Purchasing through Social Platforms with Buy Buttons: Academic and Practical Considerations

Social commerce sales are considerably increasing in recent years. Social platforms (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, and WeChat) play a strategic role in world economy. However, social platforms ran into several burning issues: low ad conversion rates, social platform users’ free-riding behaviors, etc. Although buy buttons, a clickable navigation element leading users from a social platform to an e-commerce platform, could be a solution for such issues, the outcomes of using buy buttons did not reach many professionals’ expectation. This thesis studied four issues related to social shopping with buy buttons. First, as it is undetermined whether a social platform should roll out the buy-button feature or not, it is necessary to study whether the presence of buy button is associated with better outcomes (e.g. users’ higher willingness to purchase through the social platform) or not. Second, as social commerce is a remote shopping mode in which buyers and sellers cannot have face-to-face interactions, high risk and low trust could be two crucial barriers of social commerce. Hence, it is needed to study how risk- and trust-related factors influence users’ direct purchasing behavior. Third, considering that social commerce could be risky, this thesis wants to examine whether the presence of safe shopping measures (vs. an unsafe shopping scenario) can improve the performance of social shopping or not. Finally, social commerce involves a purchase path from a social platform to an e-commerce platform. There are many pain points (e.g., re-entering billing and shipping information) in the purchase path. Meanwhile, as social shopping risks and pain points in the purchase path could be caused by a same factor, the silos between social platforms and e-commerce platforms. It is interesting to study how safe shopping measures and integrated path-to-purchase (users can complete a purchase without leaving the social platform; vs. separated path-to-purchase in which users have to leave the social platform and go to the e-commerce platform to complete a purchase) jointly influence users. In order to answer these questions, three essays have been included in this thesis. Several online surveys were conducted. The between-subjects experimental design and the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) technique were used. The results showed that the presence of buy button was related to better outcomes. It found that risk- and trust-related factors significantly influenced users’ direct purchasing behavior. Both the safe shopping measures and the integrated path-to-purchase design can generate better outcomes of using a buy button in social shopping. In most circumstances, users showed more positive reactions when the safe shopping measures or the integrated path-to-purchase was present. However, no significant interaction effects between the safe shopping measures (vs. an unsafe shopping scenario) and the integrated path-to-purchase (vs. the separated path-to-purchase) were found. The theoretical contributions have been discussed in contrast to previous literature. This thesis has added academic value by offering new insights for previously established variable relationships in a different research context and studying variable relationships that have not been examined in previously relevant studies. From a practical viewpoint, as buy buttons inject e-commerce capabilities into social platforms, this thesis implies that socially focused platforms could reap benefits from social commerce by rolling out a buy-button feature. It is recommended that social platforms wanting to roll out buy buttons take safe shopping measures and create a seamless shopping experience for users.Tesis Univ. Granada.China Scholarship Council grant number: 201606170055National Natural Science Foundation of China grant number: 7170206

An Empirical Investigation Of Information Technology Mediated Customer Services In China

Information technology mediated customer service is a reality of the 21st century. More and more companies have moved their customer services from in store and in person to online through computer or mobile devices. Using 208 respondents collected from two Chinese universities, this paper investigates customer preference over two service delivery model (either in store or online) on five type of purchasing (retail, eating-out, banking, travel and entertainment) and their perception difference in customer service quality between those two delivery model. Results show that a majority of Chinese students prefer in store and in person for eating out. For ordering tickets for travel and entertainment, they prefer computer/mobile device. For retail purchasing and banking, less than half of the students prefer in person services. In general, the results show that ordering through computer/mobile devices has become more popular in China and has received higher rating for most of customer service quality except security compared to ordering in store. In addition, it is found that there exist a gender difference in purchasing preference and perception in service delivery quality in China

Purchasing food becomes omnichannel: understanding food shopper segments and lifestyles

Global consumption trends and technological disruption is creating the path towards an omnichannel approach in food B2C selling. Food companies have seen an unprecedented evolution in this context, that is challenging their marketing strategies. This thesis tackles this problem by developing a segmentation study in France, employing Latent Class Analysis, based on the use of multiple touchpoints across the food purchase process, aiming to identify customer profiles, channel allocation, and psychographic characteristics related to food consumption. Three segments were identified: Early Omnichannel Adopters, Curious Conservatives, and Uninterested Traditional shoppers. The findings reveal key differences in their adoption of online and mobile touchpoints across the purchase stages, in their expertise purchasing food online, and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in channel allocation. A Multinomial logistic regression was then performed to determine psychodemographic differences between the segments and allowing to characterize their food-related lifestyles. The insights developed in this research confirms the utility of LCA analysis to segment customers considering different food purchase phases and multiple touchpoints, using the most recent programming language software, and integrating specific covariates relevant to food shoppers. Food marketers can find valuable to implement a similar approach to reinvent strategies

