To Sell or not to Sell – Antecedents of Individuals’ Willingness-to-Sell Personal Information on Data-Selling Platforms

Today, Internet users mostly take a passive role in the market for personal information, as they provide companies their data in return for free services but not money. To increase individuals’ compensation, platforms have emerged, on which users can sell their personal information. These platforms provide a particular interesting context for research on the value of personal information. Existing studies on this topic have often relied on artificial settings and highly specialized research contexts, leading to context-specific results. Contrary, data-selling platforms can serve as a natural context to investigate users’ willingness-to-sell (i.e., valuation of) personal information. We conducted a two-step study among 299 Internet users including a qualitative study and a choice-based conjoint analysis to investigate the antecedents of users’ willingness-to-sell information on data-selling platforms and their relative importances. We contribute to research by offering a comprehensive list of antecedents and their importances in the highly-promising context of data-selling platforms

Beyond the Privacy Calculus: Dynamics Behind Online Self-Disclosure

Self-disclosure is ubiquitous in today’s digitized world as Internet users are constantly sharing their personal information with other users and providers online, for example when communicating via social media or shopping online. Despite offering tremendous benefits (e.g., convenience, personalization, and other social rewards) to users, the act of self-disclosure also raises massive privacy concerns. In this regard, Internet users often feel they have lost control over their privacy because sophisticated technologies are monitoring, processing, and circulating their personal information in real-time. Thus, they are faced with the challenge of making intelligent privacy decisions about when, how, to whom, and to what extent they should divulge personal information. They feel the tension between being able to obtain benefits from online disclosure and wanting to protect their privacy. At the same time, firms rely on massive amounts of data divulged by their users to offer personalized services, perform data analytics, and pursue monetization. Traditionally, privacy research has applied the privacy calculus model when studying self-disclosure decisions online. It assumes that self-disclosure (or, sometimes, usage) is a result of a rational privacy risk–benefit analysis. Even though the privacy calculus is a plausible model that has been validated in many cases, it does not reflect the complex nuances of privacy-related judgments against the background of real-life behavior, which sometimes leads to paradoxical research results. This thesis seeks to understand and disentangle the complex nuances of Internet users’ privacy-related decision making to help firms designing data gathering processes, guide Internet users wishing to make sound privacy decisions given the background of their preferences, and lay the groundwork for future research in this field. Using six empirical studies and two literature reviews, this thesis presents additional factors that influence self-disclosure decisions beyond the well-established privacy risk–benefit analysis. All the studies have been published in peer-reviewed journals or conference proceedings. They focus on different contexts and are grouped into three parts accordingly: monetary valuation of privacy, biases in disclosure decisions, and social concerns when self-disclosing on social networking sites. The first part deals with the value Internet users place on their information privacy as a proxy for their perceived privacy risks when confronted with a decision to self-disclose. A structured literature review reveals that users’ monetary valuation of privacy is very context-dependent, which leads to scattered or occasionally even contradictory research results. A subsequent conjoint analysis supplemented by a qualitative pre-study shows that the amount of compensation, the type of data, and the origin of the platform are the major antecedents of Internet users’ willingness to sell their data on data selling platforms. Additionally, an experimental survey study contrasts the value users ascribe to divulging personal information (benefits minus risks) with the value the provider gets from personal information. Building on equity theory, the extent to which providers monetize the data needs to be taken into account apart from a fair data handling process. In other words, firms cannot monetize their collected user data indefinitely without compensating their users, because users might feel exploited and thus reject the service afterwards. The second part delineates the behavioral and cognitive biases overriding the rational tradeoff between benefits and privacy risks that has traditionally been assumed in privacy research. In particular, evaluability bias and overconfidence are identified as moderators of the link between privacy risks and self-disclosure intentions. In single evaluation mode (i.e., no reference information available) and when they are overconfident, Internet users do not take their perceived privacy risks into account when facing a self-disclosure decision. By contrast, in joint evaluation mode of two information systems and when users are realistic about their privacy-related knowledge, the privacy risks that they perceive play a major role. This proof that mental shortcuts interact with privacy-related judgments adds to studies that question the rational assumption of the privacy calculus. Moving beyond privacy risks, the third part examines the social factors influencing disclosure decisions. A structured literature review identifies privacy risks as the predominantly studied impediment to self-disclosure on social networking sites (SNS). However, a subsequent large scale survey study shows that on SNS, privacy risks play no role when users decide whether to self-disclose. It is rather the social aspects, such as the fear of receiving a negative evaluation from others, that inform disclosure decisions. Furthermore, based on a dyadic study among senders and receivers of messages on SNS, it is shown that senders are subject to a perspective-taking bias: They overestimate the hedonic and utilitarian value of their message for others. In this vein, these studies combine insights from social psychology literature with the uniqueness of online data disclosure and show that, beyond the potential misuse of personal information from providers, the risk of misperception in the eyes of other users is crucial when explaining self-disclosure decisions. All in all, this thesis draws from different perspectives – including value measuring approaches, behavioral economics, and social psychology – to explain self-disclosure decisions. Specifically, it shows that the privacy calculus is oversimplified and, ultimately, needs to be extended with other factors like mental shortcuts and social concerns to portray Internet users’ actual privacy decision making

