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This study examines the willingness of customers to accept, and their intention to recommend, the services provided by service robots in restaurants. A mixed-methods research approach was taken to evaluate a theoretical model based on behavioural reasoning theory (BRT). The results demonstrated the important influence of positive attitudes and objections to the use of service robots on consumers’ willingness to use service robots, as well as their intention to recommend restaurants that use them. Among the main aspects that affect attitudes and objections, we found hedonic perceptions, perceived safety, interaction quality perception and anthropomorphism.

Leveraging social media influencers allows companies to provide information on their products in a more social and interactive way. Yet, scholarly research on the implications of the effect of influencers on consumer trust, their interest and the purchase decision process is still in its infancy. This study proposes a theoretical model to explain how perceived brand control over an influencer’s post and the perceived commercial orientation of such a post affects consumer trust in influencers. Results show that trust of the influencer is reduced more by the post’s perceived commercial orientation than perceived brand control of the influencer’s post. Although perceived brand control also reduces the willingness to search for more information. The results also show that trust of the influencer is salient in predicting post credibility, which in turn predicts interest and willingness to search for more information.

espanolProposito – El objetivo de esta investigacion es analizar los efectos de la confianza en la marca y la confianza en la comunidad online de marca en la intencion de los miembros de la comunidad de recomprar dicha marca y de hablar bien electronicamente (eWOM) sobre la misma. Diseno/metodologia/enfoque – El modelo de investigacion fue evaluado usando datos de una muestra de 628 usuarios de comunidades online de marca, mediante un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales por el metodo de minimos cuadrados parciales (PLS-SEM). Hallazgos – Los resultados muestran que la confianza en la marca afecta positivamente a la intencion de recompra y al eWOM positivo, directa e indirectamente a traves de la confianza en la comunidad. El efecto total de la confianza en la marca es mayor que el de la confianza en la comunidad. Originalidad/valor – Esta investigacion contribuye a la teoria y practica del marketing al analizar el efecto combinado de la confianza en la marca y en la comunidad online de marca, en las relaciones consumidor-marca EnglishPurpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyse the effects of brand trust and online brand community (OBC) trust on consumer repurchase intention and the positive electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) intention of OBC members. Design/methodology/approach – The research model was assessed using data from a sample of 628 OBC users using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Findings – The results show that brand trust positively affects repurchase intention and positive eWOM intention, both directly and indirectly through OBC trust. The total effect of brand trust on the results is greater than that of OBC trust. Originality/value – This research contributes to marketing theory and practice by analysing the combined effect of OBC trust and brand trust on the consumer–brand relationship in the context of OBCs.

Influencer marketing actions are mostly carried out on social platforms, e.g., Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. However, despite its increasing use, studies on this subject are still scarce. In thi...

Retailer mobile applications are one of the principal retail purchase and information search channels. Customer experience is key to retail app success. However, its dimensions and impact on retailer performance have been the subject of only a limited number of studies. This research builds on existing customer retail app experience literature by considering four dimensions as precursors of satisfaction with the retailers’ app and customer loyalty (cognitive, affective, relational and sensorial). Data were collected from a sample of 545 retailer app users and analysed using PLS-SEM. The results demonstrate that the affective dimension has the most influence and they highlight the importance of the sensory experience, which even surpasses the cognitive experience. The effect of the relational dimension on customer satisfaction, meanwhile, could not be positively confirmed. Analysis of the moderating effect of gender, age and device type used identifies effects that have not, until now, been demonstrated in current literature., This research was supported by the Andalusian Plan for Research, Development and Innovation of the Andalusian Government (Grant: Research Group SEJ-567), and the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities (Grant: PID2019-105468RB-I00)

This commentary explores some of the reputational issues of using academic social networking sites (ASNS) such as ResearchGate, ResearcherID, ORCID, Academia.edu, Google Scholar, and Mendeley for a...

This research applies a unique conceptual model and methodology incorporating popularity, commitment, and virality to measure the social media engagement with residents and visitors of smart cities and how they communicate ‘smart’ elements and their brands. Digital content analysis was applied to a sample of ten Spanish smart cities (including Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid, Seville and Valencia, among others), with measurable and quantifiable elements of engagement (e.g., likes, shares and comments). The smart cities analysed achieved acceptable, but rudimentary, levels of engagement via social media using Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. However, they displayed weaknesses related to their image and branding as well as the effectiveness with which they communicated their smart characteristics. The main implication of this research is that these Spanish smart cities have considerable scope to improve their use of social media to enhance their communications and branding. Greater emphasis is required on delivering emotional (affective) messages and a higher priority needs to be given to business and business event travellers and those visiting friends and relatives.

