Customer Service Employees and Discretionary Service Behavior: A Psychological Contract Model

We present a theoretical framework for explicating contact employee behavior during customer service encounters, labeled discretionary service behavior (DSB). The model takes an organizational justice perspective, incorporating psychological contracts and fairness perceptions. We define DSB, examine potential antecedents, present research propositions related to the model, and discuss potential organizational outcomes

Attitudes Towards and Satisfaction with Cooperatives in Alberta: A Survey Analysis

The purpose of the study is to assess the attitude towards, and satisfaction of residents of Alberta to their cooperatives. A mailed questionnaire to 1500 Alberta residents, with a 16% response rate is analyzed using Likert scales and the theory of planned behavior. The majority of the respondents are males, aged 45 or older, and earn incomes of $49,000 or less. They are reasonably educated with a high school, college or university degrees. Results of the analysis also show a population that has a general positive attitude towards and is satisfied with their cooperatives as is reflected in assessing the performance of their cooperatives as good. Further analysis using the theory of planned behaviour show that respondents' attitude towards their cooperatives is the single most important and significant predictor of their patronization behaviour. However, there are still issues of concern to be addressed for current and past members. These include the inability of management to include members in the decision making process as well as issues of member training and education for the current members, and for the former members who left because they found the experience not rewarding or unable to use the services of their cooperatives when they moved.Institutional and Behavioral Economics,

Perceived Justice and Email Service Recovery

This study adds to the limited research of email service recovery. It is perhaps the first non-US study of email service recovery as well as the first study to apply a theoretical perspective ¬– perceived justice – to email service recovery. The results of three annual studies using Australian data resemble US results and support extending perceived justice to service recovery via email. The distributive elements of replying and offering compensation, the procedural element of answering completely and the interactional element of thanking the customer showed significant positive relationships with customer satisfaction, positive word-of-mouth and repurchase intent. Perhaps most importantly for practitioners, the results of a stepwise regression showed that incorporating the simple phrase "thank-you" in the email reply was a strong predictor of successful email service recovery. Finally, this study found that response time might be less critical than previously thought

Designing for Optimum Experiences in Online Retail: The Impact of Website Design on Flow in Online Retail Environments

Online shopping is increasingly popular and is expected to grow significantly. The buying of retail items online now forms a vital part of the retail economy (ONS, 2018). Online sales have seen a steady increase since 2008 with 18% of total retail sales occurring online in 2019 (ONS, 2019). The rise in store closures together with the growth in online sales has led to an increased interest in understanding consumer behaviour in online retail (PWC, ONS 2019). Over the last two decades, both retailers and consumers have become increasingly experience orientated. The provision of a memorable customer experience in online retail is seen as a competitive advantage from a service delivery perspective; due to its impact on desirable customer outcomes. However, there is limited research exploring a comprehensive set of website design features that contribute to an optimum online experience that impacts customer outcomes such as satisfaction and intention to purchase. The thesis provides an intellectual understanding of the facilitation of a memorable customer experience online by understanding the impact of website design elements on the overall customer experience in online retail. Understanding how to design websites for optimum customer experience can afford retailers a strong competitive advantage. Further to understand customer outcomes, the research explores the role of flow experience which addresses the cognitive involvement of the customer. The relationship between website design features, flow experience and customer outcomes is examined. Online retailers are increasingly focusing on providing an exceptional customer experience as a key characteristic of the service delivery system. Flow offers a distinctive approach to explore customer experience and can be described as a state of optimum experience. Research indicates that customers who achieve flow are acutely immersed in the online environment. Acute involvement in the navigation process, for example, results in immersion within the online system. Successful experiences are assumed to have a significant impact on customer outcomes. These include purchase decisions, loyalty and an affinity with a retailer. This, therefore, provides opportunities for strategic differentiation. Website design is one of the significant factors that contribute to e-commerce success; building intuitive and engaging websites is crucial for online retailers as it generates a positive experience which 2 leads to more online buying, customer satisfaction and loyalty. This research examines whether customers who achieve flow due to their interaction with specific website design attributes during their online shopping experience are more likely to leave satisfied and exhibit intention to purchase

Ambiance Factors, Emotions, and Web User Behaviour:a Model Integrating and Affective and Symbolical Approach

The present paper addresses the efficiency of manipulating music in a merchant website, and it:- proposes a review of the literature on ambiance factors in advertising & shopping behaviour, capitalizing on it to:- propose a theoretical framework that enhances our understanding of the web-user behaviour in specific ambiance factors such as music, with a specific attention devoted to his loyalty, & affiliation behaviour;- a model of is proposed.Ambiance Factors; Emotions; Fit & Symbolism; On-line Behaviour

