PurposeThe objectives of this study are to examine the impacts of CSR on purchase intentions either directly or indirectly and to investigate the moderating effects of consumer ethnocentrism on the ...relationship between CSR and purchase intentions.Design/methodology/approachThis study utilized an online self-administered survey for data collection. All the measurement items were adopted or adapted from prior research concerning international marketing (Churchill, 1979). Concerning rating scales, the items of CSR, brand attitudes, and consumer ethnocentrism were measured from 1 (strongly disagree) to 7 (strongly agree), and the items of purchase intentions were measured from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree).FindingsThe empirical findings suggest that CSR significantly influences purchase intentions directly and indirectly via brand attitudes. Besides, consumer ethnocentrism strengthens the positive effects of CSR on brand attitudes and purchase intentions.Originality/valueThis research sheds light on young Chinese consumers' purchase behaviors, which could facilitate Western brands implementing effective and efficient marketing strategies in the Chinese market.
This research examines how and why family firm brands (compared to nonfamily firm brands) affect consumers. We argue that a brand’s family firm status acts as a signal to consumers who share ...category-based beliefs about family firms doing good due to preserving their socioemotional wealth. This perception in turn is a fair and positive appraisal in the mind of consumers (in the sense of indirectly benefiting others with their spent financial resources) that elicits happiness. In an experimental study, we show that family firms are being perceived by consumers as acting more supportive towards internal and external stakeholders and that these perceptions in turn result in higher consumer happiness. In other words, our results indicate that communicating a brand’s family firm status might have a positive indirect influence on consumer happiness through the perception of doing good. On the other hand, our results suspect that a brand's family firm status might also trigger beliefs (not part of our study) with more negative indirect effects on consumer happiness.
Luxury brand consumption has remained strong even in countries with recessions. This study explores the role of personal factors, socio-cognitive factors, and potential marketing forces, in driving ...consumers' luxury purchase intentions in a market that is struggling to recover from a recession - Greece. Data were collected using a self-administered survey via an online panel. The results indicate that consumers' need to escape and impulsiveness are positively associated with luxury brand purchase intentions in a recession. Sales promotions moderate the relationship between escape, self-expression, and luxury brand purchase intentions. Consumers' perceptions about the recession effect on society also moderate the relationship between escape, self-expression, social status, and luxury brand purchase intentions. This study contributes to the literature and practice of luxury branding in recession by identifying the interplay between various personal, social, and marketing factors that can influence luxury brand purchase intentions in a recessionary environment.
Purpose
– This paper aims to investigate how consumer and image factors as well as store familiarity influence store brand (SB) purchase behaviour. SBs are now widely offered by European mass ...retailers. However, consumer behaviour toward SBs is not yet clearly understood in all European markets.
Design/methodology/approach
– The authors analysed data collected from 266 respondents and used structural equation modelling to test the main hypotheses. They then carried out ANOVA and MANOVA analyses to test the effect of store familiarity on SB purchase behaviour.
Findings
– Results indicate that store image perceptions, SB price-image, value consciousness, and SB attitude have significant and positive influence on SB purchase behaviour. Store familiarity positively influences SB choice, but not SB purchase intention. None of the socio-demographic variables (age, gender, household income, and family size) included as control variables have an effect on SB choice.
Research limitations/implications
– The study is limited because it did not account for the effect of product categories on SB purchase behaviour. Consequently, results cannot be determined for different product categories. It would also be appropriate to measure SB choice in a more concrete way, such as using scanner data.
Practical implications
– Findings highlight the importance of value consciousness, store image perceptions, and SB price-image on SB purchase behaviour. They also show greater popularity of SB products among consumers, including those with high household income.
Originality/value
– There is increased value to retailers in studying how consumer and image factors jointly influence SB purchase behaviour, whilst also accounting for store familiarity instead of brand familiarity.
Retailers, such as Starbucks and Victoria's Secret, aim to provide customers a great experience across channels. In this paper we provide an overview of the existing literature on customer experience ...and expand on it to examine the creation of a customer experience from a holistic perspective. We propose a conceptual model, in which we discuss the determinants of customer experience. We explicitly take a dynamic view, in which we argue that prior customer experiences will influence future customer experiences. We discuss the importance of the social environment, self-service technologies and the store brand. Customer experience management is also approached from a strategic perspective by focusing on issues such as how and to what extent an experience-based business can create growth. In each of these areas, we identify and discuss important issues worthy of further research.
Prior work shows that luxury brands predominantly prefer lifestyle advertisements to functional advertisements such that abstract or intangible elements are prevalent, but concrete or tangible ...elements are less common. This begs the following question: Is this because lifestyle advertisements are more effective than functional advertisements? This research shows that, depending on the situation, functional advertisements can be more effective for luxury products than lifestyle advertisements. Specifically, we apply a two-stage model of decision-making to the luxury purchase context. In stage 1, the motivation formation stage, consumers do not yet intend to buy a luxury product and are still forming purchase interest and motivation. In stage 2, the purchase decision-making stage, consumers desire to buy a luxury product, and their focus is on deciding which product to buy. Compared with stage 1, in stage 2, functional advertisements can be more effective for luxury products than lifestyle advertisements. This effect is consistent with the construal level theory. That is, the matching of construal levels between functional advertisements and the purchase decision-making stage increases the likelihood of making a purchase. This research contributes to literature on luxury branding, luxury advertising, lifestyle and functional branding and offers practical implications to luxury brand managers.