The power of stories to connect with customers : digital storytelling as a communication marketing tool to engage with Millennials and its impact on the creation of value for firms

Nowadays, engaging with customers is a major challenge for any business. Millennials are known for their distinctive attitude towards brands, having proved to be an attractive target for many consumer industries, however, engaging with them is not an easy task, as they are more demanding towards brands than any other generation. The main purpose of this dissertation is to understand if digital storytelling is an effective communication marketing tool for engaging with Millennials, and analyze its impact on the creation of value for firms. In order to respond to the main research questions of this study, an online survey was conducted among Millennials, exposing them to two YouTube ads, with straight-sell and storytelling execution styles, in order to study the effectiveness of the communication in creating engagement among Millennials, and its impact on the creation of added value for firms, depending on the ad type. Results show the superiority of the storytelling ad for engaging with Millennials across several customer reactions: trust, commitment, emotional brand attachment, involvement, as well as positive word of mouth and feedback provided to the brand. Satisfaction, purchase intention and referral behavior, did not differ significantly between the two ad execution styles. Additional findings reveal that a digital storytelling ad produces a higher level of engagement among Millennials, contributing more for the generation of added value for firms, while compared to a straight-sell execution style ad. As a suggestion, marketeers should consider adopting this strategy for developing strong and long-lasting relationships with Millennials.Atualmente, envolver-se com os consumidores é um desafio para qualquer negócio. Os Millennials são conhecidos pela sua atitude em relação às marcas, revelando-se um alvo atraente para muitas indústrias, no entanto, envolver-se com eles não é uma tarefa fácil, sendo mais exigentes em relação às marcas do que qualquer outra geração. O objetivo principal desta dissertação é compreender se o Storytelling digital é uma ferramenta de comunicação eficaz para o envolvimento com os Millennials, e analisar o seu impacto na criação de valor para as empresas. Para responder às principais questões deste estudo, foi realizado um questionário online entre os Millennials, expondo-os a dois anúncios do YouTube com estilos de execução de venda direta e Storytelling, para estudar a eficácia da comunicação para a criação de envolvimento com os Millennials, e o seu impacto na criação de valor para as empresas, dependendo do tipo de anúncio. Os resultados mostram a superioridade do anúncio de Storytelling para envolver os Millennials em vários aspetos: confiança, compromisso, ligação emocional com a marca, envolvimento, assim como comentários positivos e feedback fornecido à marca. Satisfação, intenção de compra e referência, não diferiram significativamente entre os dois estilos de execução. Descobertas adicionais sugerem que o anúncio de Storytelling digital gera um maior envolvimento com os Millennials, contribuindo mais para a criação de valor para as empresas, comparativamente com o de estilo de comunicação de venda direta. Como sugestão, os profissionais de marketing deveriam considerar adotar esta estratégia para desenvolver relações fortes e duradouras com os Millennials

How do ethical consumers utilize sharing economy platforms as part of their sustainable resale behavior? : The role of consumers' green consumption values

