David G. Taylor

Privacy concern and online personalization: The moderating effects of information control and compensation

Firms have at their disposal an increasing amount of personal information about consumers gathered through various means. Studies find that personalizing online interactions improves customer relationships and increases desirable behaviors, such as positive word-of-mouth and increased purchase intent. However, other research suggests that the use of personal information stimulates privacy concern, which has a negative effect on behavior. This study examines potential moderators of the negative effects of privacy concern on behavioral intentions in the context of personalized online interactions. Results show that increasing perceived information control reduces the negative effect of privacy concern on intentions to engage in positive behaviors. In contrast, the offer of compensation has no effect on the relationship between privacy concern and these behavioral intentions. However, compensation increases the salience of trust to privacy concern.

Self-Enhancement as a Motivation for Sharing Online Advertising

ABSTRACT Marketers have long understood that consumers’ self-concepts influence the products they purchase; conversely, products purchased influence people’s self-concepts. Might the same self-enhancement framework apply in to shared online advertisements? Using the symbolic interactionist perspective of identity theory, this study empirically tests the proposition that online consumers use electronic word of mouth, and specifically the sharing of online advertising, to construct and express their self-concepts. The results suggest that self-brand congruity, entertainment value, and product category involvement increase the self-expressiveness of online ads, which then increase the likelihood of sharing those ads. These findings have both theoretical and managerial implications.

Investigating generational differences in e-WOM behaviours: For advertising purposes, does X = Y?

Marketers have generally assumed actionable differences exist between Gen X and Gen Y, particularly with regard to electronically mediated marketing. Using a mixedmethod approach, this study investigates whether generational differences exist in electronic word-of-mouth (e-WOM) behaviours. Through focus group research, attitudes and behaviours toward e-WOM were elicited from members of both generations. From these sessions, propositions were developed and tested. The findings suggest that, although there are structural differences in the media used to spread e-WOM – with Gen Y more heavily engaged with social networking media and Gen X more reliant on email – the two generations’ motivations and behaviours are strikingly similar. Few differences were found in technology skills or attitudes toward technology. Implications for marketing theory are discussed. Practical implications for managers seeking to generate e-viral ‘buzz’ are also offered.

Predicting mobile app usage for purchasing and information-sharing

Purpose – Mobile applications, or apps, are an increasingly important part of omnichannel retailing. While the adoption and usage of apps for marketing purposes has grown exponentially over the past few years, there is little academic research in this area. The purpose of this paper is to examine how the mobile phone platform (Android vs Apple iOS), interest in the app and recency of store visit affect consumers’ likelihood to use the apps for purchasing and information-sharing activities. Design/methodology/approach – The paper tests a model by analysing survey data collected from customers of a major US retailer using partial least squares regression. Findings – The analysis finds that the level of interest in a retail app is positively related to the consumers intention to engage in both purchasing and information-sharing activities. In addition, the recency of the consumers last visit to the retail store has a moderating effect on both types of activities; the more recent the last visit, the larger ...

Exploring effects of online shopping experiences on browser satisfaction and e‐tail performance

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to empirically identify categories of online shopping experiences and web site functions facilitating these experiences, and to test the effect of those experiences on browser satisfaction, conversion, and online store performance.Design/methodology/approach – Two analytical methods (survey‐based exploratory factor analysis and secondary data‐based regressions) were employed to test the mediating role of browser satisfaction between online shopping experiences and e‐tail performance for 115 top online retailers during 2006‐2008.Findings – In addition to supporting the existence of such parallel in‐store and online experiences as sensory, cognitive, pragmatic, and relational, a new type of online shopping experience (interactive/engagement) was identified. It comprises customer involvement with the online store and with friends and other shoppers via the online store interface. The mediating role of browser satisfaction in increasing sales and traffic to online stores...

Regulatory Focus and Daily-Deal Message Framing: Are We Saving or Gaining With Groupon?

Daily-deal sites such as Groupon and Living Social have seen explosive growth over the past few years, but many firms are struggling to craft effective messages that will appeal to consumers’ deal-seeking motivations. This study examines the cognitive process by which consumers interpret offers, specifically the interaction between regulatory focus and message framing. Two experiments suggest that matching regulatory focus (emphasizing nonloss for prevention-oriented individuals and gain for promotion-oriented customers) strengthens persuasion. Furthermore, the results indicate that different mechanisms operate for individuals with different chronic regulatory foci: prevention-oriented consumers tend to centrally process daily-deal offers with both compatible (prevention) and incompatible (promotion) message frames. The findings contribute to the theoretical understanding of regulatory compatibility by applying it to the online daily-deal context. In addition, it provides compelling evidence for marketers that the effectiveness of daily deals can be improved by matching the framing and arguments to different customer segments.

