US Consumers Research Articles

Tipping Dilemma in Restaurants’ Age of Automation: Exploring the Role of Social Obligations, Explicit Requests, and Their Timing

ABSTRACT Despite the wide implementation of automated services (e.g. self-service kiosks and mobile checkouts) to optimize service efficiency, restaurant customers’ perceptions related to tipping in this context have received less attention. Two between-subject experiments were conducted among US consumers. The findings reveal that explicit tip requests increase unfairness perceptions when people feel more obliged to tip (Study 1), and for those who feel a higher obligation to tip, the unfairness perceptions are enhanced when the tip is requested before the service delivery (Study 2). This study enhances the existing literature on tipping behavior and service automation, additionally providing valuable insights for restaurant managers by offering guidelines for tip requests aimed at mitigating negative customer reactions such as perceptions of unfairness and decreased trust in the restaurant.

Can you bear with me? A comparison study of multifaceted discrepancy–brand avoidance relationships between China and the USA

PurposeBrand information is ubiquitous online and offline; consumers exhibit brand avoidance tendencies towards brand stimuli when there is a discrepancy between a brand image/personality and one’s self-concept. Given the multifaceted culturally constituted self-domains and self-importance, this research investigates how cultural variation affects reactions to self-brand discrepancy, considering two types of narcissist orientations.Design/methodology/approachUsing national culture as proxy for cultural orientation, sample data were collected through surveys administered to 410 participants (210 in China and 200 in the USA). A multi-group structural equation model was adopted to examine the conceptual model and proposed hypotheses. The follow-up qualitative study was conducted to allow further discussion of the quantitative results.FindingsThe results show that self-brand discrepancy can only be converted into brand avoidance tendency through the activation of cognitive dissonance for both Americans and Chinese. Specifically, for Chinese consumers only (ideal) social identity self-brand discrepancies can activate avoidance behaviour. In addition, grandiose and vulnerable narcissism orientations co-exist for both Chinese and Americans, these negatively moderate the relationship between social self-brand discrepancies and cognitive dissonance. For US consumers, idealised identity discrepancies mitigate dissonance; only those with a vulnerable narcissistic orientation would act on avoidance when experiencing dissonance.Originality/valueBy incorporating cultural variations in the investigations of self-brand discrepancy, this paper advances existing knowledge on dissonance and coping mechanisms. In addition, by bringing narcissistic orientations to the fore, it allows for a deeper understanding of how these cultural variations operate. In addition, our research provides important guidelines for brand practitioners to better leverage their marketing campaigns in offline and online contexts and to reduce brand avoidance tendencies across the international marketplace.

Risk Propensity and Acceptance of Gene-edited and Genetically Modified Food among US Consumers: A Comparison between Plants and Animal Products

Abstract Utilizing online survey data of US consumers, this study examines the extent to which consumers' acceptance of genetically modified (GM) and gene-edited (GE) food is driven by their risk attitudes. Our results indicate that individuals with high-risk propensity are more likely to accept both GM and GE food than individuals with low- and medium-risk propensity. Our results also find differences in consumers' attitudes toward plants and animal products in the context of both GM and GE. Intriguingly, these attitudinal differences can be explained by consumers' risk propensities. Specifically, both low- and medium-risk propensity consumers differentiate between plants and animal products; the latter is less acceptable than the former, indicating a tendency to have more concerns about the application of biotechnology to animals than plants. However, individuals with high-risk propensity do not differentiate between GM and GE plants and animal products. Our results suggest that policymakers, the food industry, and researchers need to consider these attitudinal differences while studying consumer attitudes toward GM and GE food. Failing to capture these attitudinal differences in studies focusing on consumer behavior toward GM and GE food may result in either overestimating or underestimating consumer response.

Public acceptance of beef carbon tax earmarks

The escalating effects of climate change make it important to find ways to offset the carbon burden. One way to do so is to reduce beef consumption, since cattle production creates large amounts of greenhouse gases, which contribute to global warming and climate change. In this study, we explore US consumers’ perceptions of alternative beef products. Specifically, we test the effects of three types of earmark information on consumers’ valuation of a beef carbon tax related to hamburger meat through two labeled discrete choice experiments. Our results show that earmark information can be effective in reducing the negative impact of an environmental tax on consumers’ willingness to pay for beef products. This study contributes to a better understanding of how consumers would bear environmental taxes for beef and alternative products.

