Controversy exists about the shape of the relationship between loyalty and profitability. This paper aims to address the possibly nonlinear effects of behavioral loyalty (BLOY) on…
Abstract
Purpose
Controversy exists about the shape of the relationship between loyalty and profitability. This paper aims to address the possibly nonlinear effects of behavioral loyalty (BLOY) on customer spending (as a proxy for profitability). Building on social exchange theory and the norm of reciprocity, it examines the asymmetries between BLOY and customer spending and the moderating influence of personal communication (PCOMM) as a social reward and dispositional positive reciprocity as process evidence.
Design/methodology/approach
Study 1a (n = 309) gathered customer data from four restaurants and Study 1b (n = 252) data from hotel guests after they checked out. Study 2 is an experimental study with two manipulated factors (BLOY and PCOMM). In total, 295 participants from a large German online panel completed the study.
Findings
The results indicate an inverted-U shaped relationship between BLOY and customer spending: after reaching a turning point, customers gradually curb spending as their BLOY further increases. High PCOMM acts as a reciprocal response while triggering additional customer spending particularly at higher levels of behavioral loyalty; positive reciprocity adjusts the differences in customer spending when social rewards such as PCOMM are present.
Research limitations/implications
The asymmetric relationship between BLOY and customer spending is tested only for hedonic service settings.
Practical implications
Not all loyal customers spend more – companies need to meet their reciprocal obligations before they can benefit from increased customer spending.
Originality/value
The present research re-considers the nature of the relationship between BLOY and customer spending and reveals an inverted-U shaped relationship, with a turning point beyond which greater customer loyalty decreases customer spending. It finds converging process evidence for the mechanism of reciprocity underlying this relationship. This study also details the financial impact of BLOY on the firm by investigating actual customer spending.
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Denise Linda Parris and Francisco Guzmán
This paper aims to critically review the most cited literature published from 2000 to 2020 in 24 top-ranked marketing journals on the three most studied branding concepts of the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to critically review the most cited literature published from 2000 to 2020 in 24 top-ranked marketing journals on the three most studied branding concepts of the 21st century – brand equity, brand loyalty and brand image – to explore how in these papers they have been defined, measured and examined, and propose how they should move forward in an era where brands are expected to be “socially and socio-politically conscious.”
Design/methodology/approach
For each concept a systematic literature review is conducted. In doing so, the definitions, antecedents, outcomes and measures for each concept were accessed and synthesized.
Findings
The systematic literature reviews provide a “state-of-the-art” snapshot of each concept and collectively demonstrate there is no consensus on the independence and interdependence of these dynamic multidimensional concepts. Based on the recommended process in the measurement literature, an evolved definition of each concept is proposed. In addition to the corresponding research directions presented in the moving forward sections of each systematic literature review, common research avenues emerged.
Originality/value
This paper acknowledges these three branding concepts as dynamic (i.e. evolving over time), systemically reviews and synthesizes the extant literature, and provides a path forward to defining, measuring and exploring brand equity, brand loyalty and brand image in the present era where brands are expected to be socially and socio-politically conscious with responsibilities to the planet, people and profit.
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Andriani Kusumawati, Rizki Yudhi Dewantara, Devi Farah Azizah and Supriono Supriono
This study aims to investigate city branding as a post-pandemic COVID-19 outcome factor on brand satisfaction, brand experience, perceived risk and revisit intention. In addition…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate city branding as a post-pandemic COVID-19 outcome factor on brand satisfaction, brand experience, perceived risk and revisit intention. In addition, this research contributes to the discussion of post-COVID-19 city branding that needs to be considered in the development of future tourism marketing.
Design/methodology/approach
A quantitative approach was used with PLS-SEM statistical analysis and a 263-tourist sample. The study was conducted on tourists from Malang Regency in Indonesia by distributing questionnaires modified from previous studies in a similar context.
Findings
The results of this study found that there were significant influences of city brand personality on brand experience, brand satisfaction, brand experience on perceived risk, brand satisfaction on revisit intention and perceived risk on revisit intention. This study also presents the mediating role.
Research limitations/implications
The study was only conducted on a small regency in Indonesia, and therefore the results cannot be generalized for other cities over the world.