Abstract Objectives In low- and middle-income countries, patients and reimbursement agencies that purchase medicines in the private sector pay more for originator brands when generic equivalents ...exist. We estimated the savings that could be obtained from a hypothetical switch in medicine consumption from originator brands to lowest-priced generic equivalents for a selection of medicines in 17 countries. Methods In this cost minimization analysis, the prices of originator brands and their lowest-priced generic equivalents were obtained from facility-based surveys conducted by using a standard methodology. Fourteen medicines most commonly included in the surveys, plus three statins, were included in the analysis. For each medicine, the volume of private sector consumption of the originator brand product was obtained from IMS Health, Inc. Volumes were applied to the median unit prices for both originator brands and their lowest-priced generics to estimate cost savings. Prices were adjusted to 2008 by using consumer price index data and were adjusted for purchasing power parity. Results For the medicines studied, an average of 9% to 89% could be saved by an individual country from a switch in private sector purchases from originator brands to lowest-priced generics. In public hospitals in China, US $ 370 million could be saved from switching only four medicines, saving an average of 65%. Across individual medicines, average potential savings ranged from 11% for beclometasone inhaler to 73% for ceftriaxone injection. Conclusions Substantial savings could be achieved by switching private sector purchases from originator brand medicines to lowest-priced generic equivalents. Strategies to promote generic uptake, such as generic substitution by pharmacists and increasing confidence in generics by professionals and the public, should be included in national medicines policies.
Authenticity is one of the cornerstones of contemporary marketing practice yet confusion surrounds the nature and use of authenticity in the brand arena. Examining the strategies of 26 luxury wine ...firms informs the authenticity of specific brands. Creating an impression of authenticity required creating a sincere story consisting of a creative blend of industrial and rhetorical attributes. Sincerity was achieved through the public avowal of hand crafted techniques, uniqueness, relationship to place, passion for wine production, and the simultaneous disavowal of commercial motives, rational production methods, and the use of modern marketing techniques. For the wineries, appearing authentic was critical in order to reinforce their status, command price premiums and ward off competitors. Images of authenticity were accomplished by developing a sincere story that enabled the firms to maintain quality and relevance while appearing above commercial considerations. This was achieved through the deliberate decoupling of their technical core from their espoused communications.
Purpose
This study aims to increase the understanding of the emergence of a values-based (VB) premium private label (PL) brand reputation within a multiple-tier PL brand portfolio in retailing.
...Design/methodology/approach
By building on the research on PLs, brand image, brand reputation and consumer values, this study creates a conceptual foundation for the emergence of VB PL brand reputation within a multiple-tier brand portfolio among consumers and examines the emergence of such reputation empirically using interpretive exploratory qualitative laddering interviews in the context of fast-moving consumer goods.
Findings
The findings of this study illustrate that the VB reputations of the premium PL product brand and the PL brand store intertwine, ultimately relating to two terminal values: pleasure and doing good. These reputations differ remarkably from the VB reputations of the economy PL brand and the umbrella brand of the retail chain (not doing good and financial security).
Research limitations/implications
This study explains the emergence of VB brand reputation within a multiple-tier brand portfolio and introduces the use of the laddering technique in such research.
Practical implications
This study reminds brand managers to carefully design the relevant brand strategy for brands and their relationships under a brand umbrella.
Originality/value
Although much is known about PL brands and brand reputation, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study might be the first to increase the understanding of how a VB premium PL brand reputation emerges and accumulates from brand images within a multiple-tier brand portfolio.
Purpose
Despite the well-established impact of consumer ethnocentrism (CET) on purchase intentions, extant literature offers limited evidence on actual purchase behaviour. The purpose of this paper ...is to address the gap by investigating the factors underlying variations in CET behaviour using reported brand purchases. Product category, product cost and visibility, brand and country of origin (COO) of purchased products are investigated for their impact on the differences in the behavioural effects of CET.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses survey data collected in the USA from a sample of 468 consumers. Self-reported brand purchases are used and involve ten product categories, 432 brands, and 22 countries of origin. Logistic regressions for repeated measures are used to test the hypotheses formulated.
Findings
The results confirm that product category is an important determinant of the behavioural effects of CET. CET also has a significant impact on purchases of the most expensive product categories rather than frequently purchased convenient items. Contrary to existing empirical evidence, cultural similarity does not mitigate the negative effects of CET and product visibility does not strengthen the behavioural effect of CET.
Practical implications
The study results should enhance managers’ understanding of the determinants of ethnocentric behaviour. The results caution managers about the value of self-reported measures and indicate that product features other than COO may be more effective in mitigating the negative effects of CET.
Originality/value
This study contributes to extant literature on CET and COO by investigating, for the first time, the problem of inconsistent predictions of purchase behaviour in the context of foreign vs domestic brands. For this purpose, the study adopted a novel methodological approach to investigate actual brand purchases.
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