Australian and United States Consumer Acceptance of Beef Brisket Cooked Using the Low and Slow Barbeque Method.

Meat Standards Australia (MSA) sensory protocols have been effectively utilized in beef for international consumers employing several cooking methods. Our objective was to compare the consumer response of Australian and American consumers to paired beef brisket samples utilizing a newly developed low and slow cooking method. Briskets were collected from Australian carcasses with diverse eating quality. Half of the briskets (n = 24) were retained in Australia and their pair was exported to Texas for consumer sensory testing. Naïve consumers (Australia; n = 240) and familiar consumers (USA; n = 240) evaluated paired barbequed briskets for tenderness, juiciness, flavor liking, and overall liking from 0 to 100 using a visual analogue scale, and a weighted composite meat quality score was later calculated. Australian consumers scored briskets lower for tenderness (-4.84 ± 1.70 points) and juiciness (-4.44 ± 1.55 points) and higher for flavor liking (3.48 ± 1.58 points); however, there was no difference between the countries for overall liking (p = 0.75) and combined meat quality score (p = 0.88). Differences between Australian and US consumers' evaluations indicate that there is an impact of cultural background, potentially driven by Australia's naivety to the low and slow barbeque cooking method.

Consumer Acceptance of Novel Lucuma Fruit Ice Cream in the US Market.

This study explored the use of lucuma fruit powder in an ice cream formulation for the US market. Six ice cream prototypes were developed using five different lucuma fruit powder variants. A central location test was conducted with frequent ice cream consumers (n = 106) to assess acceptance, attribute intensity rating, ideal intensity levels, and purchase intent against a control sample with caramel flavor. The mean overall liking score for all lucuma ice creams was moderate. The overall, aroma, and flavor liking scores were significantly higher (p < 0.05) for lucuma ice cream samples, whereas the control sample was liked significantly more for texture. The Terrasoul variant of lucuma ice cream was the most liked among all samples, and the control was liked the least. Only the Terrasoul ice cream sample was successful in delivering significantly strong caramel, fruit, and sweet flavor levels; the other lucuma ice cream samples were more comparable to the control. The inclusion of lucuma powder increased powdery mouthfeel perception, negatively impacting texture liking. Consumers perceived all ice cream samples to be weak in flavor and fell short of delivering ideal levels. The US consumers had low-moderate food neophobia scores for lucuma fruit, with 57% showing interest in buying lucuma ice creams.

When and how it is good for fashion to look typical: visual prototypicality affecting product valuation and brand preference

PurposeAlthough visual prototypicality in fashion is an observed phenomenon, empirical examinations of the link between fashion products' design prototypicality and consumer evaluations still need to be included. The present study analyzes the influence of the visual prototypicality of fashion products on consumer-perceived product values and brand preference.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey adopting the fashion product images with significantly differing levels of visual prototypicality was used to collect data from 456 US consumers. The hypothesized relationships among visual prototypicality, product values and brand preference were analyzed through multi-group analysis.FindingsPerceived visual typicality of fashion product designs significantly increased the hedonic and utilitarian value of the product and only indirectly increase brand preference. The hypothesized positive relationship between visual prototypicality and the product’s social value was found to be significant only in the low-price levels but became insignificant in the high-price levels.Originality/valueThe findings of this study contribute to the extant literature by first providing an initial analysis of the mechanism of visual prototypicality in the fashion product design field. The results confirm that visual prototypicality indirectly influences consumers' brand evaluations by the product’s perceived value. This relationship was previously assumed but not empirically proven only in non-fashion product categories. The study also presents additional new points, further enriching the understanding of visual typicality. Additionally, the results show the complex relationship between the visual prototypicality of fashion product designs and the perceived social value of the product, which varies depending on the price range.

Transforming luxury: young consumers' motivations towards purchasing virtual luxury non-fungible token wearables

