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Purpose – The present study aims to investigate the role of brand store image in the context of private and national fashion brands. The study examines two issues: do private brand consumers differ from national brand consumers in their perception of the attributes they value in their store image? And, do fashion consumers in general differ in their perception of the attributes they value in a store image? Design/methodology/approach – Data were collected through a field survey comprising 395 respondents: 195 private brand consumers and 200 national brand consumers. Findings – Findings indicate that the two groups of consumers do not differ in their perception of store image. Cluster analysis reveals two groups of consumers: “Brand Store Image Enthusiasts” who are high in their perception of their brand store image attributes, and “Brand Store Image Indifferent” consumers who are low in their perception of their brand store image attributes. The first group was also found to have greater brand loyalty. Practical implications – Different marketing strategies are offered to each fashion sector. In addition, distributors in the fashion industry should build a strategy for Brand Store Image Enthusiasts who are high in their perception of all three brand store attributes. It is essential to point out the psychological meaning of the brand when appealing them. Originality/value – The study contributes to the consumer behavior literature by tying the well-established construct of brand store image to the fashion sector in the context of private and national labels.

PurposeConsumers frequently find themselves having to choose between various product brands that differ in price and quality. The purpose of this paper is to examine several possible factors that may affect this choice: message framing of the choice as either gain or loss of money or quality, consumer involvement, and consumers’ perceived monetary and quality gains.Design/methodology/approachIn all, 837 participants from Portugal, Turkey, and Israel were randomly assigned to a positively or negatively framed message regarding the quality or price of two alternative brands of sunscreen lotion.FindingsAs expected, highly involved consumers show a higher preference for the better and more expensive product than less involved consumers, while perceived monetary or quality gains mediates this relation. Challenging previous findings, negative framing of loss avoidance affects perceived gains and brand choice more than positive framing only for less involved participants, rather than for highly involved ones.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough the results were replicated in three different countries, future research of message framing context on other products is needed, as well as research in the context of goal framing.Practical implicationsIf indeed future research would replicate the higher effectiveness of positive framing among highly involved consumers, retailers should consider that in planning their product promotion strategy.Originality/valueThis study challenges the current literature regarding the effect of message framing on message and the moderating role of involvement.

PurposeConsumers frequently have to choose between products that differ in price and quality. This study aims to hypothesize that involvement would moderate the effect of message framing on consumers' perceived monetary gain when considering cheaper products, as well as on product choice.Design/methodology/approachA total of 238 participants were randomly assigned to either a positively or a negatively framed message, and either a high or low involvement condition.FindingsThe study finds that presented with a negative relative to positive frame, highly involved participants perceived a higher monetary gain when purchasing the cheaper product; no corresponding differences were found for low‐involved participants. Message framing did not affect either highly or low‐involved participants' product choice.Research limitations/implicationsExplanations for the results are offered and future research is suggested in order to determine whether the effect of message framing on the perceived monetary gain of highly involved consumers choosing cheaper products does affect their product choice.Practical implicationsIf future research confirms this hypothesis, both retailers and highly involved consumers should consider the possible effect of message framing on the perceived monetary gain and on the choice between products that differ in price and quality.Originality/valueThis study is the first demonstration of the moderating effect of involvement on the effect of message framing on consumers' perceived monetary gain when choosing between products that differ in price and quality.

Purpose – Price deals are typically presented in “save” terms. However, prospect theory predicts that people will be more willing to waive a monetary gain than to lose the same amount of money. This study seeks to examine whether consumers would show more purchase intentions of a product offered in a price deal framed negatively (“lose if you don't purchase”) relative to the conventional positive frame (“save if you purchase”).Design/methodology/approach – The purchase intentions of 189 participants, randomly assigned to either a positively or a negatively framed message, were examined. The participants' perceived monetary gain in the deal and their involvement in the issue were also measured.Findings – Presented with a negative relative to positive frame, participants showed more purchase intentions of a product offered in a price deal, and perceived their monetary gain as higher. Highly involved and lowly involved participants exhibited similar framing effects.Research limitations/implications – The fin...

PurposeThis paper aims to examine the effect of framing price promotion on consumers' purchase intentions. Retailers typically use the term “save” to present their price deal offers. However, prospect theory predicts that people will be more willing to waive the gain of a certain amount of money, but less willing to lose the same amount of money.Design/methodology/approachUsing an experimental design, 497 participants were randomly assigned to two groups that differed only in the framing manipulations of two vignettes: positive framing (“save if you purchase”) or negative framing (“lose if you don't purchase”).FindingsThe prediction was not confirmed: participants did not show more willingness to purchase products offered in sales promotions of discount when presented with a negative frame relative to their presentation in the conventional positive frame.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research could confirm the predictions of prospect theory, indicating that methodological characteristics prevented this study from confirming the hypothesis. However, if future research fails to confirm the predictions of prospect theory, it is possible that these predictions are limited to situations of forced choice between two alternatives, and do not apply to situations with a default option of not making a choice (e.g. price deals).Practical implicationsIf future research confirms the predictions of prospect theory, then retailers would improve their price promotion effectiveness by replacing their use of “save if you purchase” with “lose if you don't purchase”.Originality/valueThis study is the first attempt to examine the predictions of goal framing effect in the context of price deals.

PurposeThis research seeks to demonstrate the effect of framing on consumers' willingness to buy private brands.Design/methodology/approachUsing an experimental design, 500 participants answered a questionnaire addressed to examine their willingness to buy four private brand products framed either in positive (save) or negative (lose) terms.FindingsConsumers' willingness to buy private brands was higher when the information was presented in negative (loss) framing relative to presenting the very same information in positive (save) framing.Research limitations/implicationsThis research examined the effect of framing on willingness to buy private brands. Future research is needed to examine the effect of framing on actual purchasing behavior and regarding other products retailers wish to promote, other than private brands.Practical implicationsRetailers typically try and promote sales of private brands using messages suggesting that consumers will save money by buying their brand. The results of this study suggest that retailers could improve their marketing of private brands by framing their products negatively in terms of the loss consumers incur when not purchasing private brands.Originality/valueThe paper suggests adopting Levin et al.'s typology that distinguished between various types of framing. The typology explains apparently contradictory results found in the literature. While goal framing more accurately describes the more effective messages discussed in this study, attribute framing would better describe the more effective messages mentioned in other contexts.

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to examine the potential contribution of private branding to the service sector, and to integrate private branding into the SERVQUAL model.Design/methodology/approachA total of 300 customers of a health maintenance organization (HMO) were asked about the five dimensions of the service‐quality model and about several aspects of their HMO's private brand.FindingsThe study finds that satisfaction with service quality among subjects who were aware of the HMO's private brand was higher than that of unaware subjects when asked directly. In addition, a positive relationship was found between the perceptions of service quality in the HMO and the evaluation of a private brand in the HMO those customers who were aware of the private brand. The data analysis suggests that private branding constitutes an additional (sixth) dimension in the SERVQUAL model.Research limitations/implicationsThis research was conducted during the initial stages of the market penetration of the HMO's private brand.Practical implicationsHMOs, and other service providers, should consider private branding as a pivotal strategy in reinforcing service quality.Originality/valueThis research is of importance for service providers because it identifies private branding strategy as having significant marketing potential for improving service quality.