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Consumer marketing suggests that greater concern for the environment is impacting purchase behavior. Recent surveys into US pro-environmental (PE) purchase patterns show a considerable gap between consumers’ attitude and actual behavior regarding PE products. What these products have in common is a normative component. This research aims to understand whether perceived consumer effectiveness (PCE) and social desirability bias (SDB) influence consumers’ purchase decisions regarding PE wine products and willingness to pay (WTP).

To assess whether PCE and SDB influence consumer’s actual WTP for PE and conventional wine despite normative beliefs (NBs), two studies with sample sizes of 117 and 124 were conducted in the USA. The first part of each study involved surveying participants as to their NB, SDB, PCE and demographics. The second part of the study measured their actual WTP through participation in an experimental auction.

Consumers with high levels of NBs were significantly more likely to pay higher premiums for PE wines compared to non-PE wines and had higher levels of PCE, suggesting that they believe their purchase behavior makes a difference to the environment. However, this same group is strongly influenced by SDB, indicating that they may “over-report” desirable behaviors. Controlling for PCE and SDB, the significant difference in price for PE wine and non-PE wine was mitigated. Those with lower NBs were just the opposite, less concerned whether their purchase behavior directly impacts the environment, feeling that non-PE wine may be a better value proposition.

The use of an auction method to assess actual behavior may be skewed by the attempt to get a winning bid, and this research was conducted in one particular part of the USA, which limits the generalizability of the results to other parts of the country or world.

The findings from the current research provide important information for wine producers, distributors and retailers, specifically the development of marketing and branding strategies, and as a method for normative product/brand differentiation in a competitive marketplace.

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of employees’ different disability types on lodging guests’ perceptions of service quality delivery and stereotyping. The study also explores the influence of consumer characteristics (i.e. gender, education, religiosity, generational identity and relationship to a person with a disability) on service delivery quality perceptions and stereotyping.

Using different types of disabilities, the study uses a controlled experiment, followed by a survey, to evaluate consumers’ perception of service quality delivery of a hotel front office staff member.

The results suggest that there are no significant differences in the perceptions of service quality delivery and stereotyping for service employees with disabilities with the exception of employees with a visual impairment. The study found that participants, who had a close friend or family member with a disability, expressed less stereotyping than those who did not have a close friend or family member with a disability.

Real service encounters can be used where participants might be more involved in the service process than in a controlled experiment setting.

The findings provide support to human resource management in strategically placing people with disabilities into front-line positions because they satisfactorily represent the image of the company and guests consider their service professional and reliable.

The study’s findings support that employers should tap into the under-utilized workforce of people with disabilities and avoid pre-existing stereotyping.

A major concern of hospitality companies making employment decisions about hiring people with disabilities is guests’ attitude. This is the first study in hospitality that examines service quality delivery of employees with different types of disability serve guests.

With dining out increasing globally, policy making and research have been on menu labeling as a source for meaningful nutrition information. Yet, despite attempts to mandate menu labeling and the studies examining consumer's perception of menu nutritional information and how this perception impacts dining behavior and intention to consume, concerns for obesity and malnutrition continue to be at the forefront of public health discussions. This study attempts to comprehend consumers' nutritional goals, intention and food choice behavior, thereby suggesting how to leverage this information for change.

Using survey data and a proposed and validated theoretical model, the study identified the different aspects of consumer's food choice by analyzing the relationship of consumer's perceived importance toward nutrition information, food choice and healthy daily behavior, and intention to improve health.

Consumers who perceive higher importance of nutrition information are more likely to choose healthy food when dining out and have stronger health improvement intention. The results also suggested healthy food choice and healthy daily behavior positively influenced health improvement intention.

Despite the previous studies on menu labeling and the numerous policy mandates, there is still concern about the food choice behavior of consumers while eating out. No serious effort exists to regulate food service providers similar to the regulation of other consumer products, whereby consumers are generally protected from harm. This study suggests through education, promotional marketing and industry partnerships, motivating and leveraging consumers' desire for healthy food choices could move food service providers and policy makers to change what information is provided.

Building on consumer purchase behavior and self‐confidence theories combined with insights from marketing segmentation literature, this study aims to investigate the influence of self‐esteem and self‐efficacy on consumers' selection of sources of information when making a product buying decision.

Multivariate analysis of variance was used to analyze the main and interaction effects of the independent categorical variables on multiple dependent interval variables. An online survey was distributed using search engine marketing.

The results indicate that sources of information are used differently among individuals with differing levels of self‐esteem and self‐efficacy. For example, individuals with higher self‐efficacy relied on themselves for information, while those with lower self‐efficacy relied on impersonal sources of information, such as the media or internet. Individuals with higher self‐esteem relied on themselves and impersonal sources (media and internet) as important sources of information, compared with those respondents with low self‐esteem.

Measuring situational influence using brief descriptions of hypothetical consumption situations was required. These descriptions could not include all possible facets of a natural setting resulting in subjective interpretations by respondents of what constitutes socially acceptable behavior.

Consumer experiences and expectations will vary during a purchase situation. Understanding how individuals seek varied sources of information based on self‐esteem and self‐efficacy is pertinent to marketing professionals when creating advertising programs particularly for products which offer potential socially risky situations, such as gift‐giving.

This research contributes by expanding the understanding of search behavior and the influence of self‐esteem and self‐efficacy on different purchase situations.

