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Purpose: Capturing consumers' notice by differentiating a product from competing brands in attaching an affixed label featuring product claims, as an alternative front-of-package (FOP) cue, has been widely used in fast-moving consumer goods retailing. This paper aims to apply perceived product newness as the basis for examining how affixed labeling, manipulated in terms of design features and message claims, can impact consumer evaluation. Design/methodology/approach: Four between-subjects experiments examined the persuasive impact of the use of affixed labels. In particular, how product evaluation, in response to affixed labeling, varied as a function of its shape (Study 1a), location (Study 1b), the combination of shape and location cues (Study 1c) and the strength of message claims conveyed by such labels (Study 2). Perceived product newness is assessed as a mediator for all studies. Findings: The results show the power of affixed labels in persuasion. Specifically, consumers tend to perceive the item as newer, achieving persuasion, when the affixed label has a distinctive shape or location. Yet, incorporating several unusual design components fails to trigger an elevated result if a singular visual stimulus serves as a cue for an item's newness. Further, the strength of claims highlighted in an affixed label correlates to positive impact on evaluations. Research limitations/implications: This study offers an empirically based examination of consumers' responses to affixed labeling and identifies perceived product newness as a mediator of the observed effect. Practical implications: A salient, affixed label enables a credible cue for product newness, therefore, driving evaluation. Originality/value: This paper contributes to understanding the influence on the persuasion of FOP labeling, with salience to retail promotional and sales messaging tactics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to find out what product features become salient when consumers are exposed to many market offerings, demonstrating how choice set size influences construal mindset, which then affects the type of product consumers choose. Design/methodology/approach: Experiment 1 provides preliminary evidence that being exposed to a large (vs small) choice set may drive people to focus more on the feasibility (i.e. a secondary feature) of a product and less on the desirability (i.e. a primary feature) when making a choice. Experiment 2 unveils the serial mediating roles of construal level and importance of price/design. Findings: Consumers are more likely to select feasible (i.e. affordable) market offerings and not desirable (i.e. well-designed) ones when choosing from a large (vs small) choice set. This effect is serially mediated by mental construals and by the importance of price or design. Choosing from a large (vs small) choice set leads to low-level mental construals, which increase the importance of price (a feasibility attribute) while decreasing the importance of design (a desirability attribute), resulting in choice of feasible (affordable) market offerings over well-designed ones. Research limitations/implications: Although consumers generally focus on the desirability of a choice or an action, choosing from large choice sets makes them focus more on the feasibility of market offerings because of low-level mental construals. Practical implications: In today's era of e-commerce, as consumers are exposed to too many product offerings, retailers should emphasize the feasibility of their market offerings (e.g. affordability) to increase the chance that consumers purchase their products. This research shows that people rely very much on product price to make selections when provided with a large choice set. Originality/value: To the best of the authors' knowledge, this research is the first to show that large choice sets make consumers choose affordable products over well-designed ones and introduces the serial mediation effect of construal level and importance of price/design. Accordingly, this research establishes that large choice sets activate low-level mental construals, which associate with a feasibility mindset that ultimately makes consumers choose an affordable product instead of a well-designed one. It adds to the literature on choice overload by showing that the importance of price overshadows the importance of design (aesthetics) when people are exposed to large choice sets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to examine how firms manage the front end of new product development projects where packaging forms a core part of the product itself. Within the fast-moving consumer goods industry, innovation provides opportunities to create packaging that forms an integrated part of the product offering. The authors refer to these as packaging-integrated-products. This study conceptualises three levels of integration and investigates how they impact upon the management of the front end. Design/methodology/approach: The study consisted of a two-phase design. This involved a preliminary study with key informants, followed by a multiple case study design, which examines product development projects with differing extents of packaging integration. Findings: The results identify nine different new product opportunities. The authors also present 11 propositions that reveal the key characteristics of the front end of packaging-integrated development projects, as well as the project management requirements to capture the opportunities they present. Research limitations/implications: Initial insights into a number of unique front-end project management characteristics required to deliver different project types form an area for further research to better understand product packaging integration. The propositions presented guide the way forward for future studies. Practical implications: The findings provide marketers with new understanding of three types of new product opportunities presented by packaging integration and demonstrate what is required to capture the opportunities they present in the front end of product development. Originality/value: The paper contributes to extant studies of packaging development in the marketing literature, which have previously failed to capture the high levels of integration between packaging and the product. The authors present a new conceptual approach to understanding integration and subsequently uncover how the opportunities it presents can be captured. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This purpose of this study is to develop actionable marketing insights regarding why consumers might elect to purchase vintage products. A concept called consumer pastness is introduced, developed and defined to achieve this end. Consumer pastness demonstrably affected consumers' perceptions of vintage products' scarcity and consumers' propensity to purchase vintage items. When applied inside marketing contexts, consumer pastness may also explain how and why consumers distinguish vintage products that are "of the past" from new and second-hand products. The data suggest that when consumers perceive products are characterized by higher consumer pastness the products will be perceived as scarcer, more desirable and more valuable than new or second-hand versions of the same item. Design/methodology/approach: A scale was developed to capture three dimensions that comprise consumer pastness and then a pilot study and two experiments were conducted to test the research propositions. Findings: Study propositions were confirmed. Consumers perceive vintage products as scarcer and more desirable than other types of products. Originality/value: A novel and useful concept is introduced to the marketing literature inside this study. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first to investigate and develop theoretical insights regarding how and why consumers perceive vintage products differently from new and second-hand products. The investigations reported below are also the first to develop practical insights regarding how management might respond to these insights about the role consumer pastness plays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: As manufacturers and retailers aim to increase return on marketing investments, value- vs experience-related trade promotions gain attention. These two trade promotions become complicated in the presence of different retail format strategies (generalist vs specialist) and channel structures (direct to retailer vs distributors). Building on trade promotion literature, this study aims to show the main effect of value-related and experience-related trade promotions on retailers' sales and the moderating role of different retail strategies and channel structures. Design/methodology/approach: The authors use unique panel data from 8 personal care brands with 1,920 observations to test the hypotheses. The authors investigate how consumer goods manufacturer sells products using different channels structures and retail strategies. Estimated panel regressions provide the empirical evidence and robustness analyzes provide extra confidence to the findings. Findings: Results reveal higher retail sales when the manufacturer invests in value-related trade promotions rather than experience-related trade promotions. The results also demonstrate how the manufacturer successfully invests in trade promotion by adequately accounting for channel structure and retail strategy. While temporary price reduction's positive effect on retail sales is enhanced in generalist retailers (e.g. supermarket stores), shelf display's positive impact is enhanced in specialist retailers (drug stores). Research limitations/implications: The authors used unique panel data accounting for 15 months, limiting the findings. The results supported the investment allocation decisions in each period. However, future research may evaluate the effectiveness over a longer period and thoroughly address each investment's seasonal effects. Practical implications: The authors unveil how retailers achieve higher sales with value-related trade promotions when compared to experience-related trade promotions. The authors also shed light on the way manufacturers design their relationships with generalist and specialist retailers by working in direct and indirect channels. Trade promotions yield better results when the direct channel structure couples with a retailer's generalist strategy. Originality/value: The empirical findings help manufacturers achieve success in trade promotions by developing an equitable evaluation to contrast value- and experience-related promotions accounting for