Practical implications
The proposed study model suggests that stakeholders must seek to socialize services to potential tourists, so that tourists can understand the description of tourism activities that can be enjoyed during the COVID-19 pandemic and the way they travel in the future.
Social implications
Understanding the determinant factors of city branding post-COVID-19 was valuable for developing marketing strategies to cope with intense competition among the city.
Originality/value
This study emphasizes the determinants of COVID-19 perceived risk and revisit intentions as explained in the tourism marketing literature by considering the role of brand satisfaction, brand experience and city brand personality which significantly contribute to build the city competitiveness. Therefore, various creative strategies should be implemented to promote the city as well as escalate tourist visits without ignoring the pandemic’s risks.
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The purpose of this paper is to increase the understanding of customer share of wallet (SoW) based on research in customer characteristics and the retail service quality model…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to increase the understanding of customer share of wallet (SoW) based on research in customer characteristics and the retail service quality model. Specifically, this study adopts an asymmetrical modelling approach to provide insights into the necessary and sufficient conditions leading to increased customer SoW in the context of neighbourhood shops in Southern Africa.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis to analyse survey data collected from 523 current customers of the shops.
Findings
This study reveals that large household size and low income are necessary conditions for increased SoW. It also reveals five unique customer profiles, or casual recipes, associated with increased customer SoW. More generally, this study demonstrates that service quality constituents (personal interaction, reliability, policy and physical aspects of the shop) and customer characteristics, namely, relationship duration, household size, gender and income-level act in combination to lead to customer SoW.
Originality/value
This study illustrates how service quality constituents and customer characteristics compete and/or complement each other in relation to increased customer SoW. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to provide evidence on the necessary conditions for increased SoW, especially in the neighbourhood shop context of a developing economy. Value-wise, this paper provides a more nuanced perspective to understanding how unique customer profiles are associated with increased SoW.
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Salma Habachi, Jorge Matute and Ramon Palau-Saumell
This study aims to examine the impact of the gameful experience on behavioural outcomes. Drawing from stimulus–organism–response theory, it proposes and tests a new model that…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the impact of the gameful experience on behavioural outcomes. Drawing from stimulus–organism–response theory, it proposes and tests a new model that investigates the relationship between the gameful experience, brand loyalty and intention to use gamified branded applications in the sports context. In addition, it explores the mediating role of customer–brand engagement (CBE) and the moderating role of self-image congruity (SIC).
Design/methodology/approach
A sample of 436 active users of sport-related branded gamified applications was used to test the model. Data was collected from online sports forums, brands’ Facebook communities and during sporting events.
Findings
Results indicate that the gameful experience positively and directly impacts behavioural intentions but does not directly influence brand loyalty. This relationship becomes partially significant when mediated by CBE. In addition, results show that users with high levels of SIC are more likely to continue using the gamified application, whereas users with low levels are more likely to engage with the brand.
Originality/value
This study expands the gamification literature in the sports sector by revealing the importance of the gameful experience in driving loyalty, behavioural intentions and CBE. It proposes a new model that sheds light on the emotional aspect of the interaction between a user and a gamified system and the importance of exploring the effects of moderators, such as SIC, in these relationships.
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Md Sajjad Hosain and Abdullah Mohammad Ahshanul Mamun
This empirical paper is an endeavor to explore the relationship between social media advertising (SMA) and customers' purchase intention (CPI) in three South Asian countries. SMA…
Abstract
Purpose
This empirical paper is an endeavor to explore the relationship between social media advertising (SMA) and customers' purchase intention (CPI) in three South Asian countries. SMA was further divided into three relevant dimensions: perceived relevance (PR), perceived informativeness (PI) and perceived credibility (PC). Furthermore, the authors incorporated a single mediator: customers' brand consciousness (CBC) to test the mediating effects on the direct relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors purposively selected 1937 fashion-conscious individuals based on a cross-sectional survey design. The authors applied SPSS 25 for explanatory statistics and structural equation modeling (SEM) (through AMOS 25) for testing the hypothesized relationships.
Findings
Based on the responses and the application of statistical measures, the authors revealed that all of the three dimensions of SMA have significant positive relationships with CPI. CBC is also significantly and positively related to CPI. Regarding the mediating effects, CBC was identified to have full mediation effects on the relationships between PR and CPI and PI and CPI. On the contrary, the same variable was found to have partial mediation on the relationship between PC and CPI.
