Donata Tania Vergura

The impact of store flyers on store performance: a format and customer related approach

The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of store flyer characteristics on store performance for different formats (hypermarket and supermarket) and customer segments (additional and regular shoppers). Specifically, the paper tests propositions on how flyer duration, variety of featured purchasing options, the category and brand mix on feature and the method used to communicate the deal price affect store traffic and sales. Loyalty cards and scanner data from a grocery chain covering a 52-week period indicate that optimal store flyer configuration is related to store format. Moreover, the response to flyer promotion programs varies across customer segments according to the degree of store loyalty. Implications for retailers are discussed with suggestions for future research.

Cognitive biases in private branding (an fMRI experiment of over-the-counter drugs)

The present study aims to analyze the neural mechanisms involved in private label choice by means of fMRI. The purpose is to answer the following main question: is the mental process that leads to the choice of the private label similar to that developed for the industrial brand? The experiment in the otc drugs category showed that the private label determines emotional brain activation equivalent to that of the industrial brand; that the price information increases the level of consumer concentration; that the higher the price gap between the private label and the leading brand, the greater the emotional involvement of private label purchasers; that the lower the price gap between the private label and the leading brand, the greater the emotional involvement of leading brand purchasers. The outcome can improve marketing decision process of both retailers and industrial companies.

Gamblers’ aces in the hole: the effect of erroneous cognitions on dysfunctional gambling

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate whether gambler’s cognitive errors affect gambling involvement and addiction. As the popularity of gambling has grown, questions are being raised about its excessive use and factors related to addictive behaviours. Design/methodology/approach – An online survey on 508 gamblers was conducted. Structural equation modelling was used to investigate the relationships among gambling beliefs, gambling involvement and problem gambling. Findings – Among the three sets of erroneous beliefs investigated, luck and superstition were significant predictors of both gambling involvement and the severity of gambling problems (according to the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI)), while the illusion of control showed a negative relationship with the PGSI. Moreover, gambling involvement positively affected the potential risk of disease and mediates the relationship between luck and superstition and PGSI. Research limitations/implications – Because not all cognitive di...

Product packaging and consumers’ emotional response. Does spatial representation influence product evaluation and choice?

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of different spatial representations (foreground and background) of a product image on the package on the consumer emotional state and intention to buy the product, drawing upon the construal level theory (CLT).,Two between-subjects experimental designs were conducted. A face-reading software was used to measure the emotional reactions of participants while watching the stimuli.,Empirical results showed that the foreground representation of the product, triggered by a lower perceived psychological distance between the subject and the product, generates more positive emotional responses compared to the background representation. However, the purchase intention did not significantly differ between the foreground condition and the background condition.,The study enriches the literature on CLT and provides some guidance to manufacturers and product managers for the understanding of the role of packaging in influencing consumer behaviour.,The paper contributes to the research on the presence of the product imagery on the package. The focus is shifted from the presence/absence of the picture to its position (proximal or distal). This aspect has been neglected in previous studies. Moreover, it is the first application of face reading to support CLT basic assumption and enrich extant marketing research on packaging.

Consumers’ intention to buy generic drugs: Evidences from the Italian setting

The paper aims to understand the determinants that may encourage consumer acceptance of generic drugs. In particular, attitude, perceived risk and brand sensitivity are considered as relevant predictors of the intention to buy. Moreover, the study aims to investigate: the effect of perceived risk on brand sensitivity and attitude towards generic drugs; and the mediation role of attitude and brand sensitivity in the risk-intention relationship. The proposed conceptual model was tested through structural equation modelling using data collected with an online survey from a sample of 742 people who bought drugs. All the hypothesized relationships are supported. Results contribute both theoretically and practically to the understanding of generic substitution.

Predict excessive use of Massively Multi-Player Online Role-Playing Games: The role of social anxiety and identification with the character

As the popularity of computer games has grown, questions are being raised about their excessive use and factors related to addictive behaviours. This study investigates whether social anxiety and connection with the character affect frequency of play and game dependency in Massively Multi-Player Online Role-Playing Games (MMPORGs). Furthermore, the mediating effect of identification with the character is assumed in the relationships between social anxiety and (a) frequency of play and (b) game dependency. A survey with 264 Italians who engaged in MMPORGs was conducted. Structural equation modelling was used to estimate the hypothesized relationships. The analysis confirmed that social anxiety and identification with the character play a crucial role in the development of problematic behaviours. Identification with the character also acts as a mediator in the social anxiety - game addiction relationship. The findings may improve the understanding of MMPORGs players’ behaviour and provide implications for policy makers, health professionals and marketers to encourage and promote responsible online gaming.

Consumer Responses to Explicit Sexual Stimuli in Advertising: Artistic vs Provocative Style

This study extends prior research on sexual appeal advertising by developing a model of consumer responses to explicit sexual stimuli conveyed through different expressive styles (artistic versus provocative). A between-subjects experimental design (N=369) was conducted. The theoretical model includes ad-, brand- and behaviour-related variables. Structural equation modelling was used to estimate the hypothesized relationships. Findings reveal that the use of an artistic format stimulates a better response than the use of images in merely provocative poses. From a female consumer perspective, all paths were positive and significant when exposed to the artistic nudity stimuli, with the only exception of the positive emotions-purchase intention relationship. Results suggest a moderating role of the mode of representing sexual images on attitude-intention relationships. From a male consumer perspective, the response was similar, but any effect was present between attitude towards the advertisement and purchase intention. Support was found for a moderating influence of expressive styles on positive emotion-attitude towards the brand relationship. The paper sheds new lights on the way explicit sexual stimuli can be represented, offering a contribution to improving the communication effectiveness of products and brands that exploit sexual stimuli.

Le componenti della fedeltà all’insegna nel retail grocery: un modello multidimensionale

L’articolo propone un modello multidimensionale di fedelta all’insegna di retail grocery in cui le sue componenti - cognitiva, affettiva, conativa e comportamentale - sono legate in sequenza causale. Al contempo, l’atteggiamento verso l’insegna e fattore che agisce in via diretta, oltre che mediata, sulla fedelta comportamentale. Il contributo chiarisce pertanto la concettualizzazione del costrutto di customer loyalty analizzando il ruolo delle sue componenti e le relazioni tra le stesse. Il modello e testato applicando la tecnica SEM ai dati raccolti somministrando un questionario strutturato ad un ampio campione di acquirenti in-store. I risultati suffragano la bonta del modello ed offrono spunti di riflessione sul piano delle implicazioni teoriche e manageriali di marketing.

Consumer Mobility among Store Formats in the Apparel Sector: An Empirical Research

The study investigates consumer mobility among store formats in the apparel purchasing process. The aim is to relate the number of visited store formats with a set of consumer characteristics. The results of a survey conducted with a sample of 951 consumers indicate that only some demand-related characteristics impact on consumer mobility. Among the socio-demographic characteristics, only the employment status significantly affects the number of store formats. Moreover, the type of preferred format and willingness toward discounts are also important for mobility. The managerial implications are discussed with directions for future research.