Moderating Effect Of Switching Cost Research Articles

항공사의 고객자산이 감정적 고객-브랜드관계, 브랜드 만족 및 충성도에 미치는 영향

Based on the social exchange theory, this study proposes a conceptual model to understand the relationship between airline customer equity, brand satisfaction, emotional customer-brand relationship, and brand loyalty. The goals of this study are threefold: 1) to examine the direct effect of customer equity on brand satisfaction, emotional customer-brand relationship, and brand loyalty; 2) to identify the indirect effect of brand satisfaction and emotional customer-brand relationship on the relationship between customer equity and brand loyalty; and 3) to verify the moderating effect of switching costs in financial, procedural, and relational terms. To validate this study, a survey was conducted among users of full-service airlines using an online survey company. Twenty-eight questionnaires with missing values or insincere responses were excluded, leaving 392 out of 420 for analysis. The study found that an airline's customer equity has a direct effect on brand satisfaction and emotional customer-brand relationship, and an indirect effect on brand loyalty. Moreover, financial and relational switching costs were found to have a moderating effect. The study confirms that brand satisfaction and emotional customer-brand relationship mediate the relationship between customer equity and brand loyalty in airlines. Additionally, it was confirmed that financial and relational switching costs act as barriers to switching.

Moderating Effect of Switching Costs between Hair Salon Service Scape and Revisit Intention

This study was conducted to verify the moderating effect of switching costs on the effect on hair salon service scape on revisit intention. The subjects of this study were 1,380 beauty salon customers, and data were collected through self-response questionnaires on service scape, switching costs and revisit intention. The research methods are as follows. First, frequency analysis was performed to examine the general characteristics of the study subjects. Second, reliability was verified by calculating reliability coefficients of service scape, revisit intention and conversion cost. Third, correlation analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between service scape, revisit intention and conversion cost. Fourth, multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine the effect of service scape and conversion costs on revisit intention. Finally, hierarchical regression analysis was conducted to verify the moderating effect of conversion costs in the effect of service scape on revisit intention. The results of this study were as follows. First, a significant positive correlation was found between service scape, switching costs, and revisit intention. Second, service scape and switching costs had a significant positive effect on revisit intention. Third, in the effect of service scape on revisit intention, switching costs showed a moderating effect. Based on the results of this study, ways to increase the revisit intention of hair salon customers were discussed.

The Influence of Brand Image and Favorability Toward Citizens in a Product's Country of Origin on Product Evaluation: Moderating Effects of Switching Costs.

This study aimed to provide practical implications for South Korean corporations seeking to enter the Chinese market. It explored the influences of brand image and favorability toward citizens in a product’s country of origin (FCPCO) on consumers’ product evaluation and repurchase intention, in addition to examining the moderating effects of procedural switching costs (economic risk costs, evaluation costs, learning costs, and set-up costs), financial switching costs (benefit loss costs and monetary loss costs), and relational switching costs (personal relationship loss costs and brand relationship loss costs) on the aforementioned influences. Although previous studies have established the relationships between some of the aforementioned variables, further research is required to determine the moderating effects of switching costs in various dimensions. Studies on the relationships of a product’s country of origin with product evaluation and repurchase intention have rarely explored FCPCO. Through a questionnaire survey, this study obtained effective data from 302 respondents. Constituted of an exploratory research design, this study adopted PLS-SEM method for empirical analysis. IPMA analysis results indicated that brand image had a stronger influence on product evaluation than FCPCO did and that FCPCO had a stronger influence on repurchase intention than brand image did. Overall, the performance of FCPCO was higher than that of brand image. Moreover, economic risk costs and brand relationship loss costs positively moderated the relationship between brand image and product evaluation; monetary loss costs and brand relationship loss costs negatively moderated the relationship between FCPCO and product evaluation. These study results could help corporations gain competitive edge.

