Sandra Forsythe

Cross‐cultural consumer values, needs and purchase behavior

This study examined the relationship of consumer values, needs and purchase behavior in two Asian consumer markets, China and South Korea. Between self‐directed values and social affiliation values, self‐directed values were the underlying determinant of needs to be satisfied by apparel products. Among the three types of needs identified to be satisfied through apparel (i.e. experiential, social and functional needs), experiential needs were the most important needs that influenced apparel purchases of female consumers in both Asian markets. Consumers in both country markets exhibited brand loyal behavior in apparel purchases, fulfilling all three needs. However, actualization patterns of each need through brand loyal behavior differed between the two consumer samples. While for brand‐loyal Chinese consumers experiential image was the most important aspect of the branded apparel appeal to female consumers, social image with performance quality assurance was a more important feature of the branded apparel appeal to consumers in Korea. Implications for brand image management for international markets were discussed.

Factors affecting adoption of product virtualization technology for online consumer electronics shopping

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the factors affecting the adoption of product virtualization technology (PVT) for online shopping small consumer electronics by applying a modified electronic technology acceptance model (e‐TAM) and tested model invariance male/female shoppers in the overall adoption process.Design/methodology/approach – Online surveys are completed by a US national panel of online shoppers. The data are analyzed using single‐ and multiple‐group structural equation modelling.Findings – The results provide empirical support for e‐TAM in the context of PVT acceptance for online small consumer electronics shopping. In addition, two external constructs – technology anxiety (TA) and innovativeness (INN) – show significant influences on the beliefs (perceived usefulness, ease‐of‐use and entertainment value). There is no significant gender difference in the overall adoption process of PVT.Research limitations/implications – More specific consumer characteristics such as time‐...

Shopping Enjoyment, Perceived Time Poverty, and Time Spent Shopping

The purpose of this study was to propose an enjoyment-based motivational framework for shopping behavior research. The effects of shopping enjoyment, perceived time poverty, and selected demographic variables on the amount of time spent shopping among employed customers of a large Midwest retail firm were investigated. Analysis of covariance was used to analyze the simultaneous effect of the classification and measurement variables on time spent shopping. The factors affecting time spent shopping were found to be complex and interrelated. Significant main and interaction effects were found for shopping enjoyment, marital status, and age. Shopping enjoyment was positively related to time spent shopping; however, the effect of shopping enjoyment was mediated by marital status. The findings did show that shopping enjoyment is a viable motivational construct influencing time allocation to shopping and provided support for extending traditional utility maximization models to include shopping enjoyment.

Post‐adoption online shopping continuance

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine post‐adoption usage of the internet as a shopping channel. It aims to examine the effects of innovation attributes on post‐adoption shopping behaviours to determine whether factors predicting initial adoption will be effective in predicting post‐adoption. It also aims to examine the links between two usage patterns (purchasing experience product versus search product) and online shopping continuance. The paper also seeks to compare strength of identified links among innovation attributes, online purchase behaviors and online shopping continuance.Design/methodology/approach – An online survey of a national sample of online shoppers identifies online purchase behaviours for search and purchase goods; data are analysed using structural equation modelling to test the proposed model and the hypotheses.Findings – The analysis finds support for the proposed research model and indicates that experience product purchasing has the most salient effect on online shopp...

Sustaining Online Shopping: Moderating Role of Online Shopping Motives

This research tests the effects of Technology Acceptance Model factors (usefulness, enjoyment, and ease of use) on the use of the online channel for information search and online purchase in the post-adoption context. By applying the Prospect Theory and introducing the concept of motivational approach–avoidance conflict, this research also examines the moderating role of the simultaneous online shopping motives of pursuing benefits and avoiding risks in online shopping behaviors. Multi-group comparisons across shoppers with high/low motivational conflict (benefit perceivers vs. risk perceivers) show that online shopping motives limit the predicting power of the Technology Acceptance Model in the post-adoption context. Theoretical and practical implications are provided.

Effect of Clothing Masculinity on Perceptions of Managerial Traits: Does Gender of the Perceiver Make a Difference?

Four groups of marketing students (N=91) viewed color videotapes of four women interviewing for a middle management position, rated each applicant on five management characteristics, and made hiring recommendations for each applicant. The four applicants were videotaped in each offour costumes representing four levels of masculinity. Analysis of variance was used to estimate the effect of costume, person, gender of the respondent, and possible interactions on perception of management characteristics and on hiring decisions. The results showed that masculinity of clothing had a positive effect on (a) the perception of management characteristics, and (b) favorability of hiring decisions. Although gender differences were not statistically significant, females tended to rate the applicants as more forceful and self-reliant and were more likely to hire than were males.

Beyond adoption: sustaining online shopping

The purpose of this research was (1) to determine whether beliefs (relative advantage, enjoyment, and risk) about using the online channel that influence the channels initial adoption similarly impact sustained use of the channel, (2) to identify the most salient factor(s) influencing each type of sustained usage, and (3) to examine effects of e-tail attributes (functional performance and shopping incentive) on sustained online channel usage among consumers who have adopted the channel. A research model explaining sustained use of the online channel was developed, and research hypotheses were proposed. A national sample of online consumers was surveyed to obtain data. Structural equation modeling was applied to test the proposed model and hypotheses. Findings show that beliefs about the channel do impact continued use of the online channel differently. E-tail attributes indirectly impact continued usage as mediated through beliefs about using the channel. Theoretical and practical implications are provided.

Adoption of dynamic product imagery for online shopping: does age matter?

This study investigated functional and hedonic roles of dynamic product imagery (DPI) by applying a modified Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to DPI adoption process and tested model invariance among shoppers in three different age groups when using DPI for shopping seven product categories. The two major roles of DPI (functional and hedonic) are identified in the model. First, DPI has a functional value (perceived usefulness) because it reduces perceived product risks by providing proxy sensory experiences to improve product evaluations online. Second, DPI has hedonic value (perceived entertainment value) as it provides entertainment to shoppers using multimedia DPI to enhance their enjoyment of the shopping process. Both functions will, in turn, impact the attitude, use and subsequent post-use evaluation of DPI. The results provided empirical support for TAM in the context of DPI acceptance for online shopping across seven product categories. In addition, two additional constructs – technology anxiety and innovativeness – showed significant effects. A significant difference was found between the over 50 age group and the other two groups (18–30/31–50) in the acceptance process. While technology anxiety negatively influenced the use of DPI for 18–30 and 31–50 age groups, it did not have significant influence on the use for over 50 years old online shoppers. The positive relationship was found between the use and the post-use evaluation of DPI. The significant contribution of this study is its examination of the equivalence of the hypothesized model across three age groups, providing empirical validation of the proposed model. Invariance testing of the model fit across groups provided important insights in the adoption of DPI. The proposed model addresses the need for theoretically based research on age differences in the increasingly important area of technology acceptance and usage in online retailing. In addition, the inclusion of two external variables (technology anxiety and innovativeness) as well as the post-use evaluation to the model helps to examine the true adoption process of DPI.