Ronald E. Goldsmith

Measuring Consumer Innovativeness

The development of a self-report scale to measure domain specific consumer innovativeness is described. A major problem faced by researchers interested in the diffusion of innovations has been the difficulty in measuring the innovativeness construct in a reliable and valid way. Several operationalizations have been proposed and are commonly used, yet none has received substantial evidence supporting its reliability and validity. A series of six studies describes the development and evaluation of a six-item, self-report scale to measure innovativeness within a specific domain of interest familiar to the consumer. The scale is shown to be easy to administer, highly reliable and valid, and adaptable across domains.

Opinion leaders and opinion seekers: Two new measurement scales

The authors describe the development and validation of multiple-item self-report scales to measure opinion leadership and opinion seeking for specific product or service domains. The concepts of opinion leadership and opinion seeking are defined, previous attempts to measure them are critiqued, and the scale development process is described. Five separate studies using data from 1,128 student and adult respondents provide ample evidence for the unidimensionality, the reliability, and the construct and criterion-related validity of the resulting scales. Finally, implications for consumer theory and marketing practice are discussed.

A Short, Reliable Measure of Subjective Knowledge

Abstract Consumer knowledge is important both to theoretical models of consumer behavior and to marketing practice. There are three distinct but related ways in which consumer knowledge is conceptualized and measured: objective knowledge, subjective knowledge, and experience. This paper describes the development and validation of a short, reliable, and valid self-report measure of subjective knowledge that is applicable to a variety of data collection methods and subject areas. It can be used to test consumer theories and in practical applications. Multiple studies using data from 1,178 subjects show that the scale is unidimensional, internally consistent, valid, free from methodological confounds, and easy to use.

Status Consumption in Consumer Behavior: Scale Development and Validation

This paper describes the development and validation of a short, reliable, and valid self-report scale to measure status consumption, the tendency to purchase goods and services for the status or social prestige that they confer on their owners. Items were written to reflect the conceptual meaning of the construct. Six studies were conducted to purify the scale and demonstrate its unidimensionality, internal consistency, validity, and freedom from response bias. The resultant scale measures an individual difference construct distinct from social class or materialism. Differences in self-reported status consumption are also shown to be positively correlated with ownership of brands reputed to be higher in status than competing brands.

Measuring Motivations for Online Opinion Seeking

ABSTRACT Online interpersonal influence or electronic word-of-mouth (“eWOM”) is an important aspect of ecommerce. Consumers give and seek opinions online in much the same way as they do offline, thereby affecting the sales of many goods and services. To further the understanding of eWOM, the present study used data from a survey of 309 consumers to develop a 32-item self-report scale measuring consumer motivations for online opinion seeking. This study revealed eight distinct factors. Consumers seek the opinions of others online to reduce their risk, because others do it, to secure lower prices, to get information easily, by accident (unplanned), because it is cool, because they are stimulated by off-line inputs such as TV, and to get pre-purchase information. A second study using data from 109 consumers showed that: (1) the scales measuring these motivations are free from social desirability response bias and acquiescence, (2) other consumers’ information is more important than advertising, and (3) consumers are likely to continue to seek WOM online, thereby confirming its importance in ecommerce.

The development of a scale to measure perceived corporate credibility

Abstract This paper describes the development and validation of a short, reliable, and valid self-report scale designed to measure corporate credibility or the amount of expertise and trustworthiness that consumers perceive in a corporation. Corporate credibility is thus conceptualized as a type of source credibility focused on a specific corporation as the maker of a product and/or the source of advertising and of other marketing communications. Empirical research into the antecedents, correlates, and consequences of perceived corporate credibility has been hindered by the lack of a reliable and valid measure. Five studies using data from a total of 864 subjects are described detailing the development and validation of an eight-item, Likert-type scale containing two dimensions: expertise and trustworthiness. Evidence is presented attesting to the scales dimensionality, reliability, and validity.

THE DUAL CREDIBILITY MODEL: THE INFLUENCE OF CORPORATE AND ENDORSER CREDIBILITY ON ATTITUDES AND PURCHASE INTENTIONS

This study proposes a theory of the combined influence of corporate and endorser credibility. Participants assessed the credibility of the companies and spokespersons as well as their attitudes toward the ads and brands, and their intent to purchase the advertised product. The covariance matrix was subjected to a path analysis. The model fit the data, and the findings corroborated prior research indicating that both types of source credibility have an impact on attitudes and purchase intentions albeit a differential one. The results suggest that the Dual Credibility Model partially predicts and explains advertising effectiveness for these dual sources of credibility.

Identifying Innovators in Consumer Product Markets

Describes the use of a short, valid, reliable self‐report scale to measure consumer innovativeness. Suitable for mail questionnaire or personal interview, this six‐item, Likert‐type scale enables marketers and researchers to identify accurately the potential earliest buyers in a specific product‐market category. Used a survey of 135 adult women to show how the scale performs by giving valuable insights into the fashionable clothing market.

The generality/specificity issue in consumer innovativeness research

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to explore the role of personality in shaping consumer innovativeness by testing a model of the hierarchical relationships between a global (broad or abstract) personality trait, its domain-specific manifestation in a consumer context, and overt consumer behavior. A survey of 465 adult consumers measured global innovativeness, domain-specific innovativeness for two product categories (clothing and electronics) and self-reported purchase of new clothing and electronic items. Three hypotheses were tested. First, global innovativeness is more highly correlated with domain-specific innovativeness than it is with the purchase of new items. Second, domain-specific innovativeness is more highly correlated with the purchase of new items than is global innovativeness. Finally, the association between global innovativeness and new product purchase is mediated by domain-specific innovativeness. All three hypotheses were supported for both product categories.

Explaining and Predicting Consumer Intention to Purchase Over the Internet: An Exploratory Study

This study tested a model that organizes and presents factors that lead consumers to buy online. The model contained four explanatory variables (generalized innovativeness, innovativeness toward online buying, involvement with the Internet, and frequency of Internet use) and two response variables (amount of past purchasing done over the Internet and likelihood of future online purchase). A sample of 107 undergraduates reported their Internet-related attitudes and behaviors in the context of a longitudinal survey of purchasing behavior. Path analysis showed that a slightly modified model fit the data well. Frequency of online buying and intent to buy online in the future were predicted by general innovativeness, an innovative predisposition toward buying online, and involvement with the Internet. Thus, these appear to be important predictors of online buying that can help profile consumers for marketing strategy.