Marketing managers routinely use purchase intentions data to make strategic decisions concerning both new and existing products and the marketing programs that support them. Yet, the indication from empirical investigations regarding the link between respondents' stated intentions and their actual behavior is not as clear. Predicting which consumer will purchase an environmentally friendly product, the research remains split, particularly when it comes to perceived “trade‐offs” between the environmental benefits, quality, and cost. In this regard, previous research has fallen short in examining consumers' actual purchase behavior versus self‐reported purchase intentions. This paper seeks to address these issues.

This study measured consumer psychographics and expressed purchase intention to predict actual purchase behavior using an online survey and the Vickrey auction method.

The results show that respondents expressing a high intention to purchase environmentally friendly wines also reported strong attitudes and values toward the environment. However, the gap between stated willingness to pay and the actual price paid was wide.

The study was restricted to the investigation of one type of product. The model should be tested with a number of products that are purchased on a regular basis.

Given the wide disparity between stated willingness to pay and actual price paid for those expressing high purchase intentions, marketing should use caution when assessing this targeted group for new product launches and potential price changes.

This study assessed the same cohort using a survey and auction experiment to relate consumer values and purchase intentions with actual behavior.

The use of intentions to forecast behavior follows from the assumption that intentions are a strong indicator of an individual's actual purchase behavior. Yet most studies found the relationship between intent and actual behavior varies considerably. The purpose of this study was to explore how marketers should combine expressed measures of intention with other available data to forecast the probability of purchase and thus to set pricing decisions.

Through a two‐stage approach, this study measured consumer psychographics and expressed purchase intention to predict actual purchase behavior using an online survey, the Vickrey auction method, and logistic regression.

The results found that individuals' attitudes and intentions are strong predictors of actual behavior. However, of particular interest are lower‐purchase‐intention individuals, who acted in line with their expressed willingness to pay more than individuals with higher purchase intentions.

The study was restricted to the investigation of one product. The model should be tested with different styles of wine products purchased on a regular basis.

Most product positioning research focuses on individuals who express high levels of purchase intention, positive attitudes, and positive values. However, basing a wine product's pricing on a high‐purchase‐intention group may lead to an overpriced product and a lack of follow‐through on the part of consumers.

Results suggest a new method to approach purchase intention using a combination of actual purchase data and survey data.

The purpose of this paper is to profile consumers who expressed an intention to pay more for environmentally friendly wine packaging and to elaborate marketing strategies that arise from this consumer profiling.

The population under study was the general adult population of the USA. The sample was randomly selected from a consumer database and provided a link to an anonymous on‐line survey. Reliability and factor analyses were performed to identify whether the measurement items reflected the constructs of attitudes, behavior, values, and intention to pay more. To determine significant differences, t‐tests on each construct were performed, along with stepwise discriminant analysis.

The results indicate that importance of being environmentally friendly, considering environmental issues when making a purchase, and collectivism were all very good predictors of consumers' intention to pay more for green wine packaging.

The intention to purchase does not always translate into actual purchase behavior when consumers are confronted with a purchase situation.

This paper contributes to the understanding of environmental wine purchase intention by investigating relationships of consumer characteristics to environmental behavior. By segmenting consumers in this manner, it is possible to better understand the importance of environmentally friendly wine packaging, thus aiding wine producers, retailers, and packaging companies in directing their marketing and advertising efforts.

This paper examines the significance of personality variables in detail using measurement scales that consider customers' perceptions and intention to purchase.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence on search behavior of gender, purchase confidence, and internal knowledge in different purchase situations. It is expected that there will be gender differences on search behavior, particularly given different purchase situations.

Multivariate analysis of variance was used to analyze the main and interaction effects of the independent categorical variables on multiple dependent interval variables. An online survey was distributed to employees in different geographic locations in the USA.

The results of situational use indicate that sources of information are perceived differently by males and females depending on their levels of purchase confidence and internal knowledge, suggesting that, when consumers consider sources of information, such as retail clerk, family/friends or themselves, the purchase situation influences that decision.

The measure of the situational influence through brief descriptions of hypothetical consumption situations was required. Such descriptions could not include every possible feature of a natural setting, resulting in subjective interpretation by respondents of what are socially acceptable, possibly confounding results.

Consumers bring to the buying decision different types of experiences and expectations. Understanding how males and females seek varied sources of external information is relevant to the service industry in designing promotional plans, whether the product of choice is a restaurant, vacation resort, and hotel or tourism destination such as a winery.

The contribution of the research is to broaden the understanding of search behavior and the role gender plays, particularly in different purchase situations.

The purpose of this study is to segment the respondents using their location, gender and age as well as their statements about environmental involvement, knowledge and attitudes as the basis for selective marketing classification.

A URL link was sent to the 2,000 members of the Society of Wine Educators. Multivariate analysis of variance was used to analyze the main and interaction effects of the independent categorical variables on multiple dependent interval variables.

The results offer insights when considering selective marketing. First, a distinct, measurable, substantial market segment for ecological products was identified, namely: the Millennial male with strong environmental attitudes. Second, residence has an influence on the strength of respondents' environmental attitudes.

Although the sample represents most of the states, members of the Society of Wine Educators are individuals that are highly involved with wine as a product and thus may not represent the entire population of the USA.

Consumers bring to the purchasing decision varying types of attitudes and beliefs. Understanding how environmental knowledge and attitude, when consumers are segmented by location, gender and age, can be used in selective marketing in the service industry to aid in designing promotional plans; whether the product of choice is a vacation resort, hotel or tourism destination such as a winery.

The contribution of the research is to broaden the understanding of environmental concerns and the role location, gender, and age play for marketers when considering the selective marketing concepts discussed by Inskeep and Dolnicar and Leisch.