generalist and specialist retail strategies and direct and indirect channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to examine whether consumers' lay theories of emotion play a moderating role between self-threat and their choice of threat-coping strategies (direct resolution and escapism) and product preference. Design/methodology/approach: The present research uses the methods of experimental design and surveys to collect data and verify the hypotheses we assumed. Findings: Study 1 indicates that in self-threatening situations, people who perceive emotions as fleeting (lasting) are more likely to use a threat-coping strategy of direct resolution (escapism). Study 2 demonstrates that people who believe emotions are fleeting are more likely to choose problem-solving products; people who believe emotions are lasting are more likely to choose emotion-enhancing products. Study 3 further demonstrates that the direct resolution (escapism) strategy plays a mediating role between the interaction effect and consumer preference for problem-solving products (emotion-enhancing products). Study 4 replicates the results of Study 2 by incorporating the manipulation of lay theories of emotion transience in a product evaluation context. Research limitations/implications: A limitation of the present research is that this paper puts focus on exploring the effects of self-view threat (e.g. intelligence and competence) on consumer product preferences. Another issue for future research is the extent to which emotion-transience theories hold for specific emotions. Given that distinct emotions of the same valence differ in their antecedent appraisals and that specific emotion could lead to different subsequent behaviors (Lerner and Keltner, 2000), future research may need to explore the roles of specific negative emotions triggered by self-threat in consumers' product choosing behaviors. One potential direction for future research is to examine whether the perceived locus of control affects consumers' choice of threat-coping strategies and product preferences. Practical implications: Marketers could use product tactics for motivating consumers to restore their self-perceptions on the threatened attributes and address the self-threat, such as product attributes, advertising copy or promotional appeals that insert people who are more motivated to directly resolve the threat. Marketers can nudge consumers toward a direct resolution strategy by posting prompts such as, "I can do it!" For example, the slogan of Nike – "Just do it" and the 2012 award-winning campaign by Nike Spain have told consumers: "If something is burning you up, burn it up by running" (Allard and White, 2015), which suggests that consumers experiencing self-threat may resolve the negative self-discrepancy through the acquisition of the products in the advertisement. Another important implication suggested by the findings is that product consumption can be a way of helping consumers escape from self-threats. For example, the slogan of Coca-Cola – "Taste the feeling" resonates with consumers and stimulates their basic hedonic needs. Originality/value: First, this research extends previous research by demonstrating that lay theories of emotion serve as a motivator of the selection of threat-coping strategies. Second, this research is conducive for literature to examine how differences in lay theories of emotion affect consumers' product-choosing behaviors to cope with self-discrepancies. Third, the present research extends the broad marketing literature by differentiating problem-solving products from emotion-enhancing products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paperaims to investigate a novel expectation by examining how framing a company as its constituent members (members frame) versus an organization (organization frame) can influence consumer evaluations of a product or service from this company. Design/methodology/approach: Four studies were conducted examining the effectiveness of an organization (vs members) frame in a between-subjects experimental design (a pilot study, Studies 1a, 1b and 2). Study 2 also tested the moderating role of donation strategies (amount-focused vs frequency-focused). Findings: Results show a members (vs organization) frame leads to a higher purchase likelihood of a product from a company engaging in corporate donations. Further, this framing effect is mediated by increased levels of consumers' perceptions about how committed the company is to the cause and the emotion of moral elevation in response to the company's corporate donations. Moreover, this effect is moderated when the company uses a frequency-based (vs amount-based) donation strategy. Research limitations/implications: This research contributes to the literature on message framing by demonstrating how the same information about a company may lead to differential effects on consumer evaluations, depending on whether the company is framed as its constituent members versus an organization. Practical implications: This paper presents significant managerial implications for small companies, in which the owner is the company, about how they can effectively communicate corporate donations to the consumers. Originality/value: This research provides a novel perspective on how the same information about a company may lead to differential effects on consumer evaluations, particularly in the context of corporate donations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the psychological mechanism of observational learning in the online retailing context, the purpose of this paper is to show how the psychological distance between consumers and products affects modes of observational learning. Design/methodology/approach: Five experimental studies are conducted to test the hypotheses. Findings: The findings show that which modes of observational learning are adopted by consumers is affected by consumers' psychological distance. Specifically, when the psychological distance between consumers and products is proximal, consumers tend to adopt the termed adequate observational learning mode by considering the interaction of information about popularity and the breadth of appeal of a product to make purchase. However, when the psychological distance is distal, consumers would consider information of popularity and breadth of appeal separately without considering the interaction, termed as inadequate observational learning mode. The observed relationship between psychological distance and observational learning mode could be explained by the construal level. Research limitations/implications: This research advances the observational learning and psychological distance literature by investigating the psychological mechanism behind observational learning modes. Limitations include the use of scenario-based experiments to test the hypotheses, investigation of a single product attribute (i.e. breadth of appeal) and assessment of popularity information by sales volume alone. Practical implications: The current research provides a deeper understanding of consumer observational learning modes, which can help online retailers to develop effective product strategies and marketing tactics and, finally, achieve stronger competitive positions. Originality/value: The present research contributes to the literature by examining the psychological mechanism involved in observational learning. This research distinguishes adequate and inadequate observational learning modes from the perspective of psychological distance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to introduce the concept of dissociative threat, which is the fear of being associated with an undesirable (dissociative) group as a result of demonstrating ability in a domain that is stereotypically linked to that group. Consumers experiencing dissociative threats use inability signaling as a self-presentational strategy in which they present themselves as lacking ability in the dissociative domain. Design/methodology/approach: Five experimental studies were conducted to test whether consumers experience threat in dissociative domains and to examine factors that influence this threat. Findings: Results showed that dissociative threat adversely affects consumers' performance at tasks that require using products linked to dissociative groups. Threatened participants reported intentions to perform poorly and train for a longer time in preparation for such tasks, thus signaling low ability in dissociative domains. Additionally, when participants who were experiencing dissociative threats received confirmation that they lacked ability in that domain, their performance at these tasks improved. Research limitations/implications: This study expands the knowledge on strategies, including inability signaling, that consumers use to avoid being linked to dissociative groups. Practical implications: The findings suggest to marketers that stereotypes that link their products to certain consumer segments can threaten other consumers. Factors that shape and alleviate this threat are identified, which may help companies who are marketing such products. Originality/value: This study extends the current understanding of stereotype threat and proposes a new self-presentational strategy, that has not been documented yet in the literature (i.e. inability signaling), that consumers use to deal with the dissociative threat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The study investigates the long-term erosion of repeat-purchase loyalty among consumers who purchase brands in a one-year base period. Design/methodology/approach: The study uses a five-year consumer panel of continuous reporters. We identify brand buyers in a base year, then calculate the proportion that fail to buy the brand in later years. We analyse the top 20 brands in 10 consumer goods categories. Findings: We find pronounced erosion in repeat-buying over the long-term. The proportion of buyers from a base year that fail to buy in a later year increases steadily over time, from 57% in year 2 to 71.5% by year 5. Moreover, we identify brand and marketing mix factors linked to this over-time customer loss or erosion. Research limitations/implications: The study provides evidence that consumers' propensity to buy particular brands changes over a period of years, even though those brands continue to exhibit a stable market share. This evidence provides a different interpretation than the literature to date, which has viewed purchase propensities as fixed. Practical implications: The study finds that store brands and niche brands exhibit lower levels of erosion in their buyer base; that a broad range is associated with lower erosion, and