This paper aims to focus on understanding how restaurant review sites generate trust among travellers and the effect of trust on the intention to visit and recommend restaurants while travelling.,The research model was assessed with data from a sample of 439 Spanish tourists using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM).,Information quality and source credibility are key for generating website trust. Website quality does not influence trust. Website trust is a key variable for explaining both intention to visit and recommend a restaurant, offline and online. Age is a significant moderator.,This study expands the literature by assessing the antecedents and consequences of travellers’ trust in restaurant review sites during their trips.,Strategies are suggested for review sites, restaurants and destination managers.,This research enhances the knowledge of how consumers perceive restaurant review sites, and their behavioural intention while travelling.,这项研究重点关注餐馆的评论平台是如何使旅行者产生信任的, 以及信任对旅行者对餐馆的访问意愿和推荐意愿的影响。,本文根据439名西班牙游客的数据, 采用偏最小二乘结构方程模型（PLS-SEM）来对研究模型进行评估。,信息质量和来源可信度是产生网站信任的关键。网站质量对信任没有影响。网站信任是一个关键的变量, 可解释人们线下或线上访问和推荐该餐馆的意愿。年龄是一个重要的调节因素。,本研究通过评估旅行者在旅途中对餐厅点评网站产生信任的前因与后果, 扩展了相关文献。,为点评网站、餐厅和目的地管理者提供策略。,这项研究帮助了解了消费者如何认知餐厅点评网站, 以及他们在旅行时的行为意向。,口碑，網站信任，訪問意向，餐飲業，評論網站,El objetivo de esta investigacion es comprender como las paginas webs de resenas de restaurantes generan confianza entre los viajeros, y como esta confianza afecta a la intencion de visitar y recomendar restaurantes durante el viaje.,El modelo de investigacion fue evaluado a partir de una muestra de 439 turistas espanoles mediante la tecnica de minimos cuadrados parciales en un modelo de ecuaciones estructurales (PLS-SEM).,La calidad de la informacion y la credibilidad de la fuente son variables clave en la generacion de confianza hacia la pagina web. La calidad de la web no influye en la confianza. La confianza en la web es una variable fundamental para explicar tanto la intencion de visitar como de recomendar un restaurante, dentro y fuera de Internet. La edad modera las relaciones del modelo.,Este estudio expande la literatura al evaluar los antecedentes y consecuentes de la confianza de los viajeros en las webs de resenas de restaurantes durante sus viajes.,Se sugieren varias estrategias para las webs de resena, los restaurantes y los destinos turisticos.,Esta investigacion mejora el conocimiento sobre como los consumidores perciben a las webs de resenas de restaurantes, asi como sus intenciones de comportamiento mientras viajan.,Boca a boca, Confianza en el sitio web, Intencion de visitar, Industria de la restauracion, Sitios webs de opinion

This research was partially funded by the Plan Andaluz de Investigacion, Desarrollo e Innovacion, Grupo SEJ-567 (Spain)., The purpose of this study is to analyze the effects of online brand community (OBC) engagement on strategic aspects for the brand supporting the community. A total of 628 valid responses were collected through a self-administered questionnaire. The authors tested the proposed model using structural equation modeling. The results show that OBC engagement directly favors participation in the community, willingness to co-create with the brand, and positive sord-of-mouth (WOM); it also has an indirect positive influence on brand loyalty. At the same time, OBC engagement is directly influenced by OBC identification and, through this, indirectly influenced by brand identification. Likewise, brand trust directly influences brand co-creation, loyalty, and positive WOM. However, OBC participation has been shown to have no significant effect on brand co-creation and positive WOM., Plan Andaluz de Investigacion, Desarrollo e Innovacion (Spain) SEJ-567