Past research has extensively studied the antecedents and consequences of consumers' green consumption values, as well as the psychological mechanisms that underlie an ethical consumer. Yet a frustrating paradox remains, indicated by the consumers' intention-behavior gap for their sustainable behavior. To address this gap, the present study focuses on the consumption values that lead to using a sharing economy platform. Our study draws on the theory of consumption values and altruistic-egoistic values, as well as spillover effect psychology, to examine associations between context-specific values, green consumption values, and sustainable resale behavior. By collaborating with a Nordic second-hand peer-to-peer platform brand, our findings-obtained from large-scale field data (n = 3256)-challenge the conventional wisdom by demonstrating that economic and practical values for using the second-hand peer-to-peer platform negatively affect green consumption values and subsequently weaken the consumers' preparedness to engage in sustainable resale behavior. In contrast, recreational, generative, societal benefit, and protestor values positively influence green consumption values and increase the consumers' willingness to engage in pro-environmental behavior. Further, such relationships are moderated by gender: stronger effects were identified among female consumers. These findings have important implications for theory and practice.Peer reviewe

How do ethical consumers utilize sharing economy platforms as part of their sustainable resale behavior? : The role of consumers' green consumption values

Past research has extensively studied the antecedents and consequences of consumers' green consumption values, as well as the psychological mechanisms that underlie an ethical consumer. Yet a frustrating paradox remains, indicated by the consumers' intention-behavior gap for their sustainable behavior. To address this gap, the present study focuses on the consumption values that lead to using a sharing economy platform. Our study draws on the theory of consumption values and altruistic-egoistic values, as well as spillover effect psychology, to examine associations between context-specific values, green consumption values, and sustainable resale behavior. By collaborating with a Nordic second-hand peer-to-peer platform brand, our findings-obtained from large-scale field data (n = 3256)-challenge the conventional wisdom by demonstrating that economic and practical values for using the second-hand peer-to-peer platform negatively affect green consumption values and subsequently weaken the consumers' preparedness to engage in sustainable resale behavior. In contrast, recreational, generative, societal benefit, and protestor values positively influence green consumption values and increase the consumers' willingness to engage in pro-environmental behavior. Further, such relationships are moderated by gender: stronger effects were identified among female consumers. These findings have important implications for theory and practice.Peer reviewe

Platforms as entrepreneurial incubators? How online labor markets shape work identity

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how the process of work identity construction unfolds for gig workers experiencing unstable working relationships in online labor markets. In particular, it investigates how digital platforms, intended both as providers of technological features and online environments, affect this process. Design/methodology/approach The authors conducted an exploratory field study and collected data from 46 interviews with freelancers working on one of the most popular online labor markets and from online documents such as public profiles, job applications and archival data. Findings The findings reveal that the online environment constrains the action of workers who are pushed to take advantage of the platform’s technological features to succeed. This interplay leads workers to add new characteristics to their work-self and to and to develop an entrepreneurial an entrepreneurial orientation. Practical implications The study offers insights to platform providers interested in improving workers’ experiences in online labor markets, highlighting mechanisms for uncertainty reduction and diversifying a platform’s services according to gig workers’ identities and orientations. Originality/value The study expands the authors’ knowledge on work identity construction processes of gig workers, detailing the relationship between work identity and IT, and documents previously unexplored antecedents of entrepreneurial orientation in non-standard working contexts