that high price promotion incidence is associated with lower erosion for manufacturer brands. Originality/value: Loyalty erosion has been reported before (Ehrenberg, 1988; East and Hammond, 1996) but only over short periods. This study examines the phenomenon over five years, confirms that the rate of erosion does diminish over time, and that it is related to category and brand characteristics, as well as marketing mix decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to move beyond previous investigations juxtaposing the performance of global versus domestic brands, where domestic is referred to as "localness" in the literature, conceptualizing and developing two measures of "within-country brand or product localness." In doing so, it uses objective localness measures, rather than consumer perceptions of brand localness, as have been primarily used previously. Then, by leveraging established theory on brand authenticity and corollary literatures on brand identity and country-of-origin effects, this research develops and empirically tests key hypotheses about how these within-country, more geographically local products or brands (referred to as simply "localness" hereafter, for brevity), influence sales outcomes through increasing perceptions of brand and product authenticity. Design/methodology/approach: Two empirical studies using different archival data sets are conducted to test the hypotheses. Study 1 focuses on new product sales from 2002 to 2011 for 31 categories of consumer packaged goods US product launches initiated in 2002–2005, whereas Study 2 investigates online consumer review and retail sales data in the US craft beer industry from 2001 to 2011. Localness is operationalized as two different objective measures: in Study 1, local distribution is measured, and in Study 2, firm headquarters denotes the geographic bounds of localness. These two measures are motivated by prior consumer perceptual studies of Locavores (consumers who strongly prefer local products), which identify that local systems of production and/or distribution are the key signals of localness. Using two measures allows the localness construct to be tested for the potential firm-side boundaries of its scope and provides two empirical measures that future researchers can leverage. Findings: Brand (or product) localness gives performance advantages over national brands in the form of increased sales across both studies. The second study, focused on craft beer, dives more deeply into the theoretical mechanism (localness operates through increased perceptions of brand authenticity) and shows that while brand authenticity directly translates into higher sales, as anticipated, localness fully mediates this relationship. When coupled with supporting marketing tactics (high price and/or product variety), the link between localness and brand authenticity grows stronger. Local brands with low prices and/or limited product variety are deemed inauthentic by consumers, so it is important for brand managers to use marketing tactics that reinforce brand authenticity to support localness as a strategy. Research limitations/implications: Future research could extend this inquiry in a number of ways. These include combining both empirical measures of localness into a single empirical inquiry, investigating additional product categories and further integrating aspects of strategy such as market positioning and innovation strategy. Newer data could also reveal how these phenomena are continuing to evolve. Practical implications: Based on this study, managers can benefit by leveraging localness as a key brand or product attribute to achieve a sales advantage, but they must do so by using marketing tactics consistent with an authentic brand positioning. Efforts to expand a brand's geographic reach over time should likely be conducted very locally at first, before extending to regional markets and then to a global footprint. It is also posited that retail store managers can benefit from allocating some shelf space to local brand and product offerings. Originality/value: This paper conceptualizes and measures localness in new ways compared to the previous literatures. It develops objective measures of within-country localness instead of using consumer perceptions of localness and/or considering domestic brands as being "local" compared to global brands; builds key linkages between concepts of localness, authenticity and sales performance; and uncovers when and how within-country localness is a key brand or product attribute associated with increased sales success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Management response to consumer comments has become a widely adopted marketing strategy to address the undesirable effects caused by negative remarks. Yet, when and what management response is more effective and under what circumstances remains under-researched. This study aims to fill this gap. Design/methodology/approach: In three experiments using five different products, the authors manipulate psychological construal level (psychological distance: distant vs proximal) and management response (response of primary vs secondary features) and thereafter assess their bearings on consumer psychological and behavioral reaction toward products of two distinctive natures (hedonic vs utilitarian). Findings: At a psychological distance, consumers show a preferable reaction to management response of primary over secondary features. In contrast, when the psychological distance is proximal, consumers react more positively to management response of secondary than primary features. In addition, these effects vary as a function of product nature, hedonic vs utilitarian. Research limitations/implications: The findings of this research bring a significant contribution to marketing communication literature and extend the construal level theory. Practical implications: A better understanding of the relative effectiveness of distinct types of management response to negative consumer comments is essential for more targeted and effective marketing strategies. Originality/value: Little research has documented the effects of distinct types of management response. How psychological distance might underpin these effects has not been explored. In addition, whether the interaction effect of management response and psychological distance varies with differences in product nature, namely, hedonic and utilitarian, remains unanswered until this research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Two time metaphors are often adopted to express the passage of time: the ego-moving metaphor that conceptualizes the ego as moving toward the stationary event (e.g. we are approaching the holiday) or the event-moving metaphor that conceptualizes the event as moving toward the stationary ego (e.g. the holiday is approaching us). This paper aims to investigate the influence of the time metaphor on regulatory focus, as well as its downstream marketing implications. Design/methodology/approach: Five studies were conducted. Studies 1a–1c examined the moderating effect of the valence of events on the relationship between time metaphors and regulatory focus. Studies 2–3 investigated the downstream marketing implications of the above effects. Findings: The findings indicated that compared to the event-moving metaphor, the ego-moving metaphor is more likely to evoke a promotion focus when consumers anticipate a positive event. However, when the event is negative, the ego-moving metaphor is more likely to evoke a prevention focus compared to the event-moving metaphor. Research limitations/implications: This research extends the previous literature on regulatory focus activation by showing that time metaphors affect regulatory focus, and that event valence plays a critical moderating role in the relationship. Practical implications: Many companies rely on positive events (e.g. holidays, anniversaries) to market their products. The findings of this research suggest that companies promoting products with promotion-related benefits or products with higher risks should adopt an ego-moving metaphor to describe the coming of the event. In contrast, companies promoting products with prevention-related benefits or products with low risks should adopt an event-moving metaphor to describe the coming of the event. Originality/value: This research showed that the effects of time metaphors on consumers' regulatory focus depend on the valence of the events. It also demonstrated the downstream implications of time metaphors by showing that time metaphors influence consumer product choices and financial decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to examine whether consumers respond differently to different types of eco-innovations and to explore how and under what conditions eco-friendly consumer innovativeness (ECI) impacts consumers' perception and adoption intentions. Design/methodology/approach: Two online experiments with real consumers in the USA were conducted to test the hypothesized relationships. Two eco-innovation products were examined: a connected vacuum cleaner (Study 1) and an innovative smartphone (Study 2). Findings: First, consumers tend to express more positive product beliefs, higher preferences and stronger adoption intentions toward resource use elimination innovations compared with the other types of eco-innovations across two product categories. Although consumers are not willing to pay more, they would adjust their payment equity by increasing consumption levels for resource use elimination innovations. Second, this research demonstrates ECI affects adoption intentions via formulating consumer perceptions of product eco-friendliness. Perceived trade-offs between eco-friendly benefits and product effectiveness strengthens the positive effect of ECI while weakening the impact of perceived product eco-friendliness on adoption intentions. Research limitations/implications: Future studies may validate and extend the results for marketing communication to different types of eco-friendly innovative consumers to determine which marketing messages best match the perceptions and preferences of certain eco-friendly innovative consumers. Practical implications: This study offers useful insights for strategic research-and-development investment and decision-making processes in selecting the best-suited approaches to developing eco-innovations and maximizing their success in the commercialization phase. Specifically, firms should place greater emphasis on resource use elimination innovation, which could evoke more positive consumer responses than resource use efficiency innovations and resource use substitution innovations. Moreover, it