Does online retail coupons and memberships create favourable psychological disposition?

This study aims to examine the impact of coupons, portal membership and peer-influence on consumer purchase and psychological actions, which is built on the theory of impulsiveness and the theory of dissonance. The study uses 2x2x2 (i.e. coupons, peer influence, complimentary coupons) factorial experimental design to investigate the proposed hypothetical model. The experiment was conducted with 364 participants. The study used a two-step structural equation modelling analysis to validate the proposed hypothetical model. The findings suggest that an increase in coupons can positively enhance the purchase actions and impulsiveness, which can later influence cognitive post purchase dissonance (CPPD) and affective post-purchase dissonance (APPD), as well as customers repurchase intention. It was also found that providing additional complimentary coupons reduces the effect of CPPD but not of the APPD. This study contributes to dissonance theory by adding APPD into the framework; moreover, the results on the coupons, memberships and peer influence will offer further insights to practitioners

Innovative business plan: daily deal platform in the Angolan market

This project was created with the intent to elaborate a business plan for a Daily Deal platform in the Angolan market, a very peculiar branch of e-commerce that stimulates local businesses through a demand created by attractive discounts offered to clients in the platform. A detailed study was carried out to determine the economic and financial feasibility of the project considering several important variables that play a role in the construction of e-commerce start-ups, particularly in emerging markets. Among these variables, the following stand out: addressable audience potentially inclined to make online purchases, infrastructure conditions that allow an efficient implementation of this business model, economic crisis that recently has been directly influencing both the price of products and services in the market and the customer purchasing power, and the existing competition in the sector. After analyzing the business plan, it was possible to realize the enormous potential of this project given the growth of the target audience in the short-medium term, associated with factors such as economic and infrastructural improvement which will consequently result in greater confidence and interest from the 2 ends of the business (merchants and customers). Therefore, these relationships reinforced the viability of this business, making the investment in this project encouraging at all levels. To implement this platform, an initial investment of 30 000 € will be necessary, destined to investment in fixed capital, administrative expenditures, and suppliers. Considering the assumptions made, the financial and economic valuation of the project is positive with a Net Present Value of 316 160 €, an Internal Rate of Return of 123%, and a payback period of 3 years.A criação deste projeto teve como propósito a elaboração de um plano de negócios para uma plataforma de Daily Deal no mercado angolano, um ramo bastante peculiar do "e-commerce" que estimula negócios locais através de uma demanda criada pelos descontos atrativos oferecidos aos clientes através da plataforma. Levou-se a cabo um estudo detalhado de modo a determinar a viabilidade económica e financeira do projeto tendo em conta diversas variáveis importantes na conceção de "start-ups" de "e-commerce", particularmente em mercados emergentes. Dentre estas variáveis, destacam-se os seguintes: público endereçável potencialmente inclinado a realizar compras "online", condições de infraestrutura que permita uma execução eficiente deste tipo de atividade, crise económica que recentemente tem influenciado diretamente tanto no preço dos produtos e serviços praticados no mercado como no poder de compra do cliente e por último a competição no setor. Após análise do plano de negócios foi possível perceber a enorme potencialidade deste projeto dado o crescimento do público alvo no curto-médio prazo, associado a fatores como melhoria da economia e das infraestruturas que consequentemente resultará em maior confiança e interesse por parte dos principais intervenientes do negócio (comerciantes e clientes). Portanto, estas elações reforçaram a viabilidade deste negócio tornando o investimento neste projeto encorajador a todos os níveis. Para implementar esta plataforma será necessário um investimento inicial de 30 000 €, destinado à inversão em capital fixo, gastos administrativos e fornecedores. Tendo em consideração os pressupostos assumidos, a avaliação financeira e económica do projeto revelou-se positiva com um Valor Presente Líquido de 316 160 €, uma Taxa Interna de Rendibilidade de 123% e período de recuperação do investimento de 3 anos

Does online retail coupons and memberships create favourable psychological disposition?

This study aims to examine the impact of coupons, portal membership and peer-influence on consumer purchase and psychological actions, which is built on the theory of impulsiveness and the theory of dissonance. The study uses 2x2x2 (i.e. coupons, peer influence, complimentary coupons) factorial experimental design to investigate the proposed hypothetical model. The experiment was conducted with 364 participants. The study used a two-step structural equation modelling analysis to validate the proposed hypothetical model. The findings suggest that an increase in coupons can positively enhance the purchase actions and impulsiveness, which can later influence cognitive post purchase dissonance (CPPD) and affective post-purchase dissonance (APPD), as well as customers repurchase intention. It was also found that providing additional complimentary coupons reduces the effect of CPPD but not of the APPD. This study contributes to dissonance theory by adding APPD into the framework; moreover, the results on the coupons, memberships and peer influence will offer further insights to practitioners

Desenho de uma aplicação para disponibilização de M-Cupões

Atualmente vive-se numa era tecnológica onde cada vez mais a promoção e venda dos produtos é feita num formato móvel. Neste sentido surgiram as aplicações móveis de cupões de desconto que se tornaram uma ferramenta de auxílio no dia a dia do utilizador. Contudo em Portugal estas aplicações ainda são pouco conhecidas e exploradas. Por essa razão, o presente estudo procurou realizar o desenho e a prototipagem da interface de uma aplicação móvel que disponibiliza os cupões de desconto relacionados com os conteúdos televisivos. A investigação composta por quatro fases, exploração, planeamento, design e avaliação, iniciou-se com a elaboração da uma pergunta de investigação e definição dos objetivos. Para orientação da mesma foi adotada uma metodologia denominada por Investigação de Desenvolvimento completada com o User Centered Design. Através da revisão da literatura, foi possível compreender o significado do cupão móvel e ainda estudar os requisitos necessários para o desenvolvimento da interface de uma aplicação. O produto projetado foi analisado com os peritos no desenvolvimento de aplicações móveis e com os potenciais utilizadores, tendo os resultados obtidos concluir que: as aplicações semelhantes são úteis e necessárias devido às questões de poupança, ambiente, facilidade de transporte e uso de uma só app que engloba todos os cupões; os utilizadores revelam interesse e vontade de experimentar a aplicação; e a interface desenhada em termos de usabilidade é intuitiva e simples de utilizarNowadays we are living in a technological age where the promotion and sale of products is increasingly done in a mobile format. On this subject the mobile applications of discount coupons have emerged which have become an aid tool in the day to day of the user. However in Portugal these applications are still little known and exploited. For this reason, the present study sought to design and prototype the interface of a mobile application that makes discount coupons related to television content available. The research comprised of four phases, exploration, planning, design and evaluation, began with the elaboration of a research question and definition of the objectives. For its orientation, a methodology called Development Research completed with User Centered Design was adopted. Through the literature review, it was possible to understand the meaning of the mobile coupon and also to study the necessary requirements for the development of the interface of an application. The projected product was analyzed with experts in the development of mobile applications and with potential users, and the results obtained conclude that: similar applications are useful and necessary because of the savings, environment, ease of transportation and use one app that includes all coupons; users show an interest and willingness to try the application; and the usabilitydesigned interface is intuitive and simple to useMestrado em Comunicação Multimédi