Purpose – Considering the context in which social commerce has changed the way consumers search for information and share experiences, the objective of this study is to understand how three factors of web design (usability, functionality, and sociability) influence consumers’ cognitive and affective assessments and affect their intention to buy. Design/methodology/approach – Using the PLS technique on a sample of 230 millennials who are regular social commerce users, this study is adapted to the social context of the existing literature on website quality, as well as theories of social learning and consumer intention to buy. Findings – We used the results to compare the study’s 9 hypotheses, thereby linking variables of web design and socialization in e-commerce environments with components of social learning theory. Originality/value – This article expands the understanding of the influence of design in social network website environments on consumer assessments and, consequently, their intention to buy, highlighting the importance of design for affective assessments. It also provides relevant information to professionals on how to design their websites to improve consumer purchase attitudes and behaviors, allowing them to focus on how to improve the user experience through web design within the context of continuously changing devices and consumer preferences. Objetivo – En un contexto en el que el social commerce ha cambiado la manera en la que los consumidores buscan información y comparten experiencias, el objetivo de esta investigación radica en entender cómo tres factores del diseño web (usabilidad, funcionalidad y sociabilidad) influyen en la evaluación cognitiva y afectiva del consumidor, y como éstas determinarán su intención de compra. Metodología – Mediante una muestra de 230 millennials usuarios habituales de social commerce y a través de la técnica de PLS, este trabajo adapta al contexto social a la literatura existente sobre calidad del sitio web, así como a las teorías del aprendizaje social y las intenciones de compra del consumidor. Resultados – Se contrastan las 9 hipótesis del estudio en las que se vinculan variables del diseño web y de la socialización en entornos de e-commerce con componentes de la teoría del aprendizaje social. Contribuciones – Este artículo mejora la comprensión acerca de la influencia en entornos de la web social del diseño sobre las evaluaciones del consumidor, y de éstas sobre las intenciones de compra, destacando la importancia del diseño sobre las evaluaciones afectivas. Además, suministran información relevante sobre cómo diseñar las webs para mejorar las actitudes y comportamientos de compra de los consumidores, permitiendo enfocar la manera de mejorar la experiencia a través del diseño web, en contextos de continuos cambios en dispositivos y preferencias del consumidor. Objetivo – En un contexto en el que el social commerce ha cambiado la manera en la que los consumidores buscan información y comparten experiencias, el objetivo de esta investigación radica en entender cómo tres factores del diseño web (usabilidad, funcionalidad y sociabilidad) influyen en la evaluación cognitiva y afectiva del consumidor, y como éstas determinarán su intención de compra. Metodología – Mediante una muestra de 230 millennials usuarios habituales de social commerce y a través de la técnica de PLS, este trabajo adapta al contexto social a la literatura existente sobre calidad del sitio web, así como a las teorías del aprendizaje social y las intenciones de compra del consumidor. Resultados – Se contrastan las 9 hipótesis del estudio en las que se vinculan variables del diseño web y de la socialización en entornos de e-commerce con componentes de la teoría del aprendizaje social. Contribuciones – Este artículo mejora la comprensión acerca de la influencia en entornos de la web social del diseño sobre las evaluaciones del consumidor, y de éstas sobre las intenciones de compra, destacando la importancia del diseño sobre las evaluaciones afectivas. Además, suministran información relevante sobre cómo diseñar las webs para mejorar las actitudes y comportamientos de compra de los consumidores, permitiendo enfocar la manera de mejorar la experiencia a través del diseño web, en contextos de continuos cambios en dispositivos y preferencias del consumidor.

Consumers increasingly prefer to use mobile phones to surf the internet and make purchases. Mobile applications are also being more used in the area of trade between consumers. This study seeks to understand how satisfaction is generated in the context of consumer-to-consumer (C2C) commerce via mobile applications for buying and selling second-hand fashion products (e.g., clothing, accessories). The research model was empirically evaluated using data collected by an online survey and analysed through partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results show that trust, perceived usefulness and mobility have significant and positive impacts on consumer satisfaction with C2C mobile applications in fashion sales. Conversely, factors such as security, privacy and enjoyment do not have significant influence.

This study examines the influence of social presence, interactions (student-student and teacher-student) and emotional engagement on active learning within the context of social web-based collaborative learning (SWBCL). In order to accomplish this objective, an empirical study was conducted with 416 students from two universities, organized into groups of 4 or 5 students, who were instructed to complete a collaborative project over the course of one semester. At the end of the project, the students filled out a questionnaire and the resulting data was analyzed using the partial least squares (PLS) technique. The results suggest that social presence and teacher-student interaction have a positive influence on students' active learning, both directly and indirectly, through emotional engagement. This variable also mediates the influence of student-student interactions, which have a less significant impact on active learning than the other analyzed variables. Consequently, this study offers important contributions to the study and practice of active learning in a SWBCL environment.