is important to improve the segmentation of the early adopters in the eco-innovation market with respect to specific types of eco-innovations so that marketers can distinctively address eco-friendly innovative consumers that best fit the potential user profile of their products. Originality/value: The current research is novel as neither an empirically nor a theoretically founded framework has been suggested to examine how and why consumers respond differently to different types of eco-innovations. The findings shine new lights on eco-innovation research by providing useful insights into the underlying mechanisms and the conditions under which ECI affects consumers' responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the virtual experience to understand its components and its effects on consumers' real world. Design/methodology/approach: Our approach relies on a rarely used projective method: "Album-on-Line" (AOL). This technique allows identifying consumers' representations of their experience. It uses images to immerse participants in a virtual experience and to lead an individual reflection, then a group reflection. Findings: Virtual experiences have utilitarian, hedonic, psychological and social dimensions. When immersing in virtual experiences, consumers' perception and consumption of products and services change. A projection occurs leading to an identification to virtual characters. This projection also leads to a consumption aiming at finding back the excitement and challenge lived during virtual experiences. Research limitations/implications: The main limitation of this research relates with the fuzzy distinction between the virtual and the electronic in consumers' minds and even in the literature. Future work should propose a multidisciplinary definition of the virtual experience, considering its specificities and components. Practical implications: This research offers companies a better understanding of consumers' motivations to live virtual experiences. It may bring insights on how to provide a more customized offering and a more adapted communication. Originality/value: Compared to previous work, the present research offers a better understanding of the components of online and offline virtual experiences by considering the virtual in its broadest meaning. The use of the AOL technique enabled a closer look at the specificities of the virtual experience as perceived by consumers. It was also possible to explore the "post-experience" stage by understanding the effect of virtual experiences on consumers' perceptions and consumptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to delve into the complexity and multiplicity of consumer experiences in relation to mobile and virtual technology, and provides a lived-experience account of the Consumer Immediacy Pandemic (CIP) and related consumer experiences and responses. Design/methodology/approach: Using open-ended, in-depth interviews, as well as personal essays, the research questions are addressed through the interpretive hermeneutic approach. Findings: The CIP is an important, multifaceted consumer shift, whose ramifications are traceable in consumer behavior. It encompasses three consumer problem-solving styles (i.e. real-time, mobile and virtual problem-solving). Consumers adapt to the CIP through such strategies as unbundling of presence, temporal gain and synchronization, task continuity, work-fun integration and multi-tasking. Research limitations/implications: With conventional theories ineffectively explaining consumer experiences with such products as smart phone, social media and selfie stick, this paper provides fruitful directions for studying consumer-technology relationships. Practical implications: The findings point to untapped and novel needs rooted in consumer experience with mobile and virtual technology such as the needs for personal information management and/or professional counseling. Social implications: The paper provides evidence as to a deep-seated shift in the role of technology in consumer life. Underestimating the ongoing and future success and power of mobile and virtual technology can be too costly for society at large. Originality/value: This study exposes the dialogical interplay between consumer agency and structural influences that compels consumers to internalize immediacy as a taken-for-granted expectation. Such pandemic alters the ways consumers go about satisfying their needs and wants. The findings can help understand the twenty-first century consumer, theorize product agency and chart marketing and policy directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to investigate the effects of firm characteristics and crisis characteristics on remedies offered to consumers by firms in the event of a product recall crisis. Design/methodology/approach: Published data on 868 product recalls in the US toy industry from 1988 to 2011 have been used to investigate the effects of firm experience in product recalls, type of firm (company versus intermediary) and product recall severity in predicting remedies offered to consumers in the event of a product recall. Findings: The findings show that firm recall experience, firm type and recall severity are negatively associated with recall remedies offered. Specifically, firms offer lower remedies if they have higher recall experience, if they are upstream firms in the supply chain (farther from consumers) and if the recall is more severe. Research limitations/implications: This study focuses on the toy industry and does not consider product complexity, firm reputation and the role of external regulatory agencies in the prediction of remedies offered by firms. Future research may extend this study to include the above factors. Practical implications: Offering a high remedy to consumers of a recalled product may be a responsible decision by a firm, but it may also attract shareholder wrath. The study has implications for managing multiple goals in product recall crisis management. Originality/value: Studies focused on issues of interest to consumers during a recall crisis, such as swift recalls and appropriate remedies, are limited. This study contributes to the understanding of the antecedents of recall remedies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Brand authenticity has emerged as a strategic imperative for many firms. The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the effect of consumer perceptions of brand marketing communications on brand authenticity of fast-moving consumer goods.Design/methodology/approach Direct and indirect pathways from brand marketing communications to brand authenticity were conceptualized. Data were collected from US energy drink consumers and analysed using structural equation modelling. Multiple marketing mix variables and context-relevant covariates have been controlled for.Findings Direct and indirect pathways to building brand authenticity have been observed. The total effect of brand marketing communications on brand authenticity is strong, thereby highlighting the predictor’s overall effectiveness in shaping the ultimate outcome.Research limitations/implications The focus on consumer-perceived authenticity as opposed to objective authenticity complements the prior literature. An integrative perspective on brand marketing communications is offered, specifying it as an antecedent of perceived brand authenticity.Practical implications An important implication is that investments into brand marketing communications will likely influence perceived brand authenticity. Such investments may also have favourable implications for the clarity of brand positioning. Overall, brand marketing communications are effective tools for building consumer-perceived brand authenticity.Originality/value A need to outline managerially controllable drivers of authenticity was addressed. How consumer perceptions of brand marketing communications influence brand authenticity via direct and indirect mechanisms was demonstrated. The existence of authenticity in fast-moving consumer goods was also demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This research advances current knowledge about art infusion, which is the ability of art to favorably influence the assessment of consumer products. In particular, the research aims to investigate the effectiveness of artworks that evoke their creators’ most recognizable style in luxury advertising.Design/methodology/approach The research encompasses three studies – two conducted online and one in a real consumption situation. The first study explores the effect that a recognizable vs non-recognizable painter’s style has on consumers’ judgments about luxury products. The second and third studies explore the moderating roles of desire to signal status and desire for distinction, respectively, which are relevant to advertisers interested in targeting these individual differences.Findings Advertisements that incorporate artworks that evoke a painter’s most recognizable style enhance the advertised products’ perceived luxuriousness. Consumers with a higher desire to signal status exhibit greater purchasing intention in response to recognizable artworks. By contrast, consumers with a higher desire for distinction exhibit greater purchasing intention when the painter’s style in the featured artwork is less recognizable.Practical implications The results provide marketers with suggestions on how to select and incorporate visual artworks into luxury brand communication: they could focus on recognizable vs non-recognizable artworks based on whether their main goal is to communicate status or distinctiveness.Originality/value This research offers novel insights into the practical value of art infusion by showing when and for whom the beneficial effects of pairing art with luxury products are more likely to occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Recent branding failures (e.g. Kodak and Krispy Kreme) have cast considerable doubt on the widely accepted contention that to develop a strong brand, firms must continuously strive to be brand oriented or innovation oriented. This study aims to examine the curvilinear and interactive effects of brand orientation and innovation orientation on brand performance.Design/methodology/approach Survey data were drawn from a sample of 181 firms operating in the consumer goods sector (i.e. fashion, consumer electronics and automobile) and tested through a hierarchical regression analysis.Findings This study finds that the sole and exclusive focus on either brand orientation or innovation orientation is detrimental to the realisation of superior brand performance because increased levels of this focus lead