Carlota Lorenzo-Romero

Effects of web experience on consumer choice: a multicultural approach

Purpose – This paper seeks to analyze the buying behavior of internet users in two European countries with different cultural backgrounds, Spain and The Netherlands, assessing the influence of online experience factors on the choice of an internet vendor. It also aims to identify and compare the influence of personal and behavioral characteristics on the e-vendor choice. Design/methodology/approach – The study simulated a realistic virtual shopping activity in the computer laboratory; participants had to complete an online shopping assignment and an online questionnaire. Findings – The findings indicate that the basic traits of the online consumer behavior of internet users in the two countries are quite similar. Most of the disparities observed are attributed to different levels of experience with the internet as a commercial channel. Research limitations/implications – The outcome could suggest the emergence of a global virtual village, an issue worthy of further research but also of particular importance for global web vendors and website designers. The basic limitation of the study is that it is conducted in only two European countries and refers only to online purchasing of a standardized tangible consumer product. Practical implications – The findings of the study can be translated to web design guidelines useful to online organizations operating in different cultural or ethnic environments. Originality/value – The paper presents one of the first studies comparing the influence of online experience factors in two culturally different countries.

Internet and User-Generated Content Versus High Street Travel Agencies: A Latent Gold Segmentation in the Context of Italy

This study aims at profiling Italian consumers based on their views for and against disintermediation along with the extent to which user-generated content (UGC), rather than information provided by high street travel agencies, influences their choices. A web-based survey was carried out and a convenience sample of 1,699 complete questionnaires was obtained. Latent gold segmentation was applied to three factors identified by running exploratory factor analysis on a list of 12 statements used to investigate the respondents’ views toward the topic of disintermediation and UGC. Three clusters were identified: “lookers,” “moderate bookers,” and “bookers.” A chi-square test shows that significant differences exist between the three clusters based on age, education, income, and the extent to which they change accommodation suggested by a travel agent after having read UGC. Contributions to the body of knowledge and managerial implications are discussed and suggestions for further research are given.

Adoption of social networking sites by Italian

Social networking sites (SNS) have becoming a mass phenomenon, positioning as one of the most popular online means of communication. So, they have appeared as new communication tools between people and organizations. Due to the growing importance of SNS and the many advantages offered to companies, the main objective of this research is to study the adoption and use of SNS by Italian users, on the basis of a technology acceptance model by adding the trust and perceived risk variables, as they are essential when uncertainty is present. Results support the positive relationships and influences between variables from an extended technology acceptance model. Some practical implications are exposed to explain the importance of the adoption of SNS by users for business sector.

Social networking sites as business tool: a study of user behavior

Social Networking Sites (SNS) are second generation web applications allowing the creation of personal online networks; the social networking domain has become one of the fastest growing online environments connecting hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Businesses are increasingly interested in SNS as sources of customer voice and market information but are also increasingly interested in the SNS as the domain where promising marketing tactics can be applied; SNS can be also used as business process management (BPM) tools due to powerful synergies between BPM and SNS. Marketers have various options: SNS can be engaged as tools of customer engagement, social interaction, and relationship building but also as channels of information, collaboration and promotion. Understanding the adoption motives and adoption process of these applications is an essential step in engaging the SNS as part of the marketing toolbox.

Social media as marketing strategy: an explorative study on adoption and use by retailers

Purpose — This study examines a cross section of the Spanish retailing branch on the adoption and use of Social Media tools, identifying users and nonusers and their impact on management experiences. The use of 2.0 technologies has also been analyzed based on company size. Methodology — An online survey among 90 Spanish retailers provides a number of interesting insights in the adoption rates, the facilitating and disruptive factors in the adoption process, the types of applications used by retailers, and their experiences from them. Prior to filling in the online questionnaires, the recipients were contacted by phone and were informed about the study. A Chi-square analysis has been carried out to contrast the suggested research questions. Findings — Retailers using Social Media as part of their marketing strategy use most social applications for customer-related purposes and see clear benefits in improving customer relations, market communication, improving their after-sales services, and obtaining customer feedback and customer information. Although many differences do not exist between large, medium, and small companies, it is remarkable that large companies use social web tools as branding and small companies as customer service. Research limitations — The main problem of this study has been the low recruitment of answers by retailers. Practical and social implications — Customers are using such technologies in overwhelming numbers and a substantial part of the customer generated content in Social Media is about brands, businesses, and products. Having a good idea about the customer dialog online can provide businesses with very valuable information and help them understand market trends but also identify potential areas of danger and problems. Originality/value of chapter — The adoption of Social Media tools is a topic much studied from demand perspective. Nevertheless, the application to business and, specifically, retailing sector is less analyzed. With this study we pretend to improve this research line from offer perspective.

