Karine Charry and Nathalie T. M. Demoulin
The purpose of this paper is to represent the first empirical investigation of co-branding strategies whose target is children. It analyses such strategies’ potential in the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to represent the first empirical investigation of co-branding strategies whose target is children. It analyses such strategies’ potential in the context of brand extension for non-familiar brands combined with familiar ones and provides managerial implications for both brands.
Design/methodology/approach
A leisure centre-based survey was used to collect information on children’s attitudes, evaluations of fit and consumption intentions of co-branded products.
Findings
The findings confirm that co-branding strategies may have a very positive impact on attitudes towards partner brands, intentions to consume co-branded products and the host brand. They also indicate that consumption intentions for other products from the host product category are enhanced. From a theoretical perspective, the study stresses the essential mediating role of brand fit. Indeed, this construct appears to enable preadolescents to integrate simultaneous evaluations of two brands while constructing their attitudes towards one product. The asymmetric spill-over effect is also confirmed, with the non-familiar (weaker) brand benefiting more from the co-branding than the familiar (strong) brand.
Research limitations/implications
The main limitations pertain to the small sample size and the absence of direct behavioural measures that could be added through later research. It would also be interesting to study further the concept of fit and the nature of the underlying mediating process (cognitive vs affective) among the target audience, as well as to analyse the impact of the various types of co-branding (functional vs symbolic).
Practical implications
The derived guidelines suggest how non-familiar brands to the pre-adolescent target (including retailers’ brand) may expand their businesses through successful alliances with a more familiar brand that is viewed favourably.
Social implications
In this study, concerns were high to select a co-branded product that does not harm children’s health, to the contrary (vegetable soup with cheese). The results demonstrate that the tactic may increase the target’s intentions to eat products that it would not necessarily fancy (as often the case for healthy products) while contributing to the positive development of economic actors. In this, the paper shows that economic interests should not always be opposed to social welfare.
Originality/value
This study investigates the very popular strategy of brand alliance among an original target (eight-to 12-year-olds) and identifies the original process through which preadolescents appraise two brands that endorse one product, a unique marketing context. This represents an important starting point to further studies on brand alliances.
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Nathalie T.M. Demoulin and Souad Djelassi
This study aims to examine the effect of situational factors, related to transactions and waiting, on customers' cognitive and affective responses to service delivery time…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the effect of situational factors, related to transactions and waiting, on customers' cognitive and affective responses to service delivery time, including their service evaluations.
Design/methodology/approach
A web‐based survey included customers of an online credit company.
Findings
The authors' results demonstrate that disconfirmation influences cognitive but not affective responses. Both transaction importance and opportunity waiting cost influence wait acceptability, and transaction importance moderates the relationship between disconfirmation and wait acceptability. Delivery time worry and transaction worry increase negative affective responses; affective and cognitive responses then determine service evaluation. Opportunity waiting costs increase the positive effect of wait acceptability on service evaluation.
Research limitations/implications
The main limitations pertain to the small sample size and the restriction of the survey to customers of only one financial company.
Practical implications
The derived guidelines suggest how banks can improve service evaluations by modifying consumer time expectations, as well as reducing opportunity waiting cost, delivery time worry, and transaction worry.
Originality/value
The conceptualization of service delivery time refers to waiting outside the company's premises, as opposed to in‐line waiting on company premises. This study considers the influence of situational factors, such as transaction importance, transaction worry, waiting cost, and delivery time worry, on customers' reactions to service delivery time in the context of online banking services.
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Nathalie T. M. Demoulin and Souad Djelassi
The purpose of this paper is to propose and test a comprehensive model that captures individual, system and situational drivers of customers’ intention to use and actual use of…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to propose and test a comprehensive model that captures individual, system and situational drivers of customers’ intention to use and actual use of self-service technologies (SSTs).
Design/methodology/approach
This paper is based on a survey conducted among 143 users and 150 non-users of SSTs at the exit of a grocery store. The proposed model was analysed using structural equation modelling and a logistic regression.
Findings
The results demonstrate that: first, in addition to previous usage behaviour (i.e. usage frequency), situational factors (time pressure, basket size, coupons and queue length at the SSTs and staffed checkouts) influence customers’ decisions to use SSTs during a specific shopping trip; and second, perceived behavioural control is the most important determinant of behavioural intention, followed by perceived usefulness, need for interaction and perceived ease of use and enjoyment.
Originality/value
Although an abundance of research has investigated the adoption of SSTs, little is known about what drives real usage. This study considers the actual usage of SSTs in a specific context, as well as the situational factors that influence the choice of SSTs over traditional checkouts. In addition, this paper provides an integrative model including actual usage, use frequency and behavioral intention and its antecedents by extending the Technology Acceptance Model 3.
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Frédéric Bielen and Nathalie Demoulin
Delay is an important issue for service providers. Indeed, previous studies have widely shown the negative effect of waiting time on consumer service satisfaction. However, being…
Abstract
Purpose
Delay is an important issue for service providers. Indeed, previous studies have widely shown the negative effect of waiting time on consumer service satisfaction. However, being satisfied with the service seems to be insufficient for customers to remain loyal. Creating customer loyalty is even more crucial than just satisfying them. The paper aims to investigate how customers weigh up their service satisfaction and waiting time satisfaction in order to determine whether they will remain loyal or not.
Design/methodology/approach
A survey was conducted in the Belgian health care industry. The final sample includes 946 respondents. Regression analyses were performed and the Baron and Kenny method used to test moderator and mediator impacts of variables.
Findings
The results confirm that waiting time satisfaction is not only a service satisfaction determinant, but it also moderates the satisfaction‐loyalty relationship. Moreover, determinants of customer waiting time satisfaction include the perceived waiting time, the satisfaction with information provided in case of delays, and the satisfaction with the waiting environment. In addition, it is shown that waiting time satisfaction is a complete mediating variable in the perceived waiting time and service satisfaction link.
Originality/value
The paper suggests several implications about the waiting time impacts on service satisfaction and customer loyalty. They show the importance of this variable in the service process and explain how to improve it.