to diminishing returns. Critically, this study finds that the key to achieving superior brand performance lies in the extent to which the firm integrates both brand orientation and innovation orientation.Originality/value This study extends current knowledge by showing that focusing on either brand orientation or innovation orientation in isolation is actually detrimental to the firm’s realisation of superior brand performance. The integration of brand orientation and innovation orientation is the key to achieving superior brand performance because the inherent limitations associated with each are overcome by their integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide a viewpoint about the role of cost transparency in consumer markets and whether or not consumers should request cost transparency from sellers, in light of the article by Antonis et al. (2015). Design/methodology/approach – Research in the area of cost transparency, pricing and related theoretical domains is analysed to understand the potential role for buyers and sellers in consumer markets. Findings – Although there are an increasing number of examples of greater operational transparency in supply chains, cost transparency in consumer markets is not widespread. Increased cost transparency represents an important product attribute for consumers, enhancing fairness perceptions and affective evaluations. For sellers, it is a potentially powerful complement to price moves and, through enhancing trust among consumers, can positively influence brand value(s). Research limitations/implications – Operational and cost transparency holds much promise as an emerging area in marketing but research into cost transparency in consumer markets is in its early stages and the limited number of field examples reduces the scope for empirical work. However, using carefully controlled lab experiments, much can be done to understand the generalisability and boundary conditions to its effect. Originality/value – This paper takes a balanced view about value to consumers and the implementation of cost transparency in consumer markets, highlighting key mechanisms through which greater transparency may influence consumer product evaluations and concluding with some caveats in relation to its practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This paper explores how siblings act as agents of consumer socialisation within the dynamics of the family network. Design/methodology/approach – Key consumer socialisation literature is reviewed, highlighting the growing role that siblings play in the lives of contemporary children. The authors’ interpretive, exploratory study is introduced which captures the voices of children themselves through a series of in-depth interviews. Findings – A series of socialisation behaviours are documented, with children working in both positive and negative ways to develop the consumer skills of their siblings. A fourfold typology of sibling relationships is described, capturing the dynamic of sibling relationships and parental approaches to parenting vis-à-vis consumption. This typology is then used to present a typology of nascent child consumer identities that begin to emerge as a result of socialisation processes within the family setting. Research limitations/implications – The role siblings play in the process of consumer socialisation has potentially important implications in terms of the understanding of the socialisation process itself, and where/how children obtain product information. Scope exists to explore the role siblings play as agents of consumer socialisation across a wider variety of family types/sibling variables presented here (e.g. to explore how age/gender shapes the dynamics of sibling–sibling learning). Originality/value – Through adopting a networked approach to family life, the authors show how the wider family dynamic informs sibling–sibling relationships and resulting socialisation behaviours. The findings problematise the view that parents alone act as the main conduits of consumer learning within the family environment, highlighting how parent–child relationships, in turn, work to inform sibling–sibling socialisation behaviour and developing consumer identities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The aims of this study are twofold: to explore the influence of the typicality of brand story and regulatory focus on the effectiveness of argument strength and product evaluations and to examine the mediating role of being hooked. Design/methodology/approach – The study performed two experiments which showed how the measured or induced regulatory focus of a consumer in a given situation moderates the relationship between typicality of the brand story and product evaluations. Findings – The results show that prevention-focused individuals rely on the substance of the message after reading an atypical brand story, whereas promotion-focused individuals are more likely to be hooked by an atypical brand story. Moreover, the findings have also revealed that being hooked mediated the results of the interaction effects of the typicality of brand story and regulatory focus on product evaluation. Practical implications – A better understanding of the interplay effects between the perceived typicality of brand story and the regulatory focus of target audiences has the potential to help marketers increase the persuasiveness of their communication messages. Originality/value – To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first piece of research to examine how the typicality of brand story and regulatory focus can influence the likelihood of a consumer being hooked. Moreover, the present study is among the first to show that regulatory focus is an important moderator of the effects of typicality, and this contributes to the literature of categorization theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This study aims to investigate the interaction between branding strategies, levels of perceived fit and consumer innovativeness on the evaluation of new products from the perspective of situational strength. Design/methodology/approach – Two experiments were conducted to empirically test the hypotheses. Findings – A significant three-way interaction of branding strategy, perceived fit and consumer innovativeness on the evaluation of the new products was found. A significant two-way interaction of branding strategy and perceived fit was also found. Situational clarity fully mediates the relationship between branding strategy and consumer product evaluations at various fit levels. Practical implications – The theory of situational strength may shed light on the selection of target market when managers launch new products. Innovative consumers are the target market for the new products under new branding or low fit sub-branding; under brand extension or high fit sub-branding, consumers are the target for the new products regardless of their degree of innovativeness. Originality/value – This is the first work to apply situational strength theory to a new product evaluation context. The theory provides a unified framework for explaining the cognitive processes involved when consumers use and combine marketing cues (i.e. branding strategies and fit levels) to evaluate new products; it also facilitates evaluating how the effects of consumer innovativeness are accentuated or attenuated based on various combinations of marketing cues. Most research on the evaluation of new products has examined the influence of consumer innovativeness, perceived fit or branding strategies as distinct entities. This study simultaneously examined the three. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- This paper aims to consider decision speed's role in the largely neglected decision area of product elimination. Design/methodology/approach -- Drawing on an inter-disciplinary theoretical background (e.g. organisational, decision speed and product elimination theories), the authors develop and test a framework for decision speed's effects on the market and financial outcomes of a stratified random sample of 175 consumer product eliminations. Findings -- In contrast to decision speed research that hypothesised (and often failed to confirm) linearity, results show inverted U-shaped decision speed-to-decision outcomes relationships, with curvatures moderated by product importance, environmental complexity and turbulence. Research limitations/implications -- Findings are suggestive of several implications for the above theories (e.g. contribution to the dialogue about performance-enhancing value of rational vs incremental decision-making; evidence that excessive decision speed may become too much of a good thing). Certain design limitations (e.g. sampling consumer goods' manufacturers only) point at avenues for future inquiry into the product elimination decision speed-to-outcomes link. Practical implications -- Managerially, the findings suggest that product eliminations' optimal market and financial outcomes depend on a mix of speed and search in decision-making and that this mix requires adjustments to different levels of product importance, interdependencies with other decision areas of the firm and environmental turbulence. Originality/value -- The paper makes a twofold contribution. It enriches decision speed research, by empirically addressing speed's outcomes in relation to a decision area that is not necessarily strategic and represents the first explicit empirical investigation into outcomes of decision speed in product line pruning decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to help better understand the impact of online user reviews on sales of search goods. Design/methodology/approach – This research is based on digital camera sales data collected from amazon.com and two studies are included in this research. The first study is based on a static model and sample data from one time stamp. The second study is based on two sample data collected from two different time stamps, and a dynamic model is proposed. Findings – The results from the first study reveal that the average online customer review, the number of online reviews, the price and the camera's physical properties such as the number of pixels and the optimal zoom number (but not LCD screen size) have significant influence on digital camera sales. The results from the second study show that the sales from the previous period are an important indicator for future sales. In addition, change in price, change in average online review rating and change in the total number of online reviews are all significantly associated with future sales. Research limitations/implications – The research reveals that there