On Shelf Availability: A Literature Review & Conceptual Framework

On-Shelf Availability (OSA) is a key performance indicator for the retail industry, greatly impacting profit and customer loyalty. Strong competition in the industry causes retailers and suppliers to put heavy emphasis on improving performance in an effort to satisfy consumers and keep them coming back to their store or product. Over 40 years of research has been done on OSA and its complement, out-of stock (OOS), however very little progress has been made in improving performance in these areas, leading to the belief that gaps in extant research exist. In order to solve the OOS problem, the key drivers of OOS events must first be identified and then addressed. This paper focuses on identifying the drivers of poor OSA performance through a three step process. First, a comprehensive literature review was performed to identify the drivers of OOS addressed in existing literature. Second, interviews with industry professionals revealed potential drivers of poor OSA performance that have been explored at an industry level. Finally, the two lists were examined against each other and the potential drivers identified in the interviews that had yet to be researched were highlighted. This paper gives strategic direction for future research to help solve the OOS dilemma facing manufacturers and retailers today

Consumer Culture and Purchase Intentions towards Fashion Apparel

This study examines the effectiveness of different fashion marketing strategies and analyzes of the consumer behavior in a cross-section of demographic settings in reference to fashion apparel retailing. This paper also discusses the marketing competencies of fashion apparel brands and retailers in reference to brand image, promotions, and externalmarket knowledge. The study examines the determinants of consumer behavior and their impact on purchase intentions towards fashion apparel. The results reveal that sociocultural and personality related factors induce the purchase intentions among consumers. One of the contributions that this research extends is the debate about the converging economic, cognitive and brand related factors to induce purchase intentions. Fashion loving consumers typically patronage multi-channel retail outlets, designer brands, and invest time and cost towards an advantageous product search. The results of the study show a positive effect of store and brand preferences on developing purchase intentions for fashion apparel among consumers.Consumer behavior, purchase intention, socio-cultural values, designer brands, store brands, fashion apparel, brand promotion, personalization, fashion retailing, psychographic drivers

Examining the Nonlinear Effects in Satisfaction-Loyalty-Behavioral Intentions Model

Extant research has widely investigated linear functional forms in satisfaction and loyalty models. Though complex nonlinear nature of satisfaction loyalty link is suggested by several researchers, few attempts have been made to empirically examine nonlinearity. Moreover, researchers have used divergent functional forms to model nonlinearity and their findings are often inconclusive. In this study we use nonlinear form to describe the relationship between satisfaction, attitudinal loyalty, purchase loyalty and customer behavioral intentions such as willingness to pay more and external and internal complaining responses in the context of business-to-consumer ecommerce. We find modest empirical support for nonlinear effects in the relationship. Results support nonlinearity only in the case of attitudinal loyalty to internal complaining response link. Results also present evidence about the mediating role of attitudinal loyalty in the relationship between satisfaction, purchase loyalty, willingness to pay more and internal complaining responses.

Role of Live E-Commerce on Consumer Purchase Intentions

Purpose:  Live streaming is one of the many options that e-commerce offers to enable retailers to advertise goods in real time through live video.   Theoretical framework:  In the framework of online shopping research, perceived value and trust received are considered significant variables of cognitive response expressing interaction with external stimuli.   Design/methodology/approach:  It gives information and makes it possible for synchronous information exchange between the online viewer (consumer) and the Internet celebrity, who ultimately influences the customers' information-seeking behavior and aids the company in making long-term profits. From live streaming to cutting-edge buying, China has led the way in global innovation in online commerce.   Findings: The results showed a positive correlation between social interaction, entertainment, and purchase intent for live commerce, but no connection between purchase intent and visualization or professionalization was discovered. Entertainment has the most impact on viewers' intent to buy during live streaming.   Research, Practical & Social implications:  The live-streaming e-commerce industry is anticipated to continue growing with the rapid development of contactless communication. Live-streamed e-commerce goes beyond the conventional idea of only selling goods or services.   Originality/value:  Future researchers and business professionals can utilize this study as a benchmark to increase viewers' intent to buy during live streaming

IMC customer-based perception: strategic antecedents and consequences on post-purchase customer behaviour

Last decades Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) have been mainly analysed from a managerial perspective, overlooking the customer opinion. Thus, this research studies IMC customer-based perception, its strategic antecedents and consequences on post-purchase customer behaviour (satisfaction, word-of-mouth recommendations, and repurchase intention), from a multi-country perspective. The structural equation modelling and multi-group analysis are based on the customers´ survey data in Belarus and Spain. The results suggest that technology orientation positively affects IMC, and, customer orientation does not. IMC positively affects customer satisfaction, which in turn positively impacts on WOM and repurchase intention. WOM does not influence on repurchase intention. IMC directly affects WOM and repurchase intention in Spain and does not in Belarus, which is the significant country difference