PurposeThis study explores young consumers' motivations for purchasing Virtual Luxury Non-Fungible Token Wearables (VL-NFTs) from luxury brands, which are virtually crafted luxury wearables minted as blockchain-based NFTs. Specifically, it investigates the relationships among consumers' perceived value of VL-NFTs, engagement with NFTs and purchase intention and the mediating effect of consumer engagement with NFTs.Design/methodology/approachData were collected via an online survey of 504 young US consumers who had previously considered purchasing luxury fashion products and NFTs. Structural equation modelling was adopted for analysis.FindingsPerceived economic, functional (uniqueness) and experiential (self-directed pleasure and affiliation) values of VL-NFTs directly influenced consumers' purchase intention. While symbolic value (self-presentation and conspicuousness) did not significantly influence purchase intention, it facilitated consumer engagement with NFTs. Moreover, consumer engagement mediated the relationship between economic and functional values and purchase intention.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample was only comprised of young consumers, limiting the generalizability. Additionally, consumers may perceive VL-NFTs differently because of differences in past experiences and the varying VL-NFT types, necessitating further investigation on consumers' motivations across different types of VL-NFTs.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the existing literature by examining the importance of multifaceted perceived-value dimensions and engagement with NFTs in consumers' motivation for purchasing VL-NFTs through the lens of the customer value framework.

Do consumers care about organic when consuming speciality bakery products or is it all about indulgence?

PurposeThis study explores the viability of incorporating more expensive organic wheat flour into speciality bakery products, which are of superior quality, thus justifying the higher cost. As consumers may be reluctant to purchase organic speciality baked goods due to unfavorable taste associations with organic foods, particularly those consumed as a treat or for pleasure, this study investigates the impact of providing taste assurances and origin information on consumer acceptance and WTP for organic speciality bakery products.Design/methodology/approachUsing data from an online survey of US consumers, random parameter logit models were estimated and willingness-to-pay (WTP) values were calculated.FindingsStudy results show that the use of more expensive organic flour is justified for speciality bakery products when favorable taste assurances are provided or for consumers who value organic foods. Freshness indictors were only important in the case of speciality breads, but not for other products. Finally, improving consumer awareness of organic labeling standards does not significantly impact their organic product preferences or taste perceptions.Practical implicationsThis analysis aims to identify the product information likely to increase the consumption of organic speciality bakery/pastry products and thus support the incorporation of organic wheat flour into these higher-value products.Originality/valueWhile previous choice experiment studies have extensively examined consumer preferences for organic products, few have evaluated the impact of providing taste and freshness indicators, particularly in the context of vice goods. This study examines the impact of providing taste and freshness indicators on consumer acceptance and WTP for various organic speciality bakery/pastry products in stated choice experiments, where consumers to not have the option to taste the product. Specifically, we examine if taste and freshness assurances reduce potential negative organic product taste biases.

Can cash and mobile pay co-exist? What the data tell us

As US consumers increasingly turn to multiple financial institutions, multiple FinTech providers and multiple payment apps, getting a full picture of the consumer’s wallet is rare. Drawing on data collected through the Survey and Diary of Consumer Payment Choice — a representative survey of US consumers conducted since 2008 — this paper provides insights into US consumers’ adoption of bank accounts and payment instruments, their recent use of payment instruments, their payment choices for purchases and bills, and the evolution in their practices over the last decade of innovation in payments.

Patterns of Ownership and Usage of Wearable Devices in the United States, 2020-2022: Survey Study.

Although wearable technology has become increasingly common, comprehensive studies examining its ownership across different sociodemographic groups are limited. The aims of this study were to (1) measure wearable device ownership by sociodemographic characteristics in a cohort of US consumers and (2) investigate how these devices are acquired and used for health-related purposes. Data from the Rock Health Digital Health Consumer Adoption Survey collected from 2020 to 2022 with 23,974 US participants were analyzed. The sample was US Census-matched for demographics, including age, race/ethnicity, gender, and income. The relationship between sociodemographic factors and wearable ownership was explored using descriptive analysis and multivariate logistic regression. Of the 23,974 respondents, 10,679 (44.5%) owned wearables. Ownership was higher among younger individuals, those with higher incomes and education levels, and respondents living in urban areas. Compared to those aged 18-24 years, respondents 65 years and older had significantly lower odds of wearable ownership (odds ratio [OR] 0.18, 95% CI 0.16-0.21). Higher annual income (≥US $200,000; OR 2.27, 95% CI 2.01-2.57) and advanced degrees (OR 2.23, 95% CI 2.01-2.48) were strong predictors of ownership. Living in rural areas reduced ownership odds (OR 0.65, 95% CI 0.60-0.72). There was a notable difference in ownership based on gender and health insurance status. Women had slightly higher ownership odds than men (OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.04-1.17). Private insurance increased ownership odds (OR 1.28, 95% CI 1.17-1.40), whereas being uninsured (OR 0.41, 95% CI 0.36-0.47) or on Medicaid (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.68-0.82) decreased the odds of ownership. Interestingly, minority groups such as non-Hispanic Black (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.03-1.25) and Hispanic/Latine (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.10-1.31) respondents showed slightly higher ownership odds than other racial/ethnic groups. Our findings suggest that despite overall growth in wearable ownership, sociodemographic divides persist. The data indicate a need for equitable access strategies as wearables become integral to clinical and public health domains.