is a significant relationship between the online user review and sales of search goods, and the influence of online user reviews on search goods sales is different from that on experience goods. It also recognizes that the product specifications influence the sales of search goods. In addition, the research on search goods shows that price at the specific time and price changes are significant factors affecting sales. Practical implications – The research indicates that retailers should provide channels for, and encourage, customer online reviews for search goods to improve sales. It is also beneficial for online retailers to provide detailed product attributes to help their customers make the purchase decision. Carefully designed and executed price promotions could also be effective ways to improve sales of searchable goods. Originality/value – This study is one of the first attempts to investigate the impact of online user reviews on sales of search goods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This observational study set out to investigate the effect of sensory description labels on consumer choice of apples in a grocery retail store. Design/methodology/approach – An independent observation study was conducted in a retail grocery store setting. A total of 1,623 consumers were observed over a four-day period in four different sessions, each using three apple varieties (JONAGOLD, INGRID MARIE, and ELISE). Marketing strategies differed between the sessions as follows: sort name labelling only, sort name and sensory description labelling, sort name and sensory semantic description labelling, and sort name labelling and allowing consumers to taste the apples before choosing. Findings – Consumer product choice was affected by the sensory description labels. When only the sort name was given on the label, the consumers tended to choose INGRID MARIE, which has a strong sort name. With the addition of sensory description labels, the consumer choice shifted to ELISE, which had been chosen with a low frequency when only sort name was given, but was chosen with a high frequency when sensory description labelling was used. Research limitations/implications – The study was limited to red apples and one national market. Practical implications – Practitioners, managers, and marketers may benefit from using proper sensory labelling as a marketing tool for various food products, such as apples, in a grocery retail store. Originality/value – This study shows the importance and value of sensory description label marketing for food products in grocery retail stores. Little attention has previously been paid to the research area within sensory marketing communication concerning the interplay of sensory perception of food and the formulation of marketing labels, or taste marketing. This paper also addresses the possible interaction between the disciplines of sensory and marketing science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- Academic literature generally regards the brand name element as central to consumer brand equity. Unfortunately scant research has been carried out to justify such a position for established products and services. The purpose of this study is to address this research gap. Design/methodology/approach -- A series of 25 semi-structured qualitative interviews was carried out with consumers, exploring functions performed by brand name for established products and services. In order to isolate the brand name element this focused on global marketing induced brand name changes. Findings -- Many of the corporate-led functions performed by brand name within the literature received validation. This suggests that a concept of consumer brand name equity for established products and services can be justified. The study also indicated that a material proportion of the equity from a brand name was determined by the consumer. It revealed that many consumers had created their own associations for the brand name, positive and negative, independent of and different from those driven by the corporation. Originality/value -- It provides needed empirical support for the concept of consumer brand name equity for established products and services. It also suggests that this may be usefully considered as a co-creation between corporation and consumer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a novel tenant mix model for shopping malls based on an analogy from ecological theories. Design/methodology/approach – This study empirically investigates the tenant species-area relationship and tenant species-abundance distribution in shopping malls. In this study, the tests on species-area relationship and species-abundance distribution in shopping malls are derived from ecological theories. Empirical tests by a sample of 18 shopping malls for the species-area relationship and of five malls for the species-abundance distribution are carried out in Hong Kong Findings – It shows that, in line with the findings of biogeography, the tenant species-area relationship follows a power law of exponent of about 0.20. Furthermore, the species-abundance distributions of the five large-scale malls are found to be closely in track with a geometric distribution as commonly found in ecology. These results imply that tenant mix strategies are governed by two principles: the number of tenant species is related to the mall size; and the shop area allocation follows a geometric distribution. Research limitations/implications – The study provides the first quantitative tenant mix model on the number of tenant species in a particular mall size, and on the tenant species abundance distribution pattern. These results provide far-reaching implications for research and practice, including a quantitative benchmarking of tenant mix strategy and an optimal design of shopping malls. Practical implications – The model is the first tenant mix model for practitioners to formulate quantitative tenant mix strategy, and evaluate the effects of tenant mix on the performance of a shopping mall. Originality/value – It is the first quantitative model for tenant mix, and would open up a novel agenda for research on tenant mix strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to estimate the influence of inventory investment, wage levels, and age of the firm on retailer technical efficiency. Design/methodology/approach - The methodology is based on the estimation of a stochastic parametric function. To estimate technical efficiency the output supermarket chain sales volume is used, calculated by isolating the retailer price effect on sales revenue. Findings - The empirical analyses applied to panel data show that inventory investment and wage level have a positive impact on technical efficiency. Research limitations/implications - The limitations of the study include the generalisation of the conclusions to the entire sector, which must be done with due care, since only one of the players in the distribution channel (supermarket chains) has been analysed. Practical implications - First, the estimation of the efficiency of the different supermarket chains helps the management of producers, since they can identify efficient supermarket chains, which is important for vertical relationships in the distribution channel. Second, the analysis of the determinant factors of efficiency for different chains may be used as external benchmarking. Originality/value - The focus of the paper is on developing a useful methodology for managers, determining some of the sources of retail efficiency gains. The paper develops and tests a composite set of hypotheses, analysing the influence of some managerially controlled factors on technical efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - Trade in counterfeit goods is perceived as a substantial threat to various industries. No longer is the emergence of imitation products confined to branded luxury goods and final markets. Counterfeit articles are increasingly finding their way into other sectors, including the fast-moving consumer goods, pharmaceutical, and automotive industries - with in part, severe negative consequences for consumers, licit manufacturers, and brand owners alike. This paper seeks to shed light on the economic principles of counterfeit trade and the underlying illicit supply chains. Design/methodology/approach - An extensive literature review was conducted that comprised contributions from different strands of management research. Findings - Though governments as well as management have clearly identified the problem, very little is known - both in practice and theory - about the mechanisms and structure of the illicit market, the tactics of counterfeit producers, consumer behavior with respect to imitation products and the financial impact on individual companies. The diversity of the counterfeit phenomenon underlines the need for further research in this area and the development of company-specific measure for fighting product piracy. Research limitations/implications - The clandestine nature of the counterfeit market limits direct accessibility to the phenomenon. Consequently, the existing body of literature does not necessarily cover all aspects of counterfeit activities. The review helps to highlight existing research gaps but may not be able to identify additional aspects of the phenomenon that, thus far, have not been deemed relevant. Originality/value - The paper critically reviews the current state of research across different management-related disciplines. From an academic perspective it may serve as a starting point for a future research agenda that addresses the current knowledge gaps. From a practitioner's perspective it is helpful for understanding the relevant influence factors and for developing appropriate, state-of-the-art counterstrategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to understand the intra- and inter-category differences of the store brand market share. Strategic, structural and performance factors are considered to be explanatory. Design/methodology/approach - The paper proposes four possible alternative fixed-effects panel models for the data. The empirical analysis is performed on the Spanish consumer goods market in 50 traditional categories during the period from 1996 to 2000, when these brands consolidated their position as the best choices on the shelves. Findings - The paper obtains consistent results for the four models proposed. The analysis of these reveal which strategic, structural and performance factors influence the store brand market share and how they influence it at intra- and inter-category levels. Research limitations/implication - The main limitations of this research derive from the