. The halua powder exhibited low viscosity, high solubility, and excellent swallowing properties. The optimized beverages achieved a total acceptability score exceeding 7 on the hedonic scale, indicating favourable consumer reception. The study successfully developed three variants of millet nutritious powder tailored for aging individuals, addressing concerns related to swallowing difficulties and offering a comfortable dietary option.  Conclusion: In conclusion, this study demonstrates the feasibility of utilizing finger and pearl millet to create nutritious powders suitable for hot beverages, particularly catering to the dietary needs of the aging population. The formulations offer a convenient and easily consumable option for individuals facing challenges with chewing solid food. Moreover, the affordability and widespread accessibility of the developed food products make them suitable for diverse populations, highlighting their potential for addressing nutritional needs on a broader scale.

The role of employee empathy in forming brand love: customer delight and gratitude as mediators and power distance belief as a moderator

Purpose This study explores the influence of employee empathy on brand love, which subsequently affects customer advocacy, willingness to pay more (WTPM) and tolerance of failure. Additionally, it investigates the mediating role of customer delight and gratitude in connecting employee empathy with brand love and the moderating effect of power distance belief (PDB) between employee empathy and customer delight and gratitude.Design/methodology/approach A total of 751 usable data were gathered through scenario-based online surveys within a hotel context. The proposed conceptual model used Partial Least Squares - Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) for testing.Findings The results affirm the impact of employee empathy on brand love through the pathways of customer delight and gratitude, ultimately influencing positive customer behaviors, such as advocacy, WTPM and tolerance of failure. Moreover, the findings suggest that PDB diminishes the effect of employee empathy on customer gratitude, although it does not affect customer delight.Originality/value The study introduces novel insights into the significance of employee empathy as an antecedent of brand love. It contributes to the literature by concurrently conceptualizing customer delight and gratitude as mediators between employee empathy and brand love, consequently leading to favorable consumer behaviors. Furthermore, it advances our theoretical comprehension of an individual customer’s PDB and its psychological impact.

Formulation and Quality Evaluation of Chicken Nuggets Supplemented with Beef and Chicken Livers.

This study explores the potential of utilizing meat byproducts, specifically chicken and beef liver, to enhance the nutritional value of processed foods like chicken nuggets. Proximate analysis was conducted on the livers, including moisture, ash, fat, and protein content, and degradation potential was observed. Antioxidant potential was analyzed through 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). The total phenolic content (TPC), oxidative stability through peroxide value (POV), and free fatty acid (FFA) were performed to evaluate quality changes during seven-day storage. The radical scavenging activity showed that beef liver has excellent antioxidant capacity (61.55%- and 195.89-mM gallic acid equivalent for DPPH and TPC, respectively) compared to chicken liver and significantly increased the antioxidant potential of nuggets by 5%-10%. POV and FFA values increased with increased storage days for the liver and its incorporation in nuggets. However, the values remained under the 10 meq/kg threshold. Incorporating the livers into chicken nuggets led to a significant (p=0.000) improvement in nutritional content, particularly a 1.5%-2% increase in protein, with a similar increase in mineral content. Texture and sensory evaluations indicated favorable consumer acceptability for liver-enriched nuggets. Overall, this research shows the value of adding liver as a functional ingredient to enhance the nutritional profile of processed foods.