Originality/value
South Asia is a growing business hub and the largest consumer market in terms of population. This empirical study was undertaken to reveal the role of SMA on CPI in the three highly populated South Asian countries, which is rare in academia. The outcomes of this empirical study are expected to be useful for further research attempts regarding SMA and consumer behavior. Businesses and policymakers are also expected to benefit from formulating SMA-related strategies to retain present buyers as well as attract the prospective ones.
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As the consumer experience literature broadens in scope – specifically, from dyads to ecosystems and from provider-centric to consumer-centric perspective – traditional data…
Abstract
Purpose
As the consumer experience literature broadens in scope – specifically, from dyads to ecosystems and from provider-centric to consumer-centric perspective – traditional data collection methods are no longer adequate. In that context, the paper aims to discuss three little-used data collection methods that can contribute to this broader view of consumer experience.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper identifies methodological requirements for exploring the broadened view of consumer experience and reviews data collection methods currently in use.
Findings
The paper elaborates tailored guidelines for the study of consumer experience through first-hand, systemic and processual perspectives for three promising and currently underused data collection methods: phenomenological interviews, event-based approaches and diary methods.
Research limitations/implications
Although the list of identified methods is not exhaustive, the methods and guidelines discussed here can be used to advance empirical investigation of consumer experience as more broadly understood.
Practical implications
Practitioners can apply these methods to gain a more complete view of consumers’ experiences and so offer value propositions compatible with those consumers’ lifeworlds.
Originality/value
The paper principally contributes to the literature in two ways: by defining the methodological requirements for investigating consumer experience from consumer-centric, systemic and processual perspectives, and by specifying a set of data collection methods that meet these requirements, along with tailored guidelines for their use.
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It is observed that bank transactions are at the top of the list as consumers' online transactions increase day by day. We assume that creating an emotion-rich experience will be…
Abstract
Purpose
It is observed that bank transactions are at the top of the list as consumers' online transactions increase day by day. We assume that creating an emotion-rich experience will be more effective in ensuring brand awareness, brand associations, perceived quality and brand loyalty, which affect the creation of consumer-based brand value. In this study, it is aimed to determine the relationship of the emotional brand experiences of internet banking users in the brands they use on creating consumer-based brand equity.
Design/methodology/approach
The data in the answers of 484 participants among the 504 people who filled out the questionnaire on social media with the snowball sampling method and were determined to have consistent answers and stating that they used internet banking, were analyzed by SPSS and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM).
Findings
The emotional experiences of internet banking users in Turkey with the internet brand they use have a relationship on all four dimensions (brand awareness, brand loyalty, brand associations and perceived quality) that make up consumer-based brand equity. In this study, the relationship was determined as brand awareness, brand loyalty, perceived quality and brand associations, respectively. The dimensions of the relationship of internet banking users emotional brand experience and consumer-based brand equity were supported.
Research limitations/implications
The research was carried out with internet banking users in Turkey. The results of this research can be compared with studies to be conducted in different countries and with different product brands. In addition, the level of contribution can be increased by investigating the emotional brand experience by comparing positive and negative emotions.
Practical implications
As online connection allowing instant access to unrecognized places and being able to reach brands from long distances instantly makes the emotional experience that can create emotional attachment between the brand and the customer, and brand awareness, brand loyalty, brand association and perceived quality, which are the dimensions of consumer-based brand equity affected by emotional experience, much more important. This importance is increasing day by day as the positive emotional experience to be created in banking services is directly related to access to money. Banking transactions are generally considered as cognitive transactions, and decisions are made and implemented within a cognitive context. However, the findings of this research suggest that decisions should be made and implemented that will enable consumers to gain experiences that can affect their emotions as well as their cognition.
Originality/value
Considering the importance of strategies and tactics that prioritize the creation of consumer-based brand equity in marketing theory, the importance of adding emotional brand experience to these strategies and tactics is supported by the results of this research as originality value. Although the effect of brand experience on consumer-based brand value has been widely researched in the literature, the fact that the effect of brand experience, especially emotional brand experience, on consumer-based brand experience in internet banking transactions has not been sufficiently researched and that this effect has been investigated specifically for Turkey, unlike the literature, increases the original contribution of the research.