Determinants of use of social media tools in retailing sector

The adoption of Social Media as part of organizational processes has been explosive during the last years. While decisions related to the adoptions of such technologies seem to be taken under competitive pressure there is little known as to the management attitudes and perceptions in the use of these technologies. The purpose of this article is to study factors affecting the acceptance of Social Media as a business strategy by Spanish retailers. A model that explains the adoption of Social Media tools has been created, on the basis of a technology acceptance model by adding the perceived strategic value, generating an extended model useful for academics and practitioners. The results confirm the central role played by the perceived ease of use of Web 2.0 in the process of its adoption as a business tool.

Profiling tourists based on their perceptions of the trustworthiness of different types of peer-to-peer applications

This research profiles tourists based on the extent to which they trust user-generated content (UGC) uploaded in different types of peer-to-peer applications, also considering their socio-demographic characteristics, frequency of travel and motivations for using the Internet and UGC when making their travel choices. For this purpose, latent class segmentation was applied on a sample of 609 Italian tourists and three different clusters were identified, namely: “distrustful tourists”, “untrusted tourists” and “social web tourists”. The findings suggest that hospitality marketers should improve their social media strategy by focusing their attention on Travel 2.0 applications according to the socio-demographic and behavioural characteristics of their target market.

Effects of utilitarian and hedonic atmospheric dimensions on consumer responses in an online shopping environment

As in physical environments, one of the most important research topics is related to the effects of the characteristics of these new interactive virtual environments on different dimensions of human behaviour. This is particularly relevant in the case of consumer shopping behaviour on the internet. In this line, research on webmosphere, and specifically, the impact of utilitarian and hedonic atmospheric dimensions on shopper responses, is an interesting topic to study the more appropriate designs of website to improve the benefits of e-tailers. According to background literature, our research is focused on a 2×2 experimental study in order to analyse the effects of two different atmospheric web conditions (navigational structure -“guided hierarchical e-pathway” vs. “free network”- and music -“non-music” vs. “music”-) on internal and behavioural consumer responses within an online shopping situation. A website and a tracking behaviour methodology for a fictitious apparel retailer have been developed. Our results show that if web marketers design stores with freedom of movement during navigation and adequate music for their customers, they could be able to generate more positive responses on econsumers (satisfaction and approach responses), and in turn, improve their online sales.

Segmenting the social networking sites users: an empirical study

The growth of social networking sites (SNS) presents businesses and marketers with risks and challenges. Customers become sophisticated, empowered and increasingly involved in shaping of the marketing offer. Marketers are becoming aware of the threat of losing control over their message but also begin to realise the potential of SNS as marketing tools; understanding the nature of the SNS users and the way they interact online is a vital step in developing business strategies targeting and engaging the networked consumer. The paper presents an explorative survey on the demographics, background, adoption motives and behaviour of SNS users as bases for the identification of segments in this market. The survey, held among SNS users in The Netherlands, identifies four distinctive user profiles of social networking users. The paper presents the results of the survey, discusses the management implications of the findings and identifies areas of future research.

Analyzing the User-Generated Content on Disintermediation Effect: A Latent Segmentation Study of Bookers and Lookers

This study analyzes the perceptions of different groups of consumers for and against the disintermediation of travel agencies also considering the relative power in influencing the tourist’s choices exerted by user generated-content (UGC). A web-based survey is carried out in Spain and 961complete questionnaires was obtained. A latent segmentation was applied on factors identified running an exploratory factor analysis on a list of 16 statements, the use and frequency of use of the Internet to make hotel reservations, if consumers are bookers or lookers, and they have changed hotel reservations after having read UGC. Findings revealed that different clusters exist based on the identified factors and aforementioned variables, and that significant differences between these clusters based on sociodemographic characteristics, their behaviour in using the Internet for searching for information and/or buying, and the extent to which they change the accommodation that had been suggested by a travel agent after having read UGC