From the attributes of smart tourism technologies to loyalty and WOM via user satisfaction: the moderating role of switching costs

PurposeThis study aims to empirically testify an integrated model, including the attributes of smart tourism technologies (STTs) (user interface [UI] design, informativeness, accessibility, personalization and interactivity), satisfaction, loyalty and word of mouth (WOM), and further investigate the potential moderating effect of switching costs (SCs) on the satisfaction–loyalty/WOM relationships.Design/methodology/approachSystematic sampling was used to collect data in Macau. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to analyze valid data collected from 332 tourists who have recently used STTs.FindingsThe results indicate that informativeness has a stronger effect on satisfaction, loyalty and WOM than UI design, accessibility and personalization; interactivity shows no significant influence on satisfaction, loyalty and WOM; satisfaction positively influences loyalty and WOM. Furthermore, procedural SCs negatively moderate the effects of satisfaction on loyalty and WOM.Originality/valueThe present study extends the knowledge about information technology and tourism (ITT) by introducing a new attribute, UI design into STT structure and confirming that UI design is an effective predictor of user satisfaction. This paper is also a pioneer study that integrates customer satisfaction with STTs with SCs to explore the mechanism of how customer loyalty and WOM are generated. Practical recommendations are provided for STT designers and destination managers to improve the overall quality of STTs and to consider carefully setting procedural SCs as a retention strategy.

Boca a boca negativo nas mídias sociais e o comportamento do consumidor: estudo com pais de alunos de escolas particulares de Belo Horizonte

Objetivo: avaliar a influência da comunicação boca a boca negativa nas mídias sociais sobre o comportamento de consumo. Método: Trata-se de uma pesquisa quantitativa, com abordagem descritiva. A amostra foi composta por pais de alunos de escolas particulares de Belo Horizonte. Os dados foram analisados por meio de modelagem de equações estruturais, método PLS. Originalidade/Relevância: a relevância da pesquisa se baseia no fato de que existem muitos trabalhos abordando comunicação boca a boca, mas poucos especificamente sobre boca a boca negativo, contemplando também os efeitos moderadores dos custos de mudança. Resultados: os resultados confirmam que o boca a boca negativo reduz a intenção de compra e a lealdade atitudinal e apenas os custos de mudança processuais são capazes de reduzir esse efeito. Contribuições teóricas: apesar de parecerem lógicas, as relações precisam ser testadas empiricamente, especialmente devido à cadeia monológica proposta, que incluiu os efeitos moderadores dos custos de mudança, desenho pouco usual em pesquisas de marketing. Portanto, comprovar que o boca a boca negativo reduz tanto a intenção de compra quanto a lealdade atitudinal constitui uma contribuição teórica. Ademais, atestar que os custos de mudança não são capazes de reduzir os efeitos da boca a boca negativo também se traduz em uma contribuição teórica. Contribuições para a gestão: ressalta-se a importância de as organizações acompanharem de perto os comentários nas mídias sociais feitos por seus clientes. Evitar que falhas aconteçam e, principalmente, que os clientes manifestem publicamente suas insatisfações, torna-se fundamental para as empresas atualmente.

How Will Changes toward Pro-Environmental Behavior Play in Customers’ Perceived Value of Environmental Concerns at Coffee Shops?

Our theoretical framework was designed to explain customers’ decision-making process for (adopting/using?) environmentally responsible products in an eco-friendly coffee shop. We employed theory of planned behavior (TPB) and value-attitude-belief (VAB) to test their parallel mediating effect on attitudes toward environmental behavior (ATEB), perceived marketplace influence (PMI), and overall image (OI) as well as the moderating effect of switching cost (SC) on pro-environmental behavioral intentions. Data were collected through a survey of 527 customers who frequently visited a coffee shop in Korea, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the research hypotheses. The findings generally supported the hypothesized associations of the study variables within our proposed theoretical framework (ATEB, PMI, and OI of the parallel mediating effect on pro-environmental behavioral intentions) and confirmed SC’s moderating effect. In addition, the study’s results have important 1) theoretical and 2) practical implications for the environment. 1) This study confirmed the relationship between mediating variables on PCBI and the parallel mediating effect on PCBI as demonstrated in previous studies. 2) Furthermore, these findings might lead coffee shops to voluntarily put an end to the use of disposable products such as plastic cups or straws, which carry great environmental risk.

The Commerce Platform’s Governance Mechanisms on Seller Users: From the View of the Brand Attachment Theory