Message and Source Characteristics as Drivers of Digital Review Persuasiveness: Does Cultural Context Play a Role? (An Abstract)

According to recent industry reports, 90 % of global consumers read and rely on online product reviews for their decision-making, and 45 % of smartphone owners read reviews using mobile interfaces (Mintel 2015). The impact of electronic word of mouth on sales revenues and corporate reputations is also mounting (Griffith 2011). The growing popularity and influence of digital customer reviews is especially critical for services (e.g., hotels and restaurants). Existing research is (a) fragmented by product and culture contexts and (b) focused on reviews of tangible products. To address these main gaps, the current study reports the results of an experiment conducted in the USA and Ukraine that differ in their communication traditions (high context vs. low context; Hall 1976). In particular, it investigates the roles of review valence and presentation mode, as well as perceived source similarity, in shaping message attitudes and persuasiveness on mobile-optimized restaurant review platforms (Yelp for the USA and Resto for Ukraine). In the USA, an experiment was conducted among 201 (18–64 years old, 60 % undergraduate, 60 % female) students at a large public university. The demographic profile of 159 participants whose responses were retained after data cleaning was similar to that of the US sample (20–65 years old, 52 % undergraduate students, 49 % female). All respondents were randomly assigned to one of the three valence/sidedness groups (positive, negative, two-sided). Each respondent was asked to carefully read a Yelp (Resto) restaurant review and answer questions about it. The results reveal significant differences in the consumer path to adopting digital reviews in low-context vs. high-context cultures. In low-context communication environment (USA), the importance of positive message valence (positivity bias) is evident for increasing the perceptions of review on helpfulness, trustworthiness, and credibility compared to negative message valence or two-sided message framing (incorporating both pros and cons). The lower importance of two-sided reviews compared to positive reviews for message on trustworthiness, credibility, and helpfulness is an interesting finding that deserves further attention. In the high-context communication environment of Ukraine, which is transitioning from tribal (with loyalty limited to close in-groups) to individualistic culture, neither message valence nor its sidedness appears to impact consumer attitudes toward a restaurant review. These results, together with the generally lower perceptions of review on trustworthiness and credibility in all valence and sidedness conditions, may reflect the cultural tendency to not take information from weak tie networks for granted. In terms of source characteristics, perceived similarity with the reviewer positively affected attitudes toward the review (trustworthiness, credibility, and helpfulness) in all conditions (positive, negative, and two-sided) in both cultural contexts. This finding underscores the importance of exposing consumers to reviews written by those who are similar to them, possibly via offering them an opportunity to filter the reviews based on readers’ demographics or interests. Managerially, our results suggest that brands should strengthen their efforts to encourage satisfied consumers to share their opinions, since positive reviews are perceived as more helpful, trustworthy, and credible. Introducing a mechanism to expose mobile opinion seekers to reviews written by consumers similar to them in lifestyles, interests, and opinions is especially important for brands operating in high-context cultures.

(Don’t You) Wish You Were Here? Narcissism, Envy, and Sharing of Travel Photos Through Social Media: An Extended Abstract

Consumers are increasingly relying on user-generated content on social media for their awareness and subsequent decisions regarding travel destinations (Litvin et al. 2008; O’Connor 2008; Tussyadiah and Fesenmaier 2008). This user-generated content—photos, comments, narratives, and stories—is perceived by consumers to be more trustworthy and reliable compared to traditional sources of tourism information (Akehurst 2009).

‘I will if You will’: The Effect of Social Network Ties on the Adoption of Mobile Applications

This study examines the rate of diffusion and acceptance of app technology among mobile phone users; specifically, it studies the effect of strong and weak social ties on the adoption rates of apps among young adults.

Source Effects in Online Sales Situations: The Role of Avatar-Buyer (DIS)Similarity

This exploratory study investigates the role of a virtual salesperson’s (dis)similarity to an online buyer in enhancing web site sales outcomes. Our findings show that under low involvement purchase conditions, avatar’s dissimilarity to the buyer positively affects buying intentions, possibly through positive emotions due to the opposite gender attractiveness. Under high involvement conditions, avatar’s dissimilarity increases buyer cognitive effort, so that stronger sales arguments lead to higher purchase intentions, while weaker arguments lead to lower purchase intentions.