The Role of Service Quality Attributes and Perceived Value in US Consumers’ Impulsive Buying Intentions for Fresh Food E-Commerce

The Role of Service Quality Attributes and Perceived Value in US Consumers’ Impulsive Buying Intentions for Fresh Food E-Commerce

Inequality in high-cost borrowing and unemployment insurance generosity in US states during the COVID-19 pandemic.

US consumers may turn to the private market for credit when income and government benefits fall short. The most vulnerable consumers have access only to the highest-cost loans. Prior research on trade-offs of credit with government welfare support cannot distinguish between distinct forms of unsecured credit due to data limitations. Here we provide insight on credit-welfare state trade-offs vis-à-vis unemployment insurance generosity by leveraging a large sample of credit data that allow us to separate credit cards, personal loans and alternative financial services loans and to analyse heterogeneity in credit use by household income. We find that more generous state unemployment insurance benefits were associated with a lower probability of high-cost credit use during the first seven quarters of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. This inverse association was concentrated among consumers living in low-income households. Our results support theories that public benefits are inversely associated with the use of costly credit.

The Effects of Poor Fluid Milk Experience on Store Choice and Customer Loyalty in Online and In-Store Retail Channels

Dairy producers work extensively to ensure quality, but there is limited information on how poor experience with milk affects consumer choice. This study uses an online survey of 725 US consumers to assess how a poor experience with milk affects purchase behavior in different channels. We examine the relationship between product experience and purchase behavior and find that a poor experience is associated with a greater likelihood of switching stores and with lower net promoter scores, suggesting that having high quality milk may improve customer loyalty. This work highlights the important role that perishable food quality plays in retail settings.

Comparative analysis of recent changes in the dietary behavior of Italian and US consumers: The made in Italy market and its factorial conceptualization

Recent disruptive events, such as the Covid-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and climate change, have intensified the process of ‘deglobalization’ of food consumption. As a result, consumers now prefer locally sourced products. To understand the change in sustainable food consumption in certain countries, this paper analyzes data from a broad survey conducted between 2020 and 2022, during and after the Covid-19 pandemic. The primary goal is to describe an emergent “new normal” culinary ethics based on a preference for regional cuisine, environmental protection and a commitment to health. The analysis compares consumption patterns in Italy and the United States to explore the role of cultural contexts with different but comparable values and principles. Both exploratory and confirmatory factor analyzes are applied to the two subsets of data, drawn from a large survey conducted in 20 countries with nearly 7000 participants, as well as the invariance of their structural parameters through multigroup analysis.

The chameleon in consumers: Development and validation of a scale to measure Consumers' Cognitive Flexibility

AbstractThis paper introduces a new scale, the Consumers' Cognitive Flexibility Scale (CCF‐Scale). Consumers' Cognitive Flexibility (CCF) is conceptualized as the adaptation to changes in the environment and to product options by exhibiting flexible thoughts, feelings, and actions. This scale is a new measure of consumers' mental capabilities to understand and evaluate unknown products. Especially, really new products (RNPs) are highly innovative and different from well‐known products in the market. A flexible mindset can help integrate RNPs into existing knowledge structures. The CCF‐Scale was developed and tested with four prestudies and four representative studies with 1057, 696, 494 German, and 506 US consumers. The prestudies were used to ensure face and content validity and to select products for criterion validity. The findings demonstrate a reliable and valid scale in both countries consisting of 14 items with three CCF‐facets: Coping (with consumption problems), Perspective (change for product/information evaluation), and Alignment (to changes in the environment). Results show that the CCF‐facets help explain RNP‐acceptance across different categories (e.g., food, furniture, and digital services). One limitation is the article's focus on RNPs. Still, marketers can use these findings to adjust instructions on how to use RNPs and to communicate more effectively, for example by using analogies.