The existing literature mainly analyses user intention to practice social commerce on social networking sites, but few studies have focused on traditional e-commerce sites with their own integrated social tools (e.g. forums, reviews). This research aims to identify the antecedents to social commerce intention for traditional e-commerce sites where social tools are integrated. Data were obtained from a survey of 201 consumers and were analysed using Partial Least Squares. The results indicate that web quality, flow and emotional social support have a positive and direct influence on social commerce intention, while social presence and informational social support are not significant. This study contributes to consumer behaviour theory by applying predictors of intention to social commerce for traditional e-commerce sites. The results also help e-commerce practitioners to improve their use of social tools. For instance, to increase the use of social commerce, web quality must be improved to promote dissemination and consultation of the information generated by users in an easy, quick and friendly way. Social commerce intention will also increase if the company designs efficient interactive processes which the user enjoys effortlessly, so that the website creates a flow experience.

Drawing on the stimulus-organism-response (SOR) framework, a model is tested that improves the understanding of customer loyalty toward social commerce websites. The results showed that: information and service quality are key antecedents of perceived value, whereas rewards and recognition, and customization are non-significant. Perceived value is an important driver of customer loyalty toward these websites. The model's relationships are affected by gender and frequency of use. Overall, the findings of this study extend the understanding in the social commerce context of: (i) the antecedents of customer perceived value and behavioral intentions; and (ii) the moderating effects of age, gender and frequency of social commerce use on the model relationships.

This research aims to explain members’ online brand community (OBC) engagement and participation based on their relationships with other members and with the community sponsor. It proposes a conceptual model integrating variables that have been studied in previous research on brand trust, OBC identification, and satisfaction, and others that have received little or no research attention, including the OBC sponsor’s opportunism, sponsor’s control, and OBC experience, with OBC engagement playing a key role. The conceptual model has been tested by applying structural equation modelling to a database of 628 consumers belonging to over 260 different online brand communities OBC from diverse economic sectors: for example, brands involving sports (Adidas and Nike), fashion (Mango, Stradivarius and Zara) and technology (Apple, Samsung and Sony). In general, the authors conclude the importance of engagement in explaining a member’s involvement in a community, and the important role played by antecedents such as online brand community experience and trust, not only directly but also indirectly via identification with the community. The results confirm the influence of engagement upon a member’s participation in a community. Our study supports this direction of the relationship over the reverse – participation engagement – as suggested by other previous works. With regard to the antecedents of trust in the online brand community, it has been concluded that using the community for mainly commercial purposes has a negative effect.

The growth in the use of online platforms in the sharing economy is generating great interest in the scientific community. This study seeks to discover what causes travelers to use ridesharing platforms. A theoretical model of causal relationships, evaluated with data collected in an online survey, using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) is proposed. The results show that attitude towards ridesharing is a critical antecedent of intention to use. Travelers develop positive attitudes mainly due to the economic reward of making savings in travel costs. In addition, attitude is also positively influenced, although to a lesser extent, by perceptions of security and by the moral motivation to help other people. In contrast, the influence of social motivation is not significant. Practical implications guide platform managers in the design of their commercial strategies.

While research into customer engagement receives much attention, few studies have examined why consumers engage in social commerce and the resulting consequences for companies. This study explores the influence of social support and community factors on customer engagement and the subsequent effects on customer loyalty toward social commerce websites. We propose a model to investigate the differences between the influence of social support and three community factors (community drivenness, community identification and community trust) on customer engagement, and the impact of customer engagement on four customer loyalty dimensions, one transactional (repurchase intention) and three non-transactional (willingness to co-create, stickiness intention and positive eWOM intention). We conducted a survey and collected data from 437 users of Facebook social commerce websites. The findings show that customer engagement is a key predictor of the four dimensions of customer loyalty toward social commerce websites. In addition, the results indicate that social support and two community factors significantly affect customer engagement. We discuss theoretical and managerial implications.

