Experience as a moderator of involvement and satisfaction on brand loyalty in a business-to-business setting 02-314R

This paper examines the relative influence of two key antecedents of brand loyalty-satisfaction and involvement and the moderating role of experience, using a sample of business buyers. The central argument of this paper is that the strength of the effect of these variables on attitudinal brand loyalty will vary with the level of customer experience with purchasing the service. Building on previous research which examined low-risk, customer product settings [Kim, J., Lim, J.S., & Bhargava, M. (1998). The role of affect in attitude formation: A classical conditioning approach. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science 26 (2): pp. 143-152; Shiv, B., & Fedorikhin, A. (1999). Heart and mind in conflict: The interplay of affect and cognition in consumer decision-making. Journal of Consumer Research 26: 278], this study shows that for a high-risk setting, involvement with the service category will be more dominant in its influence on brand loyalty than satisfaction with the preferred brand. Furthermore, it was found that experience moderated the influence of involvement and satisfaction on attitudinal brand loyalty for a high-risk business-to-business service. This study provides new insights into the theory and practice of buyer behavior and business-to-business brands. Crown Copyright (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A consumer-based method for retailer equity measurement: Results of an empirical study

This research extends the consumer-based brand equity measurement approach to the measurement of the equity associated with retailers. This paper also addresses some of the limitations associated with current retailer equity measurement such as a lack of clarity regarding its nature and dimensionality. We conceptualise retailer equity as a four-dimensional construct comprising retailer awareness, retailer associations, perceived retailer quality, and retailer loyalty. The paper reports the result of an empirical study of a convenience sample of 601 shopping mall consumers at an Australian state capital city. Following a confirmatory factor analysis using structural equation modelling to examine the dimensionality of the retailer equity construct, the proposed model is tested for two retailer categories: department stores and speciality stores. Results confirm the hypothesised four-dimensional structure.

Too old to choose? The effects of age and age related constructs on consumer decision making

Ageing of societies is a major challenge to academic research as well as to management. The unstoppable trend of an aging society in most western societies offers opportunities and challenges at the same time. This paper sheds light on the impact of age as well as age-related constructs on relevant consumer attitudes and behavior. More precisely, the empirical study, conducted in the market for cars, examining the relationships between four distinct age constructs and assesses the impact of these age constructs on information gathering, a consumer’s evoked set, and on rand loyalty.

Putting service relations to the test:how can negative consumer reactions of price increases be reduced?

Price increases seem to be an adequate way to improve the earnings of companies. This fact becomes especially crucial because of increased price competition in many markets. Price increases might lead to negative customer reactions, such as a lower perceived utility or a lower loyalty intention. Therefore, the question for managers remains how prices can be increased without losing customers. Results of our experimental study suggest that customers of energy suppliers rate the perceived utility of the offer relatively better when the price increase is combined with an additional modification of the product or accompanied by a new service. It becomes clear that intensifying service relations can offset the negative effects of price increases.

Changing consumer markets and marketing in China

China's enormous population and rapidly increasing consumer spending are attractive to many multinational corporations (MNCs) to supply products to the Chinese markets. Yet MNCs continue to struggle to find ways to serve this diverse and culturally unique market. This article reviews and integrates existing knowledge on Chinese consumers' responses to marketing efforts, and specifies and empirically tests several propositions. Chinese consumers are found to have higher brand consciousness, brand loyalty, lower price sensitivity for visible goods, and to be less responsive to sales promotions compared to Western consumers. We also find indications that the influence of face considerations (i.e., prestige earned in a social network) cause Chinese consumers to have higher emphasis on prestige in their channel choices and advertisement evaluations than Western consumers. By outlining these implications, our study can help MNCs better understand how Chinese consumers behave and that understanding can help MNCs adapt their marketing efforts.