conditioning factors of the information. Some potential explanatory variables could not be considered in the models or could only be considered to explain the inter-category differences. Practical implications - The results obtained have interesting implications for manufacturers and retailers in the management of the brands in their product portfolio and in the management of their relationships in the distribution channel. Originality/value - This research provides integrated modelling of the store brand market share by jointly considering cross-sectional and time effects using the panel methodology and proves that considering time avoids some counter-intuitive results of cross-sectional research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to further current understanding of the relationship between consumption attitudes and new product adoption and how the relationship may be contingent upon consumers' other characteristics. Design/methodology/approach - Following a contingency framework, five consumption attitudes derived from Schwartz's value systems framework were examined, along with demographic variables, for their associations with consumer new product adoption (NPA). Negative binominal regression models were estimated using syndicated data from a large urban Chinese consumer sample to test the main and interactive effect hypotheses. Findings - Consumption attitudes have significant effects on NPA. Consumers' adoption of market innovations is associated negatively with their attitude toward existing products and positively with independent decision making and preference for high-tech products. Further, the magnitude of the effects of consumption attitudes depends on consumers' demographic characteristics. The effects are stronger among consumers who are older and have lower income. Originality/value - Using syndicated data from a large random sample of urban Chinese consumers, this study offers a deeper understanding of the attitudinal and personal antecedents of consumer new product adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - Previous studies on the contribution of immigrant employees (JE) have mainly focused on immigrants from non-Western industrialised countries. Few studies have explored the contribution of immigrants from the European Union (EU). The purpose of this commentary is to present the outcomes of a recent study on immigrant employees from the EU region. Design/methodology/approach - This paper examines the experience of 77 New Zealand firms operating in 11 EU markets. Only 10 percent of the firms investigated hired IE to assist or manage their firms' marketing activities in the EU region, suggesting employment of IE is still in its infancy stage. The EU is the largest immigrant source region, which contributes more than 30 percent of total immigrants to New Zealand in 2005. This study uncovers the profile of firms which have, or have not, utilised such a strategy. Findings - It was found that, at present, the users of IE are larger in size, equipped with higher international business experience, FDI mode users and operate more in the consumer durable and industrial product sectors. Among marketing environmental factors examined, competitive environment accounted for the most variation. The extent of standardisation difference of price and place was the highest. Originality/value - The findings of this study imply that the choice of IE from the EU region might relate to a firm's size, international business experience, market entry mode selection, product type and host market environment and characteristics (e.g. market size). lE might also have contributed to a firm's choice of pricing and place standardisation strategy. However, these relationships need to be verified by future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — The article aims to identify differences in consumers' evaluations of goods made in either the USA or China at different levels of analysis; to trace variations in consumers' evaluations with regard to various cues characterizing US or Chinese goods; and to provide a comparison of consumers' evaluations between US and Chinese goods at different levels of analysis and across different product cues. Design/methodology/approach — The study builds hypotheses that correspond to each of the three research objectives. Information was received through personal interviews from a sample of 404 British consumers, aged 18 years and above. Respondents were randomly selected at central locations using a systematic stratified procedure. Data were gathered using a structured questionnaire, with questions focusing separately on the USA and China, at five different levels of analysis, and in six different categories of product cues. Using confirmatory factor analysis, the reliability and validity of the scales were found to be satisfactory. The hypotheses were tested using either student-t or ANOVA statistics. Findings — The results provide support to all three hypotheses, revealing that there are significant differences in consumer evaluations across the various levels of analysis, caused mainly by the brand, which overshadows country-of-origin effects in the case of the USA, but emphasizes these effects in that of Chinese goods. Research limitations/implications — The results of the study have serious implications for corporate and public policy-makers, especially for the countries involved in the analysis. These implications should be seen within the context of various geographical, product, time, and other limitations, which provide the basis for undertaking future research on the subject. Originality/value — As opposed to extant research on country-of-origin effects, the study offers a multi-level and multi-cue comparison for products manufactured by two major actors in the international trade arena (USA and China), as these are perceived by consumers living in an important developed market (the UK). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose — The purpose of this paper is to explore how selected fast-moving consumer goods markets in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) have developed since the opening of CEE and what market structures have emerged since then. Particular attention is paid to the role of Western multinational corporations (MNCs) as drivers of globalization in this market-reshaping process. Design/methodology/approach — Based on household panel data the dissemination of international brands is analyzed in four product categories and four countries of the region. In addition, the question of whether the level of economic development of countries or the product character has an impact on the penetration levels of international brand is examined. Findings — The outcomes of this retrospective study furnish evidence for the globalization of fast-moving consumer goods markets in CEE. Although the level of diffusion of international brands varies by product category and country, the strong influence of Western MNCs in the shaping of market structures can be documented. The findings also mirror the predominantly-employed marketing and brand strategies of foreign MNCs in CEE, namely internationally-integrated as well as multi-tier brand strategies. Research limitations/implications — The data provides only a snapshot of the situation in selected consumer goods markets in the region. In order to obtain a fuller picture of the extent of market globalization, the market share of international brands should be complemented by additional data on purchase and usage behavior. Originality/value — The paper contributes to the current discussion of the market globalization thesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salesperson behavior performance is conceptualized as a predictor of outcome performance and sales organization effectiveness. The research considers the effects of salesperson capabilities, industrial/consumer products, and industry growth moderators on salesperson performance and sales organization effectiveness relationships. Empirical analyses are conducted using data from a sample of 174 field sales managers in Austrian sales organizations. The results of moderator regression analyses indicate that salesperson capabilities, product type, and industry growth are relevant moderators. The roles of the moderators vary across the relationships analyzed. Several management and research implications are examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the quality of private label products and their market shares have grown to such an extent that most consumer goods manufacturers, brand leaders included, can not afford to ignore them. Private labels are, however, not just another generic competitor. The retailer that sells them is also an important account, and the issue includes the question: to produce private label or not? Several authors have recently suggested a number of effective strategies for leading national brand manufacturers against private labels. However, the empirical evidence for the strategies identified is scarce. Using a sample of 101 Dutch national brand manufacturers, we get a better understanding of the sets of strategies companies use. Using an inductive approach, we find four dominant profiles that are linked to performance and are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article examines the influence of mode of stimuli presentation on the joint responses obtained for choices among product offerings in a food product category in Great Britain. For this two aspects of conjoint methodology, namely stimulus representation and the use of training procedures were explored. With regard to the former, the results suggested that realistic photographic images adequately represent prototype stimuli. No differences in consumer choice patterns between the two formats were identified. With regard to conducting training exercises prior to the actual choice task in conjoint studies, the present results indicated that, this may not be needed when dealing with familiar and non-durable consumer goods. However, further research is needed to confirm whether this is also the case when dealing with more complex stimuli and when consumer choices are made less frequently than for food products. Until such research is undertaken, implications for managers are suggested in accord with the principles of context matching. When studying non-durable and frequently purchased product categories, decision strategies are likely to be well developed and the need for training, thus, minimal. In comparison, it is advocated that steps be taken to develop consumers' decision strategies when studying product categories within which choices are made less frequently.