Because of the rapid development of information technology, more and more companies have started to exchange goods and services on the e-commerce platform. Under this new business model, the main challenge for e-commerce platform firms is how to govern user firms, especially how to improve seller user firms’ loyalty. Therefore, based on the review of the traditional channel governance mechanism, this study explores three platform governances （control, fairness and customization） by which one can increase seller user firms’ loyalty. Relationship marketing researchers suggest that the strong brand relationship between users and a platform firm is the main reason for users to be loyal to the firm. Prior research has utilized the brand attachment theory to systematically articulate the factors that can lead to a strong brand relationship. By following this direction, this study will also use the brand attachment theory to explicate the platform’s governance mechanisms and their roles in obtaining seller user firms’ loyalty. This study argues that the three platform governances can promote higher seller user firms’ loyalty, by increasing their brand attachment to the platform. According to the brand attachment theory, a user can build strong attachment to a brand if the brand can fulfill his/her goals of self-enablement, self-gratification, and self-enrichment. In the context of the e-commerce platform market, firstly, platform control strategy encourages seller user firms’ sense of self-efficacy and enables them to attain desired performance results. In other words, platform firms’ control mechanism promotes seller user firms’ performance satisfaction. Secondly, platform fairness strategy provides seller user firms emotional pleasures and trust towards the platform. That is, platform firms’ fairness mechanism promotes seller user firms’ relationship satisfaction. Thirdly, platforms customization strategy makes seller user firms identify with the concept or image of the platform. Specifically, platform firms’ customization mechanism promotes seller user firms’ self-concept connection. Therefore, this study posits that control, fairness, and customization will increase seller user firms’ loyalty through promoting their performance satisfaction, relationship satisfaction, and self-concept connection with the platform, respectively. Moreover, the relationship marketing literature also addresses the importance of brand switching costs in corporates’ user retention programs. Strong brand attachment will cause true loyalty, while high brand switching costs will lead to spurious loyalty. Therefore, this study analyzes the moderating effects of switching costs on the three platform governances. We suggest that high brand-switching costs buffer the effectiveness of these three governance mechanisms. Specifically, control, fairness, and customization will be less effective in building brand attachment to the platform when user firms are forced to stay in the e-commerce platform by higher brand switching costs. Finally, by collecting data from 177 seller user firms registered and transacting in key e-commerce platforms and using Partial Least Squares （PLS） to test the model, the empirical results show that the proposed research model and most hypotheses are verified.

브랜드 커피전문점 이용의도 형성과정에 관한 연구 : 전환비용의 조절효과 중심으로

브랜드 커피전문점 이용의도 형성과정에 관한 연구 : 전환비용의 조절효과 중심으로

How relationship marketing, switching costs, and service quality impact customer satisfaction and loyalty in Taiwan’s airfreight forwarding industry?

ABSTRACTThis study applies the service quality–satisfaction–loyalty framework to examine the impact of relationship marketing on customer loyalty with switching cost as a moderating variable in the context of airfreight forwarders. Data were collected from a questionnaire survey and two-step structural equation modeling was subsequently performed to test the research hypotheses. The results indicate that relationship marketing, switching costs, and customer satisfaction significantly increase shippers’ loyalty to airfreight forwarders. Relationship marketing is also found to have a positive impact on service quality. Moreover, the moderating effect of switching costs on the relationship between relationship marketing and customer loyalty is significant when the customer-perceived switching costs are low. Specifically, most perceived low switching cost firms are non-manufacturers, having a small size and producing machinery and metal goods. In conclusion, this study highlights the importance of relationship marketing and switching costs for customer loyalty in the airfreight forwarding industry.

Switching Cost to Customer Loyalty: Operation and Business Relationship

Many business customers to day consolidate their supply basis and implementing preferred supplier programs. Consequently suppliers forced to gain a key supplier status from their customers where as a collaborative buyer-seller relationship represents a source of competitive advance. The vendors sometimes in flict switching costs on their customers, to prevent them from defecting to new suppliers. In a competitive setting where competition dominated by a price war, the potential switching costs might be an exit barrier and a binding factor of customer loyalty. ln efforts to address that issue this research examines the moderating effects of switching costs on customer loyalty through both satisfaction and perceived-value measures. The research investigates opporlunities for differentiation through value creation in business to business (B2B) relationship.

Examining Paid Mobile Application Customer Loyalty: The Moderating Effect of Switching Costs

The mobile application industry has more actions and services in recent years due to consumer demand.The purpose of this study is to explain the relationships among perceived value, satisfaction, and customer loyalty in the paid mobile application industry. Moreover, this studydevelops and testsa conceptual model that offer a value perspective in understanding customer loyalty toward paid mobile applications. Toachieve this aim, perceived value and customer satisfaction must be measured and “switching costs” identified. This study also takes a value component perspective from Bernardo, Marimon and del Mar Alonso-Almeida (2012) to confirm how the two types of switching costs (monetary vs. nonmonetary switching costs) moderate the link in perceived value, satisfaction, and loyalty in the instance of a paid entertainment mobile application. The results from an online survey indicate that the switching costs had a moderating effect on the relationship between perceived value and loyalty, and the satisfaction and loyalty of using paid mobile applications. With respect to the findings, the moderating effect of switching cost play a critical role in determining customer loyalty of paid mobile applications. It also revealed that nonmonetary switching costs has more importance than monetary switching costs in engendering loyalty, since monetary contains price in the download paid mobile applications, which provides negative outcomes among the relationship of perceived value, satisfaction, and loyalty. In the conclusion, the implications of these findings are discussed.