Mass Exclusivity Assessing whether it brings value to luxury brands

Mass Exclusivity is a strategy that most luxury brands are putting into place to increase popularity and revenues. The brand usually creates brand extensions targeting middle-class consumer, such as Millennials. The purpose of this dissertation is to evaluate if this strategy is boosting the value of luxury brands in Portugal. To answer this question, we performed an exploratory qualitative study. Following a quantitive study about Louis Vuitton, which was a questionnaire to confirm our hypotheses. This last study included an adaptation of the Multidimensional Brand Equity (MBE) and Overall Brand Equity (OBE) scales from Yoo and Donthu (2001), and the Masstige Index Measure scale from Paul (2019). The mass exclusivity strategy is not damaging this particular brand. Moreover, it is increasing value because it is generating more awareness (through influencer marketing) and attainability among potential Millennial clients. However, luxury brands still have lower brand loyalty between Millennials. Therefore it is necessary to increase this feature among possible consumers. We have also found that although the socio-economic status is important, it is not a determining factor when this generation chooses to purchase a luxury brand product. This dissertation emphasises the relevance of the connection between brand and buyer, and how middle-class people are an excellent target for luxury brands to explore.Exclusividade para as massas é uma estratégia que a maioria das marcas de luxo está a adotar para aumentar a sua popularidade e as suas receitas. Geralmente são criadas extensões de marca voltadas para consumidores de classe média, como a geração Millennial. O objetivo desta dissertação é avaliar se esta estratégia está a aumentar o valor das marcas de luxo em Portugal. Para responder à nossa questão de dissertação, realizámos um estudo exploratório qualitativo e um estudo quantitativo sobre a marca Louis Vuitton, que consistiu num questionário para confirmar as nossas hipóteses. Este último estudo incluiu uma adaptação das escalas de Marca Multi-dimensionais de Equidade de marca (MBE) e Equidade Global de Marca (OBE) de Yoo e Donthu (2001) e a escala Índice de Masstige de Paul (2019). Concluímos que esta estratégia não está a danificar a marca, pelo contrário, aumenta o seu valor, pois cria uma maior percepção (através do marketing de influência) e mais acessibilidade aos potenciais clientes da geração Millennial. No entanto, as marcas de luxo ainda têm uma percentagem baixa de lealdade por parte dos Millennials, sendo assim, é necessário aumentar a lealdade com os seus possíveis consumidores. Também constatámos que, apesar de o estatuto sócio-económico da marca ser importante, não é um factor determinante quando esta geração escolhe comprar um produto de uma marca de luxo. Esta dissertação enfatiza a relevância da conexão entre marca e comprador e como os indivíduos da classe média são um excelente alvo para as marcas de luxo explorarem

Mobile Apps for healthy living : segmenting and profiling offer according to user needs

