Is consumer memory (really) Dirichlet-like?

This research note discusses the suitability of the Dirichlet model in approximating the non-linear processes that characterise brand retrieval in consumer memory. This is achieved through the use of the Central Limit Theorem, which highlights a significant sameness between the combination of the statistical distributions describing information encoding, activation and retrieval, and the distributions that form the Dirichlet model. This demonstration reinforces the suitability of the Dirichlet model for predicting a brand's retrieval propensity through the analysis of the network of concepts consumers associate with the brand in their memory, collected by the use of surveys

Understanding the town centre customer experience (TCCE)

This research enhances the understanding of consumer behaviour and customer experience in the context of town centres. First, it defines town centre customer experience (TCCE) as a multifaceted journey that combines interactions with a diverse range of public and private organisations, including retailers and social and community elements; this results in a unique experience co-created with the consumer across a series of functional and experiential touchpoints. Second, combining qualitative and quantitative insights, this research reveals a series of specific functional and experiential TCCE touchpoints, which underpin the consumer internal response (motivation to visit) and outward behaviour (desire to stay and revisit intentions) in the town centre. In addition to enhancing town centre and customer experience knowledge, these findings offer important new insights to those managing town centres and seeking to retain customer loyalty in the high street. Above all, these findings can help identify the touchpoints that need to be reinforced and/or improved to differentiate a town from its competing centres and to create tailored marketing strategies. Taken together, such initiatives have the potential to positively impact the revitalisation of the high street and the town centre economy

Applicazioni mobile: la relazione tra utilizzo e immagini

Adding to the poorness of studies this pare examines the relationship between brand image and usage (current and future) of free and paid branded mobile applications. The results obtained from the analysis of a large set of consumer panel data referred to Italian consumers provide two clear empirical findings: there is a positive relationship between brand image and current usage of mobile apps; the mentioned relationship is stronger for free mobile apps. These findings hava straightforward implications for branding practices in the m-context

Temporal stability and aggregation bias in the NBD-Dirichlet parameters

Despite the large number of empirical studies revolving around the NBD-Dirichlet Theory of buying behaviour, there is little research into the stability of the parameters of the model’s distributions. We focused on two aspects of parameters’ stability: temporal stability and aggregation bias. We fitted the model repeatedly for each available month over nearly three years of panel data for two categories, and also for successive quarters, half years and years. Results showed that the parameters are indeed stable, showing very low coefficients of variation. Aggregation bias was minimal, besides a reasonable scale effect arising with longer periods of analysis. Therefore, the market stability claimed by the NBD-Dirichlet can be extended to the model’s parameters too, with little or no aggregation bias.

Is a "niche" brand in the market also a "niche" in consumers' mind?

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When are apps worth paying for?: how marketers can analyze the market performance of mobile apps

Using established marketing laws, such as the brand usage and image relationship and the double jeopardy effect, the current research shows how to analyze the market performance of different types of mobile apps. The authors found that apps linked to an offline or online brand attracted more users and obtained stronger brand image if made available to consumers at no cost. Apps branded independently attracted more users and obtained stronger brand image if offered at a price. These outcomes significantly add to existing knowledge about branded apps and demonstrate that longstanding marketing laws support the understanding and evaluation of market trends in the mobile-digital context. These findings translate into practical guidelines for managers of existing brands who wish to launch an app, as well as for managers wanting to market apps as stand-alone digital products

Art or science? Making sense of over-time fluctuations of brand satisfaction scores

When the same people are repeatedly surveyed about customer satisfaction, aggregate-level scores are usually very stable, but some individuals give different scores in the second survey. Drawing on literature from satisfaction measurement, attitude change, psychometrics and brand perceptions ‘repeat rates’ we investigate this fluctuation in individual customer-satisfaction scores. We posit that satisfaction scores exhibit a mean reversion or regression to the mean effect over repeated measurements. This effect is consistent with the notion of attitude attenuation, whereby extreme scores tend to be less extreme when re-measured. We undertake preliminary tests using survey data provided by a large European furniture retailer. We confirm a marked regression to the mean effect, that is, the average satisfaction score among people who give a low/high rating in one survey tends to be higher/lower in a subsequent survey. Satisfaction levels appear to attenuate over time. We identify methodological and managerial implications arising from this pattern