Francesca De Canio

Does PDO/PGI Labels Contribute to Consumers’ Intention to Buy Premium Private Labels Products? An Empirical Survey

The paper focuses on a specific Premium Private Label (PPL), featured by a double branding: the retailer premium brand and the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO)/Protected Geographic Indication (PGI) label. Specifically, the study investigates if the use of an EU quality label might contribute in enhancing the intention to buy the PPL (PPLINTB), through the mediating role of PPL perceived quality (PPLQ) and attitude towards PPL products (PPLATT). The paper contributes to the literature on store brands and quality labels giving empirical evidence to the positive impact of EU quality labels on the PPL. The role of PDO/PGI labels is evaluated through three constructs: the brand guarantee they offer (PDO/PGILG), their role as products supporting the local economy (ES), their perception as authentic local products (AUT).

Is the collaborative consumption the new buying? Social and economic aspects influencing collaborative consumption

Collaborative consumption is becoming a phenomenon of great interest for both scholars, marketers and public institutions. The spread of peer-to-peer sharing platforms allows consumers to acquire products and services in alternative ways. This aspect is redesigning a number of sectors, such as transport and accommodation marketplaces with the spread of new business models that provide consumers with both economic (financial) and social (socialization, sustainable consumption) benefits. Albeit in presence of an extensive emerging literature on the collaborative consumption phenomenon, the effect of social and economic benefits on the usage of collaborative products and services is lacking. Thus, using a Structural Equation Model, tested on 385 Italian collaborative users, this study aims at identifying antecedents of sharing intention (sustainable consumption and consumers’ innovativeness) and of the intention to use Blablacar (social and economic benefits). Furthermore, the direct relationship between the two intentions is examined. Implications are discussed.

Premium Private Labels and PDO/PGI Products: Effects on Customer Loyalty

The paper analyses the role that Premium Private Labels (PPLs) exerts on customer loyalty to the retailer, intended as behavioral and attitudinal. Specifically, the study investigates the mediating role of customer loyalty to the PPL (PPLL), highlighting its main antecedents. The paper contributes to the literature on store brands and customer loyalty in a twofold way. Firstly, it responds to the call for more research on customer loyalty to the retailer as a brand, a topic requiring more empirical evidence compared to store loyalty. Secondly, as many PPLs consist in local products labelled with a PDO/PGI brand too as vehicle to increase the perceived value of this store brand tier, the study would investigate the impact of this brand guarantee on PPLs proneness.

Who Is the Social Coupon Shopper? Understanding the Drivers of Social Coupon Adoption: An Extended Abstract

Marketing literature has investigated coupons as tools that support customer acquisition and trial of new products for a long time now (Blattberg and Neslin 1989). With the advent of the Internet, coupons have become digital and major retailers and consumer goods manufacturers offer them online. E-coupon websites are platforms that enable consumers to browse through numerous product and service categories and download coupons that appeal to their preferences (Fortin 2000). As a result, consumers are encouraged to self-tailor promotions and discounts. Hence, redemption rates for e-coupons are expected to be higher because coupons will be user-requested (Fortin 2000).

Beyond the "mobile versus PC" dichotomy: Profiling online shoppers based on device usage

Availability of a growing number of devices for information searching and purchasing online is affecting consumer habits and company strategies. This paper investigates device usage patterns in the online Deal of the Day (DoD) shopping process. The study employs a cluster analysis of respondents based on their device usage. Four clusters emerge and are profiled by means of a benefits and costs approach based on demographic and psychographic characteristics. Multi-device behaviours for information search and DoD purchasing and multi-device behaviours are found to be dominant. Smartphone exclusive users display higher purchase frequency than multi-device segments. Tablet and smartphone users are found to be Market Mavens. Several implications for marketers are discussed.

Retail Brand Extension: The Moderating Role of Product Knowledge

The paper examines consumers’ perceptions of grocery retail brand extension to a non-traditional offer, namely petrol stations. Retail brand extension literature is limited, particularly as regards new products and services domains in which grocery retailers are increasingly directly operating through their brands. Additionally, the role of product knowledge as a moderator of the attitude-purchase intention relationship requires further insights. To these aims, we propose a model in which product knowledge (PK) is tested as a moderator of the relationship between attitude towards the extension (ATEX) and intention to buy the extended product (INTB). At the same time, we tested the role of ATEX as mediator of the impact of a series of antecedents—conceptual fit (FIT), national brand preference (NBP), risk (R) and resources and competences (R&C). A survey on a sample of grocery retail customers was performed administering a structured questionnaire. Then, data were processed applying Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The conceptual model achieves good predictive validity and all the proposed hypotheses are supported. Some preliminary theoretical and managerial implications are derived.

The smartphoners: consumer segmentation by smartphone usage

Smartphone usage is becoming an integral part of consumers’ lifestyle. Over 50% of the worldwide population own at least one smartphone and the adoption of mobile technologies have reshaped the boundaries between online and offline. This study aims to segment consumers by means of activities they perform on personal mobile phones. By analysing 264 online questionnaires and using ten smartphones’ functionalities, we identify five main Smartphoners’ profiles: Utility Users, Gamers, Unfriendly Users, Moderator Users and Supersmartphoners. Differences between smartphone users in terms of age, gender and area of residence, as well as brand of the smartphone owned, hours of usage and reasons to use have been investigated. Managerial and academic implications have been discussed.

Extending the Retail Brand to Non-traditional Products

This study focuses on retail brand extension from the consumer perspective when non-traditional products—in this case over-the-counter pharmaceuticals—are offered with the private label brand. A model in which attitude towards the extension (ATE) mediates the impact of some antecedents—national brand preference (NBP), trust towards the retailer (T), fit (FIT), private label knowledge (PLK) and consumer innovativeness (INN)—impacting the intention to purchase the extended PL brand (INTB) is proposed and tested. Direct effects regarding NBP and FIT are tested too. 500 questionnaires were collected from a sample of retail customers. Structural equation modeling serves to test the hypotheses. The model shows a good fit and the hypotheses are supported—except for INN.