Although mobile applications (apps) are now widespread, to date few studies have considered the effects that app use has on loyalty towards the retailer. This study aims to explore the impact of affective and cognitive app experiences on loyalty towards retailers. A theoretical model, validated empirically with data from a survey using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM), is proposed. The results show the key role of affective experience and its impact on cognitive experience and that both dimensions positively influence the satisfaction and trust that users have in apps, which in turn has a positive effect on loyalty felt towards the retailer. These findings contribute towards improving the theoretical knowledge of the impact of apps on the retailer-customer relationship, and guide businesses in developing and implementing appropriate app-related strategies.

The online platforms (i.e., websites and social media) of Destination Management Organizations (DMOs) are among the most useful tools for building and promoting a destination image (DI). However, the associated effects on the DI have not been sufficiently studied and prior research has not assessed the influences of involvement on the DI formation process. The aim of this study is to explore the moderating effects of DMO online platforms on the DI through a conceptual model. The proposed model was empirically verified through an experiment and tested using PLS-SEM method. The findings demonstrate that tourist involvement has a positive impact on cognitive image and affective image, forming the DI as an antecedent of the intention to visit. The results also show that image formation and intention to visit the destination vary depending on the platform used by travelers to access the information.

Tourists usually configure and develop ideas about possible destinations based on information previously gathered from both social media and the official web of the destination management organization (DMO). In spite of the relevance of said information sources, there have not been many studies evaluating how these different sources influence the destination image. This research proposes a model intended to explain the image creation process of a destination taking into account both the DMO's online platforms and the perceived psychological distance. The proposed model is tested with an empirical study including a questionnaire which collects data from 264 participants. The validity of the model is reviewed through PLS analysis. Results show that the psychological distance does not influence the overall destination image. In addition, the overall destination image can be estimated to a larger extent when tourists approach social media as their main source of information. Implications and conclusions are discussed Los turistas se forman una imagen del destino teniendo en cuenta la información recibida a través de canales como los medios sociales y la web oficial de la Organización Gestora del Destino (OGD). A pesar de la relevancia de estos canales pocos trabajos han analizado las posibles diferencias en su influencia en la formación de la imagen. Adicionalmente, el efecto de la distancia psicológica en el proceso de construcción de la imagen del destino no ha sido suficientemente evaluado en un contexto online. En esta investigación se propone un modelo para explicar la formación de la imagen del destino en función de la fuente de información online empleada y de la distancia psicológica percibida. El modelo propuesto es contrastado con un estudio empírico con 264 encuestados, mediante un análisis PLS. Los resultados muestran que la distancia psicológica no influye en la imagen global del destino. Además, la imagen global del destino puede estimarse en mayor medida cuando los turistas abordan los medios sociales como su principal fuente de información. Se discuten las implicaciones y las conclusiones

espanolEl analisis de las comunidades virtuales de marca (CVM) esta en un continuo crecimiento, gracias a su capacidad de fortalecer las relaciones con los distintos publicos de la empresa y de mejorar la imagen de marca. Son muchos los estudios que se han centrado en el analisis de sus ventajas para las organizaciones, fundamentalmente como herramienta de comunicacion y de soporte a otras acciones comerciales. Hasta el momento se han analizado comunidades de productos de muy diversa naturaleza, desde marcas de alta preferencia (p. ej.: Apple), hasta productos de conveniencia (p. ej.: Nutella). Las marcas de automocion han sido el centro de parte de estos estudios (Harley-Davidson, Mini, Yamaha, etc.) poniendo de manifiesto el interes de las empresas de este importante sector economico, por reforzar la lealtad a la marca. No obstante, hasta el momento no ha sido estudiado el uso conjunto de las comunidades virtuales por las empresas de un sector sino que se han analizado casos independientes. Para responder a este vacio en el conocimiento de las comunidades virtuales de marca en el sector de automocion, el presente articulo analiza los usos que de ellas hacen 19 marcas de automoviles y de motocicletas, como medios de comunicacion. La investigacion concluye que las CVM se estan utilizando principalmente para la comunicacion de eventos, acciones y promociones, tal vez excesivamente, sin que se visualice claramente el fortalecimiento de la imagen, la interactividad ni la identificacion de los usuarios con la comunidad, por lo que no se aprovecha convenientemente el potencial de este canal de comunicacion. Se sugieren algunos cambios para mejorar el uso de las CVM. EnglishThe analysis of the Virtual Brand Communities (VBC) is continuously growing due to their ability to support the relationships with the different business public and to improve the brand image. There are numerous studies focused on the analysis of their advantages for the organizations, mainly as a communication tool and support for other commercial actions. Up to now product communities of very diverse nature, from high-preference products (e.g. Apple) to convenience products (e.g. Nutella) have been studied. Automotive have also been the subject of study of some of these analyses (Harley-Davidson, Mini, Yamaha, etc.) showing the interest of companies from this economic sector in strengthening brand loyalty. However, the joint use of the virtual communities by companies of this sector has not been studied yet as only particular cases have been analysed. In order to respond to the lack of knowledge of Virtual Brand Communities in the automotive sector, this article analyses the uses that 19 car and motorcycle make brands make of them as means of communication. The research concludes that VBC are mainly being used to announce events, actions and promotions, maybe in excess, without clearly visualizing the strengthening of the brand image, the interactivity or the users’ identification with the community, so the potential of this means of communication is not fully utilized. Some changes are suggested in order to improve the use of VBC.

