Paul W. Ballantine

Atmospheric cues and their effect on the hedonic retail experience

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of atmospherics in the creation of an hedonic retail experience by comparing the perceived differences between a retail environment attempting to provide an hedonic experience and one with a more utilitarian focus.Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative methodology was employed, using protocol analysis and in‐depth semi‐structured interviews that were conducted with ten participants.Findings – The paper highlights several atmospheric cues and their influence on the hedonic retail experience. The first category of cues – attractive stimuli – were those cues that attracted attention, exciting the participant and eliciting approach behaviours. The second category – facilitating stimuli – included those cues that were necessary in order to facilitate product engagement.Originality/value – The paper provides a broad categorisation of atmospheric cues, providing factors that shop designers can be aware of when creating a store with the hedonic exper...

Examining temporary disposition and acquisition in peer-to-peer renting

Abstract This study examines the nature of temporary disposition and acquisition in the context of online peer-to-peer (P2P) renting. Although renting is becoming increasingly popular, little is known about the phenomenon as practised between peers. P2P renting is a form of non-ownership access that enables renters to temporarily access goods, but also provides those that rent the ability to temporarily dispose of their possessions. Theoretically driven thematic analysis identifies that P2P renting is characterised as a self-service exchange with extensive co-creation and a balanced market-mediated exchange involving short-term intermittent transactions driven by a desire for community, inspired by political consumerism. However, fear of negative reciprocity, the high-involvement nature of the transaction, limited access to products and the inflexible nature of P2P rental sites impede the practice. Having a better understanding of current attitudes towards P2P renting may help with the design of future online P2P systems.

Restaurant Manager and Halal Certification in Malaysia

Halal certification at restaurants ensures that foods are served according to Islamic dietary laws. Halal means permitted or lawful or fit for consumption. The purpose of this study is to explore the attributes of halal certification among Malaysian restaurant managers. A national mail survey was conducted on 2,080 respondents along with 33 interviews in 4 selected states and in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur. The results indicate that restaurant managers have high expectations toward halal certification as it signifies attributes such as trust, safety, hygiene, and also perceived by participants as an important aspect in the food service industry.

A conceptual model of the holistic effects of atmospheric cues in fashion retailing

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how the holistic atmospheric cues encountered in a retail environment contribute to the creation of a retail experience. The interaction between these cues, and how they impact on the various stages of the retail experience is also explored. Design/methodology/approach – A qualitative methodology was employed, using protocol analysis and in-depth semi-structured interviews that were conducted with 18 participants. Data were collected in the context of the women’s fashion sector. Findings – The findings highlight the importance of store owners ensuring atmospheric cues create a store image congruent with their target market’s self-image. A model is also developed which highlights how atmospheric cues are able to affect successive stages of the retail experience. Originality/value – This paper provides a holistic understanding of how retail atmospheric cues are able to influence the overall retail experience; from how a retail store is initially evaluated th...

The effects of review valence in organic versus sponsored blog sites on perceived credibility, brand attitude, and behavioural intentions

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to understand the differences between organic (i.e. naturally occurring) and sponsored (i.e. marketer influenced) consumer-generated blog reviews, by examining how blog source and review valence can impact upon perceived credibility, brand attitude, and behavioural intentions. Design/methodology/approach – This study used an online experiment, where participants were randomly assigned to one of six conditions in a 2 (blog source) × 3 (review valence) between-subjects factorial design. Findings – The findings indicate that balanced reviews are perceived to be the most credible. Negative reviews led to the lowest ratings on brand attitude and purchase intention, while positive reviews led to the highest ratings on these two constructs. However, the effects of review valence were not found to differ based upon whether a blog was organic or sponsored. Originality/value – The findings of this study extend and contribute to the knowledge of the impact of source and valence...

Country-of-origin and private-label merchandise

Abstract This research examines the impact of country-of-origin (COO) perceptions on store brands and store ownership. Online grocery shoppers were subjected to a series of manipulations involving: (a) product type – national brand or store brand; (b) product source – including local or foreign, and culturally close or culturally distant; and (c) store ownership. We find that store brands benefit from being locally sourced, and benefit further if the store is also locally owned, in terms of risk, quality, and value perceptions. If a brand is to be foreign sourced, it is preferable for it to come from a country recognised as culturally close to the seller country. Being the first study to look at the impact of COO effects on store brands, our paper offers insights about how management should take advantage of local sourcing and ownership, or put in place marketing efforts to counter negative COO effects.

The effects of interactivity and product information on consumers' emotional responses to an online retail setting

This study examined how two aspects of an online shopping environment can influence the emotional states of consumers, and how these emotions subsequently affect their intentions to purchase products online. A web-based experiment (using a 3 × 3 between-subjects factorial design) was conducted, where respondents were exposed to a simulated online retail store. A total of 360 responses were collected from web users. The two independent variables examined were level of interactivity and amount of information. Emotion was measured using the two emotional states of pleasure and arousal. Results suggest that a linear relationship exists between the level of interactivity provided by an online store and pleasure. Moreover, pleasure (and in some cases arousal) was found to be a significant predictor of the likelihood that a consumer would purchase products online.

Changes in retail shopping behaviour in the aftermath of an earthquake

Christchurch, the second largest city in New Zealand with a pre-earthquake population of 376,700, was rattled by two major earthquakes in a span of 6 months from September 2010. With significant loss of life, collapsed buildings and damaged infrastructure, consumers were confronted with the notion that retail spaces, in the event of an earthquake, had the potential to be unsafe and a source of potential personal harm. This paper presents the results of a qualitative study that explored how consumers modified their retail shopping behaviour following a sequence of earthquake events over the 2010/2011 timeframe in Christchurch, New Zealand. Participants discussed a range of issues, including their experiences with the earthquakes, and the changes they had to make to their shopping activities in order to adapt to their new circumstances. The findings of this study have implications for any setting where shoppers are affected by unexpected events beyond their control and where an impression of personal danger suddenly becomes associated with their day-to-day shopping activities.

The gifts we buy for children

Purpose – This paper aims to explore the topic of gift‐giving to children, highlighting some of the issues that provide insight into how consumers might be making their choices.Design/methodology/approach – A total of 285 personal interviews were conducted using a structured questionnaire. All participants were aged 18 or over, and had purchased a gift for a child aged under‐13 within the previous three months.Findings – The findings of this study are that kinship, gender of the buyer, and the presence of siblings are related to the type of gift bought, including how traditional or contemporary it is, how educational it is, and whether the gift is reflective of the childs personality.Practical implications – Understanding the purchasing behavior of shoppers giving gifts to children allows marketers to participate in important stages in societal development.Originality/value – This paper provides insight into the purchasing behavior of consumers when buying gifts for children.

Socio-Technical Transitions and Institutional Change: Addressing Obesity through Macro-Social Marketing

Obesity, climate change and poverty are some of the most serious health, environmental and social issues of the 21st century. Current initiatives to address these wicked issues typically focus on the individual and community, with social marketing being a common tool. However, the effectiveness of social marketing in helping to combat these wicked issues has been mixed at best. We use the multi-level perspective on socio-technical transitions (MLP) to further our understanding of how macro-social marketing might be used to address the wicked problem of obesity. In doing so, we further conceptualize how formal and informal institutions might contribute to the emerging field of macro-social marketing.