Yehoshua Liebermann

Perceived risks as barriers to Internet and e‐commerce usage

Previous research suggests that perceived risk is an important ingredient in the consumer decision‐making process. The purpose of the present study is to investigate what are the perceived barriers to Internet usage and e‐marketing by both users and non‐users. By understanding these potential obstacles, more efficient marketing strategies will become available that will drive Internet use and e‐commerce. A detailed perceived risks map has been developed using a qualitative research paradigm. We suggest a model with the factors affecting the Internet’s perceived risk elements. The factors are demographic traits and usage behavior characteristics. The model is tested against a sample of 465 employed adults.

Message strategy by product-class type: A matching model

Abstract An ELM (Elaboration Likelihood Model) based matching model is developed that relates alternative emotional /rational message appeals to a product type (goods or services) classification scheme. An empirical ad content analysis establishes that in practice emotionally dominant message appeals fit most appropriately search goods and credence services as opposed to experience goods and experience services.

Membership Clubs as a Tool for Enhancing Buyers' Patronage

Abstract One of the central tools for enhancing brand/outlet loyalty both in durables and nondurables consumer markets is membership clubs. The present study examines effects of several membership behavior variables on three loyalty dimensions of members in such clubs. Empirical results are reported and discussed.

Why Do Retailers Deal? An Inventory Explanation

Price deals, or price specials, are a wellestablished practice in retail sales promotion, and a topic of considerable interest to researchers (see Seligman and Love 1932; U.S. Federal Trade Commission 1932; Cassaday 1962; Hinkle 1965; Kuhn and Rohloff 1967; Tuch and Harvey 1972; Leed and German 1973; Kinberg and Rao 1975; Blattberg et al. 1978; Dobson, Tybout, and Sterhal 1978; Blattberg, Eppen, and Liebermann 1981). In these deals, items are offered for sale for a short period of time at prices below their going market rates. Supermarket chains, as well as independent retailers, heavily advertise their deals in local papers, by signs and displays at the store, and on television and radio. A natural question is, Why do many retailers prefer this strategy to other forms of price competition such as lower average prices? (This question is broached by Allvine, Teach, and Connelly [1976].) This paper demonstrates that, under certain conditions, price deals on nonperishable goods can benefit both retailer and consumer by transferring part of inventory holding cost from the former to the latter in return for an unusually low price. However, it does not deny that price deals may also reflect the influence of other considerations.

Efficiency of consumer intertemporal choice under life cycle cost conditions

Abstract Many decisions made by consumers are intertemporal. Life cycle cost (LCC) conditions represent a specific type of intertemporal decisions, typically referring to items involving two cost components: present purchase price and future maintenance costs. This paper presents a conceptual framework for analyzing consumer LCC decision making. Within this framework the notion of choice efficiency is highlighted. The main contribution of the study is the direct estimation of consumers’ choice efficiency, as compared to previous studies that estimate only consumers’ implicit discount rates. Effects of situational and personal variables on efficiency of choice are estimated by means of a series of manipulated choice settings. The main empirical findings show situational effects of monetary size, type of object and time horizon. Additional findings show the effect of personal variables such as gender, marital status and education.

Economic aspects of diffusion models

Abstract This paper presents possible effects of economic and marketing variables on the diffusion process of new products. The variables examined are price, advertising, and consumers income. It is shown that under certain conditions the diffusion process depends on the income elasticity of the new product introduced.

Price adjustment strategy under conditions of high inflation: An empirical examination

Abstract Price adjustment strategy is a central problem to businesses operating under conditions of high inflation. Three different approaches to the problem are presented and some of their implications tested empirically by means of a unique data set. The empirical observations do not support any of the three traditional approaches.

Household Economics and Market Segmentation

Examines the relationship between household economics and market segmentation. Provides a theoretical framework and an empirical analysis. Discusses the differences between household economics and traditional microeconomics. Analyzes factors impacting on household economics including budgets and technological changes. Breaks the theoretical framework down into four key areas of the household function – leisure, care of children, care of the home and shopping related activities – and provides time allocation for each. Uses studies conducted in 1967 in Paris and 1974 in Nimes to identify ten categories relating to household economics: Household work; Child care; Purchase of goods and services; Eating/sleeping; Education & training; Collective activities; Entertainment; Sports; Passive leisure. Attributes time allocation to each section. Concludes that the theory of household economics may be employed as a potential for identifying and evaluating possible segmentation variables.

Newspaper Classified Advertising

While regular advertising (RA) is typically regarded as an activity pursued by sellers only, classified advertising (CA) entries are frequently placed by both prospective sellers and buyers. This practice raises the following question: which party will advertise? The present paper attempts to provide a preliminary answer to this question. For this purpose several components of CA decision making are analysed, accompanied by several empirical illustrations. CA marketing management implications are discussed as well.