Living a healthy lifestyle is becoming increasingly relevant for contemporary society. As a result, health and lifestyle apps are on their way to become the dominant technological tool in supporting such a healthy lifestyle. For that reason, it becomes essential for app developers to understand what exactly consumers consider a healthy lifestyle, in order to design apps that satisfy user needs and ensure enduring success in the health and lifestyle app market. The present study identifies the key activities and goals consumers associate with a healthy lifestyle and assesses to which degree the five health and lifestyle apps, MyFitnessPal, Runtastic, Seven, Sleep Better and Headspace facilitate them. To this end, primary data was obtained by conducting a survey, in which respondents, among other questions, were asked to provide their associations with a healthy lifestyle. The results were compared with qualitative secondary data about the five different health and lifestyle apps. In addition, the apps were matched with a taxonomy of behavioural change processes. The results show that consumers’ understanding of a healthy lifestyle is much more varied and complex than the literature suggests. Moreover, findings showed which parts of a healthy lifestyle are well matched by current apps and which are not. Also, it was seen that current apps should integrate more behaviour change techniques that enhance motivation. In conclusion, these findings are relevant for app developers in designing successful health and lifestyle apps that meet different consumer needs in order to ensure engagement and retention.Viver um estilo de vida saudável é cada vez mais relevante para a sociedade contemporânea. Como resultado, as aplicações de saúde e estilo de vida estão a caminho de se tornarem a ferramenta tecnológica dominante no apoio a um estilo de vida saudável. Por essa razão, torna-se essencial que os desenvolvedores de aplicativos entendam exatamente o que os consumidores consideram um estilo de vida saudável, a fim de criar aplicativos que satisfaçam as necessidades dos usuários e garantam um sucesso duradouro no mercado de aplicativos de saúde e estilo de vida. O presente estudo identifica as principais atividades e objetivos que os consumidores associam a um estilo de vida saudável e avalia até que ponto os cinco aplicativos de saúde e estilo de vida, MyFitnessPal, Runtastic, Seven, Sleep Better e Headspace os facilitam. Para isso, os dados primários foram obtidos por meio da realização de uma pesquisa, na qual os entrevistados, entre outras questões, foram convidados a proporcionar às suas associações um estilo de vida saudável. Os resultados foram comparados com dados secundários qualitativos sobre as cinco diferentes aplicações de saúde e estilo de vida. Além disso, as aplicações foram combinadas com uma taxonomia de processos de mudança comportamental. Os resultados mostram que a compreensão dos consumidores sobre um estilo de vida saudável é muito mais variada e complexa do que a literatura sugere. Além disso, os resultados mostraram quais as partes de um estilo de vida saudável que são bem correspondidas pelas aplicações atuais e quais as que não o são. Além disso, verificou-se que as aplicações atuais devem integrar mais técnicas de mudança de comportamento que aumentem a motivação. Em conclusão, estas conclusões são relevantes para os criadores de aplicações na conceção de aplicações bem-sucedidas de saúde e estilo de vida que satisfaçam as diferentes necessidades dos consumidores, a fim de garantir o seu envolvimento e retenção

Brand Response to Consumer Backlash in Social Media: A Typology

The use of social media by consumers to admonish firms for their conduct has become increasingly common. Such backlash can take many forms and often occurs rapidly, spreads widely and is highly visible. The potential damage to brands can be severe if these situations are not dealt with effectively. To date, the issue has been examined relatively superficially in a range of disciplines without specific regard to the management of consumer-brand relationships in online environments. Our research examines the nature of company reactions to social media backlash and conceptualises a typology that categorises reputational damage and effective response. We present four typical reactionary scenarios and conclude that insufficient research exists in this domain proportionate to the level of consumer-brand social media discourse to the peril of practitioners operating via these channel

The distinct evaluation of information in a new managerial function of information – decision

The function defined as information-decision can be considered today the central function of management; we believe that the option for a compromise of the type: prognosis of product or service, organization, information - decision, stimulation and control better responds to the new managerial conditions. Any decision primarily means correct information, in order to be able to choose. Surprisingly, from the old Greek term entropis to the actual managerial information it is not such a long way and stages of the new function of information-decision emphasise the continuous interdependences between information and decision, as well as a large number of characteristic features as a result of a necessary compromise in contemporary management.information-decision, entropy, redundancy, managerial information and decision

Sustainable Development of Real Estate

Research, theoretical and practical tasks of sustainable real estate development process are revised in detail in this monograph; particular examples are presented as well. The concept of modern real estate development model and a developer is discussed, peculiarities of the development of built environment and real estate objects are analyzed, as well as assessment methods, models and management of real estate and investments in order to increase the object value. Theoretical and practical analyses, presented in the monograph, prove that intelligent and augmented reality technologies allow business managers to reach higher results in work quality, organize a creative team of developers, which shall present more qualitative products for the society. The edition presents knowledge on economic, legal, technological, technical, organizational, social, cultural, ethical, psychological and environmental, as well as its management aspects, which are important for the development of real estate: publicly admitted sustainable development principles, urban development and aesthetic values, territory planning, participation of society and heritage protection. It is admitted that economical crises are inevitable, and the provided methods shall help to decrease possible loss. References to the most modern world scientific literature sources are presented in the monograph. The monograph is prepared for the researchers, MSc and PhD students of construction economics and real estate development. The book may be useful for other researchers, MSc and PhD students of economics, management and other specialities, as well as business specialist of real estate business. The publication of monograph was funded by European Social Fund according to project No. VP1-2.2-ŠMM-07-K-02-060 Development and Implementation of Joint Master’s Study Programme “Sustainable Development of the Built Environment”