The Social Web is postulated to be a new space in which people can interact, search for information, communicate, entertain themselves, plan their actions, make purchases and learn. In this way, the philosophy underlying this version of the Internet has brought about a changed the role of the users, who have become an active part of the content that they consume, forcing companies to adapt to this situation, which is defined by the adjective “social.”

Brands have become an indispensable element in distinguishing between the products of different companies, reflecting their personalities and finding their correct positioning. Furthermore, over the years, the importance of brands has increased to such a degree that they have come to be an instrument that fits alongside important dimensions such as functional, emotional, relational or strategic. Therefore, it is evident that the creation of a fitting brand strategy that defines and encapsulates the brand equity is essential to gain a sustainable competitive advantage.

The Social Web is a phenomenon that has invigorated society. The ways in which people relate and communicate with each other have changed, in turn causing changes to communications and interactions between businesses, their clients and their environments. This forces organizations to understand the phenomena caused by the emergence and pervasion of social media use in order to exploit the advantages that social media can offer and to keep up to date on the tools society is employing to connect and socialize.

The evolution of the Social Web has opened up a world of opportunities for brands as well as for the consumers themselves. Virtual brand communities, which are increasingly used as tools for value creation by users and organizations alike, are a perfect example of this type of opportunity.

Information and communication technologies (ICT) have brought about a considerable change in the way that people relate to and communicate with one another. Companies, as an active part of society, are not excluded from this situation; they must adapt their uses to appropriately establish and maintain relationships in this setting. In this sense, the Internet figures as the most widespread and important ICTs, as it serves as the base for other ICTs and plays a key role in the generation and distribution of information. Over the last two decades, its expansion has generated a cascade of social, cultural and economic changes, causing a change in business models, in manufacturing processes and in systems of distribution for products, information and content.

Human beings, due to their unique characteristics as a species, need relationships with other individuals. This explains the interactions between people and the tendency to live in groups. All human beings belong to one or more communities, although this happens involuntarily. By simply having a family or residing in a city, one belongs to these communities. In other cases, the individual chooses which community he belongs to, seeking groups of people with values or styles similar to his own. Among these communities, we count brand communities, which revolve around one or more brands.

The reasons that bring people to relate to other similar individuals, brands or organizations through communities are highly varied, depending on the type of person, what they hope to accomplish and the type of brand. In general, motives like seeking information, communication, establishing relationships and constructing an identity show up in most studies, but other more hedonistic characteristics, like leisure or reputation also lead to participation. When trying to identify and explain people’s motives for participation, various theories emerge, mainly from the fields of psychology and sociology, which offer their own view on this research question.

Virtual communities have evolved considerably since they began. They have gone from being news groups and chat rooms to communities of people with strong bonds, diverse media for maintaining contact, and even with power in their sectors of interest. Virtual communities help their members overcome the sensation of isolation and allow them to maintain social activities.

As non-traditional social and dynamic tools, virtual brand communities are constantly changing and evolving. This complicates the process of defining the keys to the success of their creation and development. However, there are many factors that organizations should keep in mind; furthermore, there are several stages that virtual brand communities should pass through. In this chapter, the most important general factors and considerations are synthetically analyzed, and the necessary stages for creating and developing a community are presented.

Consolidation of social applications is changing communication between brands and their consumers. Organizations are losing their once complete control over their messages and processes of value-creation to consumers, who are becoming active participants and co-creators of value in the relationship. This requires a new focus for companies, which will have different nuances, depending on the type of electronic marketing they are using.