The implicit distinction in the buyer behaviour literature between the contexts of consumer markets and organizational markets has lead to a bifurcated approach to the development of buyer behaviour theory. While useful, even necessary, for teaching and planning purposes, this distinction is inhibiting the development of a generic theory of buyer behaviour and should be questioned. Once the weaknesses of distinguishing so fundamentally between organizations and individuals in terms of their buying behaviour are clarified, a number of key concepts in organizational buyer behaviour dearly require rethinking. More comprehensive empirical research is needed to develop a rigorous theory of buyer behaviour capable of generic application, with appropriate contextual adjustment. The paper explores these issues and suggests some possible conceptual starting points for an integrated classification of buyer behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports that the U.S. pharmaceutical industry has, for many years, been a significant part of the global ethical drug market. Recent data indicate that Japan has shown encouraging potential in the drug industry. Japan is the second largest single-nation market for pharmaceutical products in the world, after the U.S. Pharmaceutical products include both prescription and non-prescription over-the- counter (OTC) drugs. OTC products are somewhat similar to consumer goods. The importance of research and innovation for competition among major pharmaceutical firms places the ethical drug industry in a select grouping of high-technology industries. Through exercising regulatory policy national governments as well as supra-governmental authorities such as World Health Organization and now the World Trade Organization are acting to disseminate more broadly pharmaceutical products as a general concern for world health welfare and the relief of technical and trade barriers impeding world trade.

This study investigates how Chinese consumers evaluate foreign made products. Specifically, the study tries to find out what images certain foreign products have in the minds of Chinese consumers and how such images may influence their product evaluation and purchase decisions. The findings may help to gain insights into consumer behaviour in China which may help Western businesses to market their products in this increasingly crowded market. For various reasons, the Chinese market has not been considered a viable market until quite recently. After remaining virtually closed to the rest of the world for 30 years since 1949, China has achieved remarkable progress in the past 15 years. Meanwhile, China has not only become one of the world's major trading nations with surging exports, it has also become on of the most sought after emerging markets in the world for a variety of consumer as well as industrial products. Despite the obvious implications for Western countries from which China sources most of its imports, research in the field of international business and marketing has not kept pace with the development in China's consumer market.

The article discusses findings of several surveys which highlight the complexity of understanding the shopping behavior of the elderly consumers of Western Europe and the U.S. for non-food consumer goods. The major theme in research of the elderly and their shopping behavior, supposedly, is the identification of specific needs and desires, and the assessment of store attributes. One of the surveys was conducted in Florida which consisted unstructured, open-ended interviews, which referred to retail and marketing issues, with 510 consumers. Respondents were asked to express their views of what companies might do to help senior citizens. From their replies, a list of concerns and desires was derived. The leading desire was discounts for the elderly, followed by improved retail personnel-consumer interactions and aid in locating products. Transportation services, clearer price tags and labels, faster checkout provision and package size came next, and the list was completed with rest facilities, purchasing assistance, parking and entrance concerns and finally package carryout. A criticism of many studies, according to the authors, is that they only examine a defined older group and do not contrast their behavior with younger groups.

One of the areas of concern to managers, which has been treated from an interdisciplinary perspective, is the industrial product elimination decision process. Organizations having several product lines are continually adding, refining, and removing products from their offerings. In normative writings, decline in product sales is one of the four phases of the product life cycle (PLC) curve. One of the actions recommended during this phase is dropping the product from the firm's product portfolio. Although the PLC concept provides a good framework for product planning, it has not proven nearly as useful in forecasting, especially with regard to whether or not the product has entered or is about to enter the decline stage of its life cycle. A decline in company sales or even in industry sales does not necessarily mean that the product has left or is about to leave its maturity stage. Compared with most consumer goods, industrial products generally have had longer and more stable life cycles. The avenge life span of a typical industrial product was 20 to 30 years until quite recently.

The question of the superiority of one criterion over another has already generated a voluminous literature in marketing research. After thoroughly reviewing the social class versus income issue, Schardnger[3] concluded that, for certain products (e.g. food, coffee), social class was clearly superior to income, while the reverse was true for others (e.g. appliances, soft drinks). Rich and Jain[4] and, more recently, O'Brien and Ford[5] have established that, given certain conditions, lifestyle is more appropriate than social class. Kahle[6] has demonstrated that geography performs better than regional culture for a variety of products but Novak and MacEvoy[7] have recently shown that certain lifestyles systems are better than others. The purpose of this article is to compare the predictive power of income versus culture in the context of a market which has received relatively little attention so far: the market for luxury goods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is generally agreed in the literature that price and the perceived quality of goods and services have a high, positive correlation. However, there is very little empirical evidence exploring this relationship, and the studies which have been done are limited to generalizing about the relationship within cultural boundaries. Buyers regularly face the task of estimating product quality under conditions of imperfect knowledge about the underlying attributes of the various product offers with the aid of personal, self-perceived quality criteria. The use of price as an indicator of quality is based on the theory that quality is a measure of the utility, or the want-satisfying capacity of products. Hence, the more quality a product possesses the more utility it contains, and the higher price it will obtain in an open market exchange. This leads to the deduction that similar products, offered to the market at different prices, contain different amounts of utility, and that there is a direct relationship between quality and price.