Diego Costa Pinto

“Man, I shop like a woman!” The effects of gender and emotions on consumer shopping behaviour outcomes

Purpose – Research suggests that women demonstrate higher levels of shopping satisfaction, recommendation, return intentions, and hedonic shopping than men. However, is it possible to reduce the effects of gender on shopping behaviour? The purpose of this paper is to explore how the interaction between gender and emotions affects consumers’ shopping behaviour outcomes. Design/methodology/approach – Two studies show the effects of gender and emotions on shopping behaviour outcomes. Study 1 is a field experiment that tests the effects of gender and emotions (positive vs neutral) on consumer satisfaction, recommendation, and return intentions. Study 2 is a laboratory experiment that explores the effects of gender and emotions (positive, neutral, and negative) on hedonic shopping. Findings – Results demonstrate that positive (vs neutral) emotions increase shopping behaviour outcomes for men, to reach the same level as for women. The findings also indicate that retail environment perception mediates the effect...

Running for pleasure or performance? How store attributes and hedonic product value influence consumer satisfaction

Abstract Previous retailing studies have linked consumer satisfaction to perceived hedonic or utilitarian product value. This research extends previous studies by examining how the context in which the product is purchased (store attributes) and product value influence consumer satisfaction. We conducted a field study with 213 consumers attending two major running events. The findings from structural equation modelling suggest that a specific combination of store attributes (tangible and intangible) and hedonic product value has a positive influence on satisfaction. Results also show that tangible store attributes have a stronger positive impact on utilitarian (vs. hedonic) product value, and that intangible store attributes have a positive impact on hedonic product value. However, we found that only hedonic product value has a positive impact on satisfaction. This research contributes to theory by showing that a match between store attributes (tangible and intangible) and hedonic product value can positively influence satisfaction. In managerial terms, the findings provide insights on how to improve consumer satisfaction in retail environments through store attributes and hedonic product value.

Saving the Planet or Saving the Brand? How Brand Strength Influences Consumers’ Perceptions of Brand Sustainability

Sustainability actions, such as ecolabels, are increasingly prevalent among companies. However, relatively little is known about consumer response to these actions for brands. The authors propose that the degree to which ecolabels enhance consumers’ perceptions of brand sustainability depends on brand strength (i.e., the differential effect of brand knowledge on consumer response to the brand). Two studies demonstrate that brand strength changes the impact of ecolabels on consumers’ perceptions of brand sustainability and purchase intentions. The findings suggest that consumers use ecolabels as cue for brand sustainability for weak brands (i.e., brands without significant positive brand equity), but not for strong brands (i.e., brands with significant positive brand equity). In addition, results suggest that sustainability mediates purchase intentions, but these effects are stronger for weak brands than for strong brands.