The influence of brand equity on consumer responses

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to propose and test a model to better understand brand equity. It seeks to investigate the effects of this construct on consumers' responses using data from two European countries. Design/methodology/approach: Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). Measurement invariance and stability of the model across the two national samples was assessed using multigroup confirmatory factor analysis. Findings: Results indicate that brand equity dimensions inter-relate. Brand awareness positively impacts perceived quality and brand associations. Brand loyalty is mainly influenced by brand associations. Finally, perceived quality, brand associations and brand loyalty are the main drivers of overall brand equity. Findings also corroborate the positive impact of brand equity on consumers' responses. In addition, the general framework proposed is found to be empirically robust across the studied countries. Only a few differences are observed. Research limitations/implications: A limited set of product categories, brands and countries were used. Practical implications: Findings provide useful guidelines for brand equity management. Managers can complement financial metrics with consumer-based brand equity measures to track brand performance over time and to benchmark against other brands. Building brand equity generates more value for corporations since a more favourable consumer response results from positive brand equity. Originality/value: This study contributes to the scarce international brand equity literature by testing the proposed model using data from a sample of consumers in two European countries. It also enriches the brand equity literature by empirically examining the relationships among consumer-based brand equity dimensions and its effects on consumers' responses. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited.

Az online-fogyasztói elégedettség mérésére alkalmas skála tesztelése és véglegesítése a vállalati döntéshozók támogatása céljából (Testing and finalizing a scale for measuring online consumer satisfaction to support the companies decision making process)

A versenyképesség, illetve a gazdaságos működés elengedhetetlen feltétele a fogyasztói elégedettség, melynek egyik meghatározó eleme az észlelt és elvárt minőség közti kapcsolat. A minőségi elvárások az internettel, mint napjaink egyik meghatározó csatornájával kapcsolatban is megfogalmazódtak már, így kapott jelentős szerepet az online szolgáltatásminőség meghatározása, illetve ezzel összekapcsolódva az online-fogyasztói elégedettségmérés. A tanulmány célja, hogy szakirodalmi áttekintést nyújtson a témában, és a szakirodalomból ismert E-S-QUAL és E-RecS-QUAL online-fogyasztói elégedettségmérésre szolgáló skálát megvizsgálja, érvényességét a magyar körülmények között letesztelje, és a szükségesnek látszó módosítások elvégzésével egy Magyarországon használható skálát hozzon létre. Az online-fogyasztók elégedettségmérésének alapjaként az online szolgáltatásminőség fogyasztói érzékelésével, illetve értékelésével kapcsolatos elméleteket járja körbe a tanulmány, és ezután kerül sor a különböző mérési módszerek bemutatására, kiemelt szerepet szánva az E-S-QUAL és E-RecS-QUAL skálának, mely az egyik leginkább alkalmazott módszernek számít. Az áttekintés középpontjában azok a honlapok állnak, melyeken vásárolni is lehet, a kutatást pedig az egyik jelentős hazai online könyvesbolt ügyfélkörében végeztem el. ______ Over the last decade the business-to-consumer online market has been growing very fast. In marketing literature a lot of studies have been created focusing on understanding and measuring e-service quality (e-sq) and online-customer satisfaction. The aim of the study is to summarize these concepts, analyse the relationship between e-sq and customer’s loyalty, which increases the competitiveness of the companies, and to create a valid and reliable scale to the Hungarian market for measuring online-customer satisfaction. The base of the empirical study is the E-S-QUAL and its second scale the E-RecS-QUAL that are widely used multiple scales measuring e-sq with seven dimensions: efficiency, system availability, fulfilment, privacy, responsiveness, compensation, and contact. The study is focusing on the websites customers use to shop online.

The Influence of Social Responsibility Image Relative to Product and Service Quality on Brand Loyalty: An Exploratory Study of Quick-service Restaurants

Social responsibility (SR) is becoming an increasingly significant component of many firms’ strategic planning decisions. Research has shown that consumers tend to reward socially responsible behavior. However, there has been little testing of the construct in the hospitality industry. Additionally, when other important variables that influence consumer brand loyalty are considered, will brand social responsibility image (BSRI) still play a significant role? This study investigates the importance of SR and its impact on brand loyalty, relative to product quality and service quality in the quick-service restaurant industry. The authors were also interested to learn whether BSRI impacted consumers' image of product and service quality. It was found that BSRI had a positive impact on brand loyalty, product quality, and service quality. However, product quality was a significantly stronger predictor of brand loyalty than BSRI. Where the vast majority of studies of SR have utilized scenario analysis of hypothetical firms, this study utilizes consumers' perceptions of a real-world firm.