Constructing online switching barriers: examining the effects of switching costs and alternative attractiveness on e-store loyalty in online pure-play retailers

Developing switching barriers to retain customers has become a critical marketing strategy for online retailers. However, research on the role of switching barriers in e-retailing is still limited. Recent trends show that when competitors are just one click away, it is questionable if customer loyalty can be achieved at all in online environments. This leads to the research question on whether switching barriers have any impact on e-loyalty in pure-play retailers. The paper examines the influence of switching barriers on customer retention (i.e., e-store loyalty) and further investigates the moderating effects of switching costs and alternative attractiveness. Data were gathered via a survey of 590 shoppers of online pure-play retailers in the UK. Findings show that customer satisfaction and the two dimensions of switching barriers (perceived switching costs and perceived attractiveness of alternatives) significantly influence customer loyalty. Contrary to findings in earlier studies, it was found that switching costs did not moderate the relationships between satisfaction and loyalty nor between perceived attractiveness of alternatives and loyalty. The paper makes imperative recommendations to develop switching barriers and to foster loyalty along with suggestions for future research.

Internet Banking, Customer Perceived Value and Loyalty: The Role of Switching Costs

Purpose: This study aims to examine the relationship between internet banking, customer perceived value, switching cost and customer loyalty. Furthermore, this study also examines if switching cost moderates the relationship between internet banking, Customer perceived value and customer loyalty. Design/methodology/approach: Data collected in a survey that yielded 437 respondents. Questionnaire was adapted from research work of Eriksson, Kerem, and Nilsson; Gefe; Levesque and McDougall; Zeithaml, Berry, and Parasuraman. Quantitative Approach was used for the analysis. Pearson correlation, multiple and moderating regression were used to examine the hypothesized relationship. Findings: The findings confirm that internet banking and customer Perceived value brought significant change on customer loyalty. Moreover, results prevailed that there was significant qasi moderation between variables. Switching costs moderate the relationship between internet banking, customer perceived value, and customer loyalty. Research limitations/implication: Further research is indicated, to identify effects of these variables on other services provider companies. Banking sector in Pakistan should pay more attention on Internet banking services, Customer Perceived Value and switching cost in order to enhance the customer loyalty. Originality/value: This study is the first study that tests the western model on south Asian countries like Pakistan. Hence, there is no research work found that reflects on internet banking and customer perceived value with moderating effect of switching cost. This study contributes to the field of e-commerce marketing and will help managers to adopt appropriate strategies that will lead banking sector towards prosperity.

The Moderator Effects of Switching Costs and Customer Expertise in the Satisfaction-Repurchase Intention Relationship for Mobile Telecommunication Services

This study discusses and tests the moderator role of monetary, time, effort, social ties and relational switching costs and their interactions with customer expertise in the satisfaction-repurchase intention relationship for mobile communication services. The authors use survey data of 516 customers from the three largest mobile communication providers in Vietnam. A moderated regression is used to test the hypotheses of both two- and three-way interaction effects on repurchase intention. The results show that monetary, time, effort and social ties switching costs have a negative moderating effect, but relational switching costs have a positive moderating effect on the satisfaction-repurchase intention relationship. Furthermore, this study contributes to the existing literature by providing empirical evidence supporting three-way interaction effects between satisfaction, switching costs and customer expertise on repurchase intention. Specifically, customer expertise reduces the moderating effects of social ties and relational switching costs on the satisfaction-repurchase intention relationship.

