Carla Ruiz

Why Some Internet Users Don’t Buy Air Tickets Online

This work attempts to identify the determinant variables that make some Internet users not to buy airline tickets online. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) have been used as the conceptual reference framework, with the addition of the influence of perceived risk and trust. The results of the empirical study of Internet users who never have purchased an airline ticket online suggest that both subjective norm and attitude have a direct influence on airline ticket purchase intention. Ease of use has also proved to be a significant variable, because it has an indirect influence on behaviour through perceived usefulness, trust and risk. Risk, trust and perceived behavioural control were found to influence purchase intention through attitude. The results also show that risk is a multidimensional variable and that the dimensions do not all exercise the same influence on airline ticket purchase intention. Managerial implications are provided.

The impact of social media and offline influences on consumer behaviour. An analysis of the low-cost airline industry

This study analyses the impact of social media as well as offline environments upon tourist online purchase and recommendation behaviour of low-cost airline services. Drawing on the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA), this research considers the effect of offline social influences (interpersonal and external influences) and analyses online Consumer-to-Consumer (C2C) information exchanges as a driver of customer attitude towards online purchases. We propose that these factors improve online repurchase intentions and positive word-of-mouth communication (WOM and e-WOM) in low-cost settings. Using structural equation modelling, the conceptual model is tested with a sample of 441 Spanish Internet buyers of low-cost airline services. Interpersonal offline influences (e.g. friends, relatives, and family) have a significant effect on online repurchase intentions and WOM but do not affect e-WOM. External offline influences (e.g. media and experts), however, only affect consumer intentions to recommend future purchases of low-cost airline services on social networking travel sites and have no effect on online repurchase intentions or WOM. Findings also show that online C2C information exchanges influence attitude which, in turn, has a significant effect on repurchase intentions WOM and e-WOM.

Key Drivers of Customer Loyalty to Web 2.0 Accommodation Services: An Abstract

Online travel communities are regarded as a key communication channel for web-based marketing in the travel industry (Bilgihan et al. 2016; Filieri 2015). The aim of this paper is to gain insight on key drivers of customer loyalty to websites selling accommodation services in online travel communities. We go beyond satisfaction, taking into account emotions and social influences. This paper intends to make three contributions. Firstly, it develops a conceptual model of the relationships between emotion factors and their direct (satisfaction) and indirect (trust, attitude and loyalty) outcome variables. Secondly, although the linear relationship between satisfaction, trust and loyalty seems almost intuitive, we propose interaction with other variables (e.g. attitudes, emotions) in Web 2.0 environments can affect these relationships. Thirdly, this research suggests that social influence perspective can integrate with the relational framework, assessing the normative and voluntary role of others in consumer loyalty in 2.0 environments. We test our conceptual model using a sample of 385 Spanish active users of websites selling accommodation services, who had already used online travel communities. Data analysis shows that positive and negative emotions significantly influence loyalty formation with a pivotal effect on satisfaction, trust and attitude. Emotion factors were found to have a direct influence on consumer satisfaction with accommodation services booked through online travel communities and an indirect effect on loyalty. This research also shows that both normative and voluntary influences have a significant effect on loyalty formation. Therefore, our results indicate a greater influence of the process of identification and interactions with other community members rather than the compliance process. Managerial implications and future research lines are provided.