Sport consumer behavior research: improving our game

Sport consumer behavior (SCB) research continues to grow in both popularity and sophistication. A guiding principle in much of this research has focused on the nature of sport-related experiences and the benefits sport consumers derive from these experiences. This emphasis has generated new knowledge and insights into the needs and wants of sport consumers. Although these efforts have contributed to the field's understanding of SCB, the vast majority of this research has centered on psychological phenomena and the evaluative and affective components of these sport experiences. Approaches to this work have also narrowed, with SCB research predominately relying on cross-sectional studies and attitudinal surveys to collect information. This has resulted in limited findings that seldom account for how various situational or environmental factors might influence attitudinal data patterns at the individual and group level. This special issues seeks to deepen our understanding of SCB by providing seven papers that demonstrate or validate findings using multiple studies or data collections.

Linking prestige perception with consumption experience, loyalty, and WOM

Purpose- The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between perceived external prestige (PEP), the student experience, attitude, and behaviour in the context of higher education institutions.
Design/methodology/approach– A comparison of the relationships between prestige perception, the student experience, WOM, and loyalty is examined within a one highly prestigious institution and one mid-ranked institution. Multigroup structural equation modelling was employed to examine data obtained from 948 respondents at the two institutions.
Findings– While respondents from the top-ranked institution exhibit a significantly higher perception of university prestige than mid-ranked university respondents, no significant differences were found between the two groups of respondents in terms of the strengths of relationships between constructs. The analysis revealed that students’ perception of their university experience performed a full mediating effect on the relationship between PEP and WOM, as well as a partial mediating effect on the relationship between PEP and loyalty.
Practical implications– Student perceptions of the university experience is a strong indicator of attitude and behaviour. For university administrators, enhancing the student experience is just as important as managing a university’s reputation with respect to engendering loyalty and positive WOM.
Originality/value – This is the first study to link PEP with student attitude and behaviour. The findings provide interesting theoretical insights as well as useful managerial implications to enhance consumer experience which in turns affect their attitude and behaviour towards the organisation.

Customer Loyalty toward grocery retailing service: a multidimensional approach to costumer perceived value

Structured abstract Purpose: To deepen, in grocery retail context, the roles of consumer perceived value and consumer satisfaction, as antecedents’ dimensions of customer loyalty intentions. Design/Methodology/approach: Also employing a short version (12-items) of the original 19-item PERVAL scale of Sweeney & Soutar (2001), a structural equation modeling approach was applied to investigate statistical properties of the indirect influence on loyalty of a reflective second order customer perceived value model. The performance of three alternative estimation methods was compared through bootstrapping techniques. Findings: Results provided i) support for the use of the short form of the PERVAL scale in measuring consumer perceived value; ii) the influence of the four highly correlated independent latent predictors on satisfaction was well summarized by a higher-order reflective specification of consumer perceived value; iii) emotional and functional dimensions were determinants for the relationship with the retailer; iv) parameter’s bias with the three methods of estimation was only significant for bootstrap small sample sizes. Research limitations:/implications: Future research is needed to explore the use of the short form of the PERVAL scale in more homogeneous groups of consumers. Originality/value: Firstly, to indirectly explain customer loyalty mediated by customer satisfaction it was adopted a recent short form of PERVAL scale and a second order reflective conceptualization of value. Secondly, three alternative estimation methods were used and compared through bootstrapping and simulation procedures.

Visitor Relationship Management (VRM) - Repeat Visitation Opportunities for Destination Marketing Organisations

In competitive tourism markets the consumer-traveller is spoilt by choice of available destinations. Successfully differentiating a destination and getting noticed at decision time is arguably the focus of activities by destination marketing organisations (DMOs). In pursuit of differentiation, three emergent themes in the marketing literature during the past decade have been branding, integrated marketing communications (IMC), and customer relationship management (CRM) a fundamental goal of each being stimulating customer loyalty. However there has been little attention given to destination loyalty in the tourism literature. The purpose of this paper is to report an exploratory investigation of visitor relationship management (VRM) by DMOs. Based on interviews with the management of 11 regional tourism organisations (RTO) in Queensland, Australia, the opportunities for, and immediate challenges of, VRM are discussed. While each RTO recognised the potential for VRM, none had yet been able to develop a formal approach to engage in meaningful dialogue with previous visitors from their largest market.