Antecedents Of Customer Loyalty In The Retailing Sector: The Impact Of Switching Costs

<p class="default">The objective of this work is to propose and test a conceptual framework that considers customer satisfaction, store image, perceived value and switching costs as antecedents of customer loyalty. In addition, we examine the moderating effect of switching costs in the relationship between loyalty and its antecedents. While customer satisfaction, store image and perceived value are important determinants of loyalty, switching costs have the same strong impact on customer loyalty as satisfaction. The findings prove that switching costs have a moderating effect on the relationship between store image and loyalty, as well as between perceived value and loyalty.</p>

Assessing Service Quality, Switching Costs and Customer Loyalty in Home‐Delivery Services in Taiwan

This study empirically investigated service quality, switching costs and customer loyalty from home‐delivery services' customers' perceptive. With regard to service quality attributes, findings indicated that customers were most satisfied with ‘range of delivery’, followed by ‘seldom loses parcels’, ‘invoice accuracy’, ‘prompt and reliable collection’ and ‘delivery by due time’. They were least satisfied with competitiveness of price. A structural equation modelling (SEM) approach was employed to analyse the impact of service quality and switching costs on customer loyalty from customers' perspective. Results revealed that service quality positively influenced switching costs and customer loyalty, and switching costs had a positive effect on customer loyalty. Investigation of the moderating effect of switching costs on the relationship between service quality and customer loyalty indicated that it was significantly important. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings for firms providing home‐delivery services are discussed.

The different roles of switching costs on the satisfaction‐loyalty relationship

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop and empirically test the antecedent, mediating and moderating role of switching costs on the relationship between satisfaction and loyalty.Design/methodology/approachCompeting models are proposed based on previous studies investigating the influence of switching costs on satisfaction and loyalty. A survey was conducted with 7,461 customers of a large Brazilian bank. The four competing models were tested using structural equation modeling technique.FindingsThe analysis revealed that: switching cost is a significant antecedent of both attitudinal and behavioral loyalty; the mediating effect of switching cost is stronger in the relationship between satisfaction and attitudinal loyalty; and the moderating effect of switching cost is stronger in the relationship between satisfaction and behavioral loyalty.Practical implicationsThis study emphasizes the relevance of the switching cost construct in the banking industry. Customers with different switching costs levels will manifest distinct relationship between satisfaction and behavioral loyalty. Thus, investment on marketing strategies and campaigns should be oriented to better convert switching perceptions into effective loyalty considering its mediating or moderating effects.Originality/valueEven though there are several different approaches (i.e. direct, mediator and moderator) concerning the effects of switching costs on the satisfaction‐loyalty relationship, there is a lack of integration between these approaches. The paper tests and compares the different roles of switching costs. Another contribution is the inclusion of both attitudinal and behavioral aspects of loyalty, given that the current literature is incipient concerning the role of switching cost when considering the distinct loyalty components.

The role of switching costs on service loyalty: a canonical correlation analysis

PurposeThere have been mixed results regarding the impacts of satisfaction, service quality and service value on consumer loyalty. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the moderating effects of switching costs between the three antecedents and consumer loyalty via four loyalty dimensions, i.e. repurchase intentions, appreciating behavior, complaining behavior, and price‐increase tolerance.Design/methodology/approachA conceptual framework is developed where the canonical correlations among the antecedents and components of consumer loyalty are analyzed. Three hypothesis sets are proposed and tested based on 12 service industries in Hong Kong markets.FindingsThe findings provide strong evidence of the moderating effects on repurchase preference, but only partial support on the other three loyalty dimensions.Practical implicationsThe above findings enable managers to adjust their strategies in response to varying levels of switching costs among services, which affect the relationships between the three primary antecedents and repurchase preference.Originality/valueConsumer loyalty is considered as an important source of competitive advantages for service firms. Although potential antecedents of loyalty, including satisfaction, service quality and service value, have been identified, their influences on loyalty vary among different service industries. This research highlights the moderating effects of switching costs on the four consumer loyalty dimensions.

Airline brand equity, brand preference, and purchase intentions—The moderating effects of switching costs

This study examines the relationships between brand equity, brand preference, and purchase intentions on international air passengers’ decisions in Taiwan. The findings indicate positive relationships between brand equity, brand preference, and purchase intentions with a moderation effect of switching cost affecting the relationship between brand equity and purchase intentions. More specifically, the effect of brand equity on purchase intentions is not significant for passengers with low switching costs.

Pengaruh Switching Cost sebagai Pemoderasi Hubungan antara Kepuasan dan Loyalitas Konsumen

The aim of this research is to exornine the moderating effect of switching cost on the relationship between customer satisfaction"ia-ioyaiy. The reiearch object is 150 customers who use mobile phone Sim Card in Yogtakarta. The result shows that the moderating effect of switching cost on the relationship between satisfaction and loyatty is not supported. However the ffict ;f customer satisfaction on loyalty persists with or without the switching cost.Keywords: Switching Cost, Customer Satisfaction, Customer Loyalty