Impacts of the COVID-19 infodemic on emotions through cognitive appraisals

PurposeThe COVID-19 outbreak has been accompanied by a massive “infodemic”, characterized by an overabundance of information, both accurate and inaccurate, making it hard for people to find trustworthy sources and reliable guidance. This study aims to investigate how the COVID-19 infodemic (i.e. information overload and untrustworthiness) influences consumers’ emotions (i.e. fear, anxiety and hope) by shaping their cognitive appraisals of the pandemic (i.e. perceived risk and uncertainty). Additionally, this study also investigates how individual differences (i.e. COVID-19 involvement and infection experience) impact their emotion formation process.Design/methodology/approachData were collected from 815 US consumers aged between 18 and 65 in November 2021 via an online survey. Structural equation modeling and multi-group comparison from AMOS 23 were used to test the proposed relationships.FindingsInformation overload increased one’s perceived risk and perceived uncertainty of COVID-19, which, in turn, structured the emotional states of fear, anxiety and hope. Information untrustworthiness had a significant impact on risk perception, which led to an increased feeling of fear. Additionally, individuals’ COVID-19 involvement and their infection experience with the coronavirus were found to moderate the cognitive appraisal process in developing emotions.Originality/valueThis study offers insights into the relationships between the information landscape and cognitive appraisals regarding health crises, specifically the COVID-19 pandemic. Not only enriching emotional well-being literature, it also lends managerial implications for effective communication strategies in global health emergencies.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-12-2023-0616

Comparison of United States Consumers’ Perceptions and Willingness to Pay for Sustainable Environmental Practices in the Retail Floral Industry Based on Geographical Regions

With an increase in social awareness of environmental degradation and the need to conserve resources while reducing greenhouse gas emissions, consumers have become increasingly concerned about the environmental standards of the industries from which they purchase products. This has motivated industries to restructure their business model to one that is more environmentally sustainable. Research of consumers’ floral purchasing habits based on geographic regions found that these habits varied depending on the region where they lived. The main purpose of this study was to investigate US consumers’ perceptions and willingness to pay as they relate to retail floral providers’ environmentally sustainable practices based on the geographical region where the consumer lives within the United States. The results indicated differences in the way respondents answered questions based on the geographical region where they live. However, regardless of the US region where the respondents live, from the list of sustainable attributes covered in this study, respondents indicated the use of locally sourced flowers and composting of floral waste as the two sustainable attributes with the most perceived value to consumers. The findings of this study indicate that floral providers that have incorporated any type of sustainable attribute into their businesses should be promoting this to the public. Floral providers located in the West and Northeast regions of the United States should especially consider emphasizing sustainable attributes within their business because consumers in these regions indicated that they were most willing to pay premiums for sustainable practices. Additionally, floral providers in the West should consider sourcing and promoting the use of fair-trade materials to their customers.

Unwrapping the Native Plant Black Box: Consumer Perceptions and Segments for Target Marketing Strategies

The increasing demand for sustainable products has helped spur demand for native plants. This study used an online survey of 2066 US consumers, a factor analysis, and Ward’s linkage cluster analysis to identify unique customer segments in the native plant marketplace. The following three clusters were identified: native averse (31.6%), native curious (35.7%), and native enthusiast (32.7%). The native enthusiast cluster agreed strongly with positive statements related to native plant perceptions and attributes. The native averse cluster exhibited the lowest level of agreement with these items and the greatest level of agreement with negative or neutral statements about native plants. The native curious cluster was intermediate between the other clusters but generally agreed with positive attributes. Demographic characteristics impacted cluster membership. The marketing implications are discussed.

Understanding Factors Associated with Interest in Sustainability-Certified Wine among American and Italian Consumers.

The wine industry has been witnessing a growth in businesses crafting sustainability-certified wines and in the attention of consumers to sustainability, especially in the United States and Italy. To identify the characteristics of consumers who prefer sustainability-certified wine, this study analysed the relationship between consumers' demographics, wine buying behaviour, and interest in sustainability-certified wine, focusing on these two countries for comparison. Data were collected through an online survey of US and Italian consumers. Through correspondence analysis, k-modes clustering analysis, and multi-way correspondence analysis, this study revealed a stronger relationship between demographics and interest in sustainability-certified wine among US consumers than Italian consumers. In particular, middle-aged US consumers exhibited a greater interest than seniors. The patterns of connections between consumers' wine buying behaviour and interest in sustainable wine were similar for the two countries. In particular, consumers who purchase wine weekly had a keen interest, and those who purchase wine sporadically had no or little interest. Furthermore, this study uncovered the intricate relationship among various variables, providing a comprehensive understanding of the association between wine consumer characteristics and their interest in sustainability-certified wine.