Online reviews and product sales: the role of review visibility

When studying the impact of online reviews on product sales, previous scholars have usually assumed that every review for a product has the same probability of being viewed by consumers. However, decision-making and information processing theories underline that the accessibility of information plays a role in consumer decision-making. We incorporate the notion of review visibility to study the relationship between online reviews and product sales, which is proxied by sales rank information, studying three different cases: (1) when every online review isassumed to have the same probability of being viewed; (2) when we assume that consumers sort online reviews by the most helpful mechanism; and (3) when we assume that consumers sort online reviews by the most recent mechanism. Review non-textual and textual variables are analyzed. The empirical analysis is conducted using a panel of 119 cosmetic products over a period of nine weeks. Using the system generalized method of moments (system GMM) method for dynamic models of panel data, our findings reveal that review variables influence product sales, but the magnitude, and even the direction of the effect, vary amongst visibility cases. Overall, the characteristics of the most helpful reviews have a higher impact on sales.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation grant number ECO2015-65393-

An empirical analysis of shopping behavior across online and offline channels for grocery products: the moderating effects of household and product characteristics

We study the moderating effects of household (e.g., shopping frequency) and product (e.g., sensory nature) characteristics on household brand loyalty, size loyalty and price sensitivity across online and offline channels for grocery products. We analyze the shopping behavior of the same households that shop interchangeably in the online and offline stores of the same grocery chain in 93 categories of food, nonfood, sensory and nonsensory products. We find that households are more brand loyal, more size loyal but less price sensitive in the online channel than in the offline channel. Brand loyalty, size loyalty and price sensitivity are closely related to household and product characteristics. Light online shoppers exhibit the highest brand and size loyalties, but the lowest price sensitivity in the online channel. Heavy online shoppers display the lowest brand and size loyalties, but the highest price sensitivity in the online channel. Moderate online shoppers exhibit the highest price sensitivity in the offline channel. The online-offline differences in brand loyalty and price sensitivity are largest for light online shoppers and smallest for heavy online shoppers. The online-offline differences in brand loyalty, size loyalty and price sensitivity are larger for food products and for sensory products.This project is partially supported by the Singapore Ministry of Education Research Project R-317-000- 073-113 and the Government of Navarre and the Spanish Ministry of Science Research Project SEC2002- 04321-C02-02

Fracturas peritrocantéricas tratadas con el clavo proximal de fémur: Técnica y resultados

El Clavo Proximal de Fémur (PFN: Proximal Femoral Nail) es un sistema de osteosíntesis desarrollado por la AO/ASIF para el tratamiento quirúrgico de las fracturas de la región trocantérea del fémur y que se basa en los principios del enclavado endomedular a cielo cerrado. Se presenta un estudio prospectivo sobre 175 fracturas de cadera tratadas con P.F.N. en nuestro servicio, con un seguimiento mínimo exigido de 1 año. El 74,3% de los casos correspondieron a mujeres y el resto a hombres. La edad media fue de 81,87 años. Las fracturas se han clasificado según la AO, siendo el subtipo más frecuentemente registrado el A2. Se realizaron controles clínicos y radiológicos a los 1, 3, 6 y 12 meses. El sistema ha permitido la movilización y la deambulación precoz en la mayoría de nuestros pacientes, al igual que la consolidación de las fracturas en un tiempo aceptable (12 semanas de media). Se analizan los resultados y las diversas complicaciones registradas, así como la capacidad de recuperación de la capacidad funcional previa. El PFN se revela como un buen sistema de osteosíntesis para las fracturas de la región trocantérea del fémur, permitiendo una carga precoz que favorece la consolidación ósea. La técnica quirúrgica no es compleja, la tasa de complicaciones técnicas registradas es aceptable y los resultados globales obtenidos son equiparables e incluso superiores, en determinados aspectos, a los obtenidos con otros sistemas de osteosíntesis disponibles en el mercado para el tratamiento de este tipo de fracturas.The PFN ("proximal femoral nail") is an osteosynthesis system developed by the AO/ASIF group for the surgical treatment of fractures of the trochanteric region of the femur, which is based on the principles of closed endomedullary nailing. A prospective study of 175 hip fractures treated with the PFN is presented, with a minimum follow-up of 1 year. 74,3% of the patients were female, the rest male. The average age was 81,87 years. Fractures were classified according to the AO system, the most common sub-type recorded being the A2. Clinical and radiographic evaluations were performed at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. The system allowed early mobilisation and walking in the majority of our patients, along with fracture consolidation in an acceptable time period (12 weeks on average). The results and the various complications recorded are analysed. The ability to recover previous walking ability was also studied. The PFN emerges as a good system of osteosynthesis for fractures of the trochanteric region of the femur, allowing early weight-bearing which favours bone consolidation. The surgical technique is not complex, the number of complications recorded is acceptable and the overall results obtained are comparable and even superior to those obtained with other osteosynthesis systems available on the market for treatment of this type of fracture

Comportamiento del Consumidor, Competencia en los Mercados y Estrategia Comercial de las Empresas

En un contexto dinámica, en el que los consumidores compran repetidamente los productos, la estructura competitiva está influida por la experiencia pasada de los compradores, manifestada en forma de lealtad a las marcas que compiten. En la tesis se lleva a cabo un estudio teórico y empírico de la influencia de la lealtad en la formación de precios y cuotas de mercado. La aplicación empírica se desarrolla sobre el mercado de detergentes domésticos, con datos desdagragados de compras realizadas por una muestra de hogares durante los años 1.991 a 1.993. Las principales conclusiones son que el aprendizaje y la lealtad son importantes, que existen heterogeneidad en la demanda en cuanto a grados de lealtad (que se manifieseta en diferencias en la elasticidad-precio) y que existe heterogeneidad en la oferta, que se evidencia en que las marcas difieren en el grado de lealtad, en su sensibilidad al precio y en su influencia y vulnerabilidad respecto a otras marcas