Ties that set you free social network-based innovations for C2C marketplaces

Generation Z growing up and gaining more important roles as a consumer group, the unfolding global economic crisis and the increasing need for sustainability create a vacuum that could be filled by the reformation of C2C re-commerce marketplaces. This study examines how trust can be translated to the language of technology, e-commerce and user experience to increase the efficiency and profitability of C2C marketplaces. Secondary research and a threefold primary research were conducted to analyse how social ties between buyers and sellers influence preferred pricing and payment methods, likelihood of purchase, perceived risks and negotiations. Social network theory, social exchange theory, the endowment effect, perceived risk theory and psychological aspects of social reputation and negotiations provide the theoretical base of the study. The market research supports that there is a market gap in Hungary for C2C marketplace innovations. The results of the primary research show that stronger social ties mean that buyers are more likely to accept the price set by the seller, while with strangers, they prefer participative pricing. In the case of first-degree connection, direct payment (e.g. through Revolut) is preferred, in contrast to the case of strangers, where paying through the platform is more appealing. Risks are perceived to be lower when there is any kind of prior social relationship between the parties, and the likelihood of purchase is higher. The study proposes that the pain of distrust towards C2C marketplaces should be defeated by the standardisation of purchasing processes and integrating social elements.A “Gen Z” está a crescer e a ganhar importância como grupos de consumidores. Com o a crise económica mundial e a necessidade crescente de sustentabilidade, criaram um vaco que poderá ser satisfeito com a reestruturação do mercado de “re-commerce” C2C. Este estudo examina a conversão de confiança para linguagem tecnológica, “e-commerce” e experiência do usuário, de forma a aumentar a eficiência e a rendabilidade destes mercados C2C. Foram examinados os laços sociais entre compradores e vendedores e como estes afetam os preços e métodos de pagamento preferidos, a probabilidade de compra, os riscos percebidos e as negociações. A teoria das redes sociais, a teoria das trocas sociais, o efeito de dotação, a teoria dos riscos percebidos e os aspetos psicológicos da reputação social e das negociações fornecem a base teórica do estudo. O estudo de mercado sustenta que existe uma falha no mercado húngaro relativo a inovações afetas ao mercado C2C. Os resultados mostram que laços sociais fortes significam que os compradores são mais propensos a aceitar o preço fixado pelo vendedor, enquanto quando há um baixo nível de relacionamento social estes preferem ter um papel interveniente no na definição dos preços. No caso de uma ligação de primeiro grau, é preferível o pagamento directo ao contrário do caso de estranhos, em que o pagamento através da plataforma é mais atrativo. Os riscos são considerados inferiores quando existe qualquer tipo de relação social prévia entre o comprador e o vendedor, e a probabilidade de compra é maior. O estudo propõe que os obstáculos da desconfiança em relação aos mercados C2C deve ser derrotada pela normalização dos processos de compra e pela integração de elementos sociais

Towards an understanding of consumer´s behavior of buying secondhand products on social media

Due to the research scarcity in consumers’ secondhand shopping behaviors and consumer-to-consumer (C2C) businesses on social media platforms, this thesis decided to concentrate on both secondhand products and social media. The aim of this thesis is to explore the consumers’ behaviors of buying secondhand products on social media – a new channel of doing C2C businesses. To achieve the research aim, I conducted a combined method consisting of 106 questionnaires and ten semi-structured interviews to collect empirical data in this study. After an analysis of empirical data including both qualitative and quantitative data, three main findings were concluded. (1) The thesis firstly explored the social media as an open online marketplace for doing secondhand transactions. Consumers exchange secondhand products on social media in an ‘informal’ way. (2) The finding highlighted that, when consumers buy secondhand products on social media platforms, they are involved either in a ‘passive shopping’ process or an ‘active shopping’ process, and it is highly possible for them to experience hedonic factors (e.g. excitement, fun) due to the occasional and unexpected shopping results. This finding provides two new angels (passive shopping and active shopping) for researchers to analyze consumer behaviors in the future. (3) By extending the study of secondhand shopping motivation from Guiot & Roux (2009, 2010) in an online trading environment, the findings showed that utilitarian aspects of shopping such as price, convenience, product information, and trust mainly drive consumers’ behavior of buying secondhand products on social media. Environmental consideration and recreational motivation are less important than those utilitarian aspects

The art of online arbitrage: essential practices for third-party sellers

The topic of arbitrage is an essential concept in the financial world. It involves taking advantage of price discrepancies for an asset or security across different markets. The emerging third-party retail and online e-commerce arbitrage sellers industry is growing and becoming a popular income source for many individuals. While there is various research on arbitrage and its impact on the economy, there is scant literature on third-party retail e-commerce arbitrage selling. The goal of this research is to build upon existing scholarly work by examining optimal methods, tactics, and obstacles encountered by e-commerce arbitrage sellers who operate through third-party retail platforms. A phenomenological methodology was employed to capture the firsthand experiences of seasoned professionals in the field. Twelve third-party e-commerce sellers who met inclusion criteria were interviewed and asked 11 interview questions designed to elicit detailed and nuanced answers. Thematic analysis was employed to code and categorize the interview data. Forty-nine overarching themes were identified and condensed to create the ACES Framework, which can be used as a